Marlin.... talk to me about this fish

[Anna N]

Asked The Dane to pick up something for dinner on his way home last night. He fancied fish and we like to try different varieties so when he spotted Marlin at the fish counter he bought two boneless steaks.

I tossed them on the grill but they were really "chewy". They did not seem overcooked as they were still quite moist. Is this the nature of the beast? What do you do with Marlin?

We left quite a bit of it so it's going into a chowder for lunch today but is there a way to treat this fish that is different from most other fish?

Thanks, as always, for some enlightenment.

[Steve Martin]

I've mentioned on my website that Marlin is a tricky fish. We prefer it cooked longer than tuna, but it toughens dreadfully if you go too far. Grilling on a high heat is fine but you must leave it rare.

If you can't bear it rare, try cooking it on in oil or fat at 80C, or resting it in a hot oven for a little while.

Really, if you don't like it rare, choose swordfish instead.

[Anna N]

Thanks, Steve. By your photo ours was definitely overcooked! Since I am not a fan of rare fish, I will likely give it a miss next time. Still glad I tried it.

[fifi]

Actually... Marlin should not be kept but should be released if caught by a sport fisherman. However, there is quite a by-catch by the longliners so I guess that it is best not to waste it. It really isn't that good to eat. About the only way I have had it that I really liked was smoked. Back in the days when fishing tournaments weren't catch and release, someone would usually have a big smoker set up and all kinds of hunks of fish were smoked. A really inspired cook would have the fish taco makings handy.

I will have to give the rare fish bit a pass as well so any finny friend that isn't so good cooked is probably off my menu.

[torakris]

Anna,

there is quite a bit about marlin in the daily nihongo thread, look at this page:

http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=20174&st=660

it starts on 5/31 and continues on past all the tsuyu talk....

[Alex]

From www.tunaresearch.org:

In the past decade, sport fishermen have strongly supported the tag and release of blue marlin. The release ethic was developed in response to the over-fishing of many marine resources.

In 1997, the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) adopted its first-ever-international recommendations for billfish conservation calling for reductions in blue marlin landings. The recommendation called upon both commercial and recreational fishers to reduce fishing effort and billfish landings and in effect promotes release of the fish. The recommendations follow recent assessments, which indicate the Atlantic blue marlin stocks are in a decline. U.S. fisheries operating in Atlantic waters comply with ICCAT recommendations and currently release most live marlin.

In the Pacific, blue marlin is also caught incidentally on tuna and swordfish longlines and is sometimes released. Tag and release has been prominent among recreational fishers throughout the Pacific (led by Australia and New Zealand fishers) and more recently, the Kona recreational fishery has begun to emerge as a proponent of the tag and release of blue marlin.

[ned]

Smoked marlin is divine. If you don't want to eat it rare, put it in some water with salt and sugar, some sliced onion, cracked allspice and pepper, maybe some lemon or lime zest, and some white rum. Sort of an escabeche. But then you pull it out a few hours later and cook it as you did before. . . though you could do it on the grill, in a pan or broiled. Should end up very nice. Doesn't have to be rare but you shouldn't go too far with it. Marlin is considered a game fish because it's a fighter. Strong as hell and a very fast swimmer. This translates to muscley. And not much oil. It's a difficult proposition for cooking. Gotta take extraordinary measures for success. The best form I've had it in is brined for a short time in a jerkish solution and then cold smoked. Good luck.

[Anna N]

Thanks for all the replies. I certainly did know it was considered an endangered species - on the fish counter one doesn't see anything to suggest this. But, as someone remarked, this one was well past being released since it was already cut up into steaks.

[Sam Salmon]

Marlin from the Atlantic is in trouble in some places and I believe isn't allowed to be sold in the USA.

Marlin from the Pacific is allowed to be sold though.

The toughest Marlin is probably Striped but none are particularly tasty table fare-coarse dry flesh characterizes Marlin.

Lots of Info Here None of it Cheery

[Anna N]

Marlin from the Atlantic is in trouble in some places and I believe isn't allowed to be sold in the USA.

Marlin from the Pacific is allowed to be sold though.

The toughest Marlin is probably Striped but none are particularly tasty table fare-coarse dry flesh characterizes Marlin.

Lots of Info Here None of it Cheery

Thanks!

I pose no threat to the continued existence of marlin. Even in my favourite "Crammed Chowder" it remained rather dull and boring if a bit less chewy.