Slow-smoke this overlooked part of a catfish for a delicious summertime snack
Smoked Catfish Belly Jerky
30 Min
Prep Time
240 Min
Cook Time
3-7
Servings
Easy
Difficulty
When folks think about the meat from a fish, they usually picture fillets. But, when it comes to big blue and flathead catfish, there's another cut that deserves your attention. Once a catfish hits 20 to 25 pounds, they have a big slab of belly meat. Catfish belly meat, particularly from a flathead, has a completely different texture than from most fish. It's much denser than the steaks or fillets from the same fish. Chunks of belly meat make the perfect addition to a crawfish boil and, once cooked, feel more like lobster than fish in texture. Eat it dipped in melted butter.
Ingredients
2 to 3 pounds flathead or blue cat belly meat
Marinade
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon hot sauce
Seasoning
2-3 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
Cooking Instructions
Trim all skin and inner membrane from the belly meat. Cut the meat into slices roughly an inch wide, 6 to 8 inches long and 1/2-inch thick. If your catfish is big enough to have thicker belly meat, just pound it flat with a meat mallet to a half-inch thickness.
Drain the fish and sprinkle on the Cajun seasoning.
Store the jerky in the refrigerator up to six days, or vacuum seal and freeze for long-term storage.
