Walleye Cheeks

[Aqua Eye]

I am surprised when I mention to experienced fisherman around the cleaning table that few people seem to know that a walleye has cheeks! To me it is one more thing that should be used when the decision to keep a few "eaters" has been made. Why waste them,they taste great! How many of you guys remove the cheeks along with your fillets? I just toss them in the bowl with the skinned filets and then when I'm rinsing the filets under cold well water later it's real easy to just peel the skin from the cheeks. They make a great tasty boneless little fillet that can be used in numerous ways. Ah,the lost art of fishing sense. What is your opinion/experience with this.-TROY

ps-I also use what's left from the fish I clean as compost for the garden-but that's another post.

[perchjerker]

Always harvest them. I call them freshwater scallops.

[rebs]

yes I do keep the cheeks
I feel they are like a fine delicasy

rebs

[Ness]

Yummmyyyyyyyyy.... love those cheeks :-)

[Boatnut]

I save them from the larger walleyes. Keep them seperate in the freezer , then when i get enough i make "cheek chowder" . yum!

My buddy has started saving the "chin meat"...we call it "chin and fin", cause ya end up with the two little fins by the chin with it. Tastes great and ya got a built in "handle" to eat it with. Too much work for me though.

[curt quesnell]

I keep the cheeks from the larger fish too. If you dig most of
it out and leave it attached at one end you can pull the meat
right out of the skin and not worry about it later.

Someone right here on WC told me years ago that the chin (or butterflies as we call them) is one of the hotbeds for contamination
on fish, worse than the bellymeat. I quit eating them but they
are tasty.


Curt Quesnell

[Aqua Eye]

Wow! I have not heard that before.I would think that the rib area would hold the most contaminates. Here I have been giving the cheeks and the tail sections to the people at the table I want to have the best tasting,healthiest parts to eat.That being said my wife and son are the two I'm talking about,I also don't have to be as concerned about them getting a bone or two either.
Now I don't fish any rivers so that should limit some of the risk but that will be a concern of mine from here on out. I think of the places I fish as some of the healthiest waters in the world and I still trust that the fish I clean is still healthier than the fish that is bought and sold.Thanks Curt for the info-TROY

[Ginamaria]

I've been looking for some recipies for cheeks. I was thinking of sautee-ing and serving over pasta. I would love to hear your cheek recipies

[Erie Drifter]

I just saute in butter until light brown, to long and they get rubbery

Bill W. (War-N-Peace-ch 68)

[River_eye]

Try boiling some salted water (not too salty) with a few Bay leaves thrown in too. Boil the cheeks for about 4-5 min. depending on size and then serve them with melted garlic butter. I usually use regular butter with chopped up garlic in it or garlic powder. It carries the same texture and a similar taste as lobster.

[walleye4]

The cheeks are the best part of the fish in my books! I also filet the backside of the ribcage too! After you cut the ribcage out, turn it over and take the meat off the other side! I wouldn't worry to much about contaminants unless you fish areas that have high levels of them!


Wallagator Chaser

[Den]

I have been doing this for years, i like it very much. as a rule these get put in a seperate bag, and are used for speceal times. they are very tasty, and can be overcooked easily. good eatin tho. good luck and good fishin.
Den

[Roger Mayer]

If you get big enough cheeks I wrap them in bacon, skewer them on a shishkabob stick and B.B.Q. them. Kraft Original B.B.Q. Sauce is great on them.

Call 'em Walleye Wraps.

Roger Mayer.

[THILL]

This year I was up at Lake Of The Woods, I took the cheeks out of my walleye limit and everyone in the cleaning house asked what are you doing dare, I replied,"getting the best part" then they all said,"too much work for so little meat" so then I aksed for there cheeks and before I knew it I had a ziplock bag full. Thanks for the goood meal o' cheeks. Dams them goods!

[BD]

WALLEYE CHEEKS have been declared HAZZARDOUS WASTE!!!

For proper disposal they must be removed from the fish the same time it is fileted, rinsed in clean water, frozen, packed with dry ice, and sent priority mail to Cheek Disposal Inc. Thank you for your cooperation!

Click on the smiley face for complete mailing instructions. :)

[Maumeemoon]

I always keep the cheeks. I prepare them two ways. Either on a skewer with fresh bell peppers and mushrooms cooked over a wood fire(prepare them the night before and marinate in your favorite marinade overnight) or I'll boil them and serve as an appetizer to a delicous meal of baked walleye. How can ya go wrong. Tender delicous fish flesh......making my stomach rumble just thinking about it.

[chips]

I have buddies that love the cheeks. So when on our Canadians trips, we sautee them in butter with lemon pepper. They are great tasting.

[mh]

My Walleye checks NEVER make it to the table. They are my prize while cooking the rest of thr fish.

[Eyecrosser]

How big are these walleyes that everyone is cleaning? I guess the cheeks on the fish I keep to eat aren't big enough to worry about. I just can't get myself to fillet anything over 19", but that's just me.

[curt quesenell]

You get decent cheekage off of a 18 or 19 incher. Its worth it
to scoop them out

I dont mess with de-cheeking the 14 and 15 inchers either.

Curt Quesnell

[ETT]

Try this.... cut the cheek free from the rear of the fish toward the eye. Turn the knife up on the eye side and cut to the skin, but stop it just under the skin. Put your thumb on the knife and pull (kind of like curling a ribbon). The skin will stay attached to the head and you've got a skinless cheek. Be carefull!!! We don't want any people blood messing up your fish.

Good luck.

[Eyecrosser]

I'll have to give it a try next I get a few keepers. Since I fish Mille Lacs about 90% of the time, it might be awhile. LOL.

[Unioneyezed]

Was tuned into this quite a few years ago by big John at the former fishing hole in Taylor Mi Ahh Erieu in June-July BIG FAT WALLEYE'S WITH BIG FAT CHEEKS! ##### NETS!

[Brad]

Cheek 'em first before you fillet them. The emptied out cheek sockets make a great place to hold the fish by while you fillet it.

[Mike Michalak]

My girls didn't even like fish (!) until I took them to Canada and fried up some cheeks. They're now hooked. The meat doesn't get any better that that...
I did the same thing with calamari (squid)...told them they were french fries. They love 'em.