When it comes to table fare, the lowly northern pike is an often-overlooked freshwater fish. Maybe their rather strong smell when they’re alive is what gives them such a bad name, but it’s time to get past this bad first impression.
Clean the pike fillets carefully so that the skin doesn’t touch the meat. The meat inside is white, flaky, and full of flavor. Please keep in mind that cooking or grilling northern pike with the skin on will make the meat taste muddy.
When cooked the right way (see recipe below), northern pike is a real treat and one of my favorite fish. Keep that in mind this summer on your next adventure into Northeastern Ontario’s pike country.
The northern pike is a freshwater fish found throughout the northern hemisphere. They put up a great fight when hooked, making them a popular game fish. However, pike have a complicated reputation when it comes to tasting and eating. While some anglers love cooking up their catch, others dismiss pike as too bony, slimy, or fishy. But with the right prep, pike can be delicious! This article will cover everything you need to know about the true pike fish taste and how to make it scrumptious.
The Flavor Profile of Pike
Pike meat is white, firm, and flaky when cooked properly. The raw fillets have very little fishy smell. Pike has a moderate fish flavor that is not as mild as walleye but not as strong as bluefish either. The flesh has a smooth creamy texture similar to cod or haddock. Pike lacks the oiliness of salmon or trout. The meat holds up well to a variety of cooking methods and seasonings.
Some key flavors people often detect in pike include
- Mildly sweet
- Nutty, earthy notes
- Essence of cucumber
- Hint of iron or minerals
So while pike tastes undeniably like fish, it is a milder profile without extreme fishiness or oiliness. Subtle seasonings allow the delicate flavor to shine.
Why Pike Gets a Bad Rap as Table Fare
For a long time, pike had a poor reputation at the table due to some common complaints:
“It’s too bony.” Pike bones are easy to remove with proper filleting. The main hurdle is the Y-bone, but this can be cut around.
“It’s slimy.” Sliminess just comes from inadequate cleaning and rinsing. Proper preparations should not leave any slippery residue.
“It’s fishier than walleye or trout.” This is somewhat true, but mild seasonings temper strong flavors. Freezing also mellows the taste.
“The texture is mushy.” Overcooking leads to mushiness. Pike should be cooked just until opaque and flaky.
“It’s bland and boring.” More assertive seasoning provides flavor, as with any mild fish.
So while pike does require attentive filleting and cooking, the poor reputation is somewhat exaggerated. With care, the fish offers pleasantly mild flavor and tender meat.
Best Practices for Great Tasting Pike
Here are some tips for making pike taste its absolute best:
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Fillet carefully to remove all bones, especially the Y-bone. Rinse well.
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Consider soaking fillets in milk overnight to mellow fishy flavors.
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Freeze fillets for 1-2 weeks before cooking for ideal texture Thaw in fridge,
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Cook quickly over high heat just until opaque and flaky. Do not overcook.
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Season assertively with lemon, dill, pepper, Cajun spices, garlic, herbs, etc.
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Sauté in butter or olive oil. Also great blackened, baked, or fried.
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Avoid stews or chowders. The delicate flavor gets lost.
Follow these guidelines and pike makes a fabulous meal with no “fishy” taste or mushy texture. The mild sweetness pairs nicely with acidic lemon or zesty Cajun spices. Freezing improves the dense meatiness. Overall an adaptable, tasty fish!
Seasoning Suggestions to Make Pike Pop
Pike takes well to all sorts of seasonings. Here are some of my favorites:
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Lemon Pepper – The brightness balances the rich fish.
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Dill – This herb’s anise notes complement pike beautifully.
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Cajun Spices – Blackening pike adds some welcome heat and savoriness.
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Garlic – It boosts the savory umami and sweetness of the flesh.
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Butter and Black Pepper – Simple and classic for sautéed pike.
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Capers and Parsley – Briny, grassy flavors work nicely.
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Parmesan – Adds a nutty, salty accent. Works on crispy baked fillets.
So get creative with spice blends, fresh herbs, citrus, butter, etc. The options for exciting flavors are nearly endless!
Recommended Cooking Methods
Pike can adapt well to most cooking techniques. Here are some of the best:
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Pan-searing – Hot oil or butter crisps the skin beautifully.
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Baking – Fillets get flaky and tender when baked in the oven.
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Blackening – Sizzling cast iron intensifies the Cajun spices.
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Frying – From deep fried to pan-fried, pike turns out golden and juicy.
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Broiling – Direct high heat makes the fillets extra crisp.
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Grilling – Oil the fish well so it doesn’t stick to the grill.
For pan-frying, broiling, and blackening, pike portions should be on the thinner side, about 1 inch thick. Bake, braise, or fry thicker 2-inch fillets. Check doneness frequently since pike overcooks quickly. Pull it off the heat at the first signs of opacity and flaking.
How to Prepare a Delicious Pike Meal
Here is an easy recipe to treat yourself to scrumptious pike:
Ingredients:
- 2 pike fillets (6-8 ounces each), skinned
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- Salt and pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 lemon, cut into wedges
- Chopped fresh parsley
Instructions:
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Thaw frozen pike fillets in the refrigerator overnight. Rinse and pat dry.
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Mix flour and paprika. Season fillets with salt and pepper then dredge in flour mixture.
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Heat oil and butter in large skillet over medium-high heat.
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Add fillets and cook 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown and flaky.
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Serve pike with lemon wedges and chopped fresh parsley.
The buttery crisp coating, punch of lemon, and fresh garnish take pike to new heights! This simplicity also lets the mild sweet fish flavor shine through.
Don’t Judge Pike Too Harshly
While pike may never gain the same prestige as trout or salmon, it has much potential as a tasty meal with the proper handling. Much of the poor reputation is overstated or comes from subpar preparation. With thoughtful filleting, seasoning, and cooking, pike’s tender flaky meat and mild flavor will surely impress. Keep an open mind next time you catch one, and apply these tips for a delectable dish!
The Big one that got away!
When it comes to fishing, most anglers can recount the story of “that big one that got away. “For me, it was fishing for pike on a lake near my home in the early 1990s.”
My friend Diederic and I had just made a trolling pass across a point when all of a sudden, my rod broke in its holder. “Fish on!” I hollered. As I grabbed for the rod to set the hook, all I could feel was just dead weight. “It has to be a musky!” I yelled. A minute later Diederic’s rod starting singing. We thought we had hooked two different fish, but it turned out we had actually caught the same one! My friend’s line broke, and the fish was now close to the boat.
It was then we noticed two things. First, this huge fish wasn’t a musky; it was the biggest northern pike we had ever seen, weighing at least 25 to 30 pounds! Next, we saw that the huge pike wasn’t hooked anymore; Diederic’s line was wrapped around its gills to keep it together. Quick headshakes and the biggest pike of our lives disappeared back into the deep before we could set up the net. Ive caught many nice pike over the years, but this one wasnt meant to be.
Northern pike are fun to catch and tasty to eat. Some things you’ll never forget.
Try this delicious pike recipe this summer and you wont be disappointed. This Northern Pike Chili recipe is from my award-winning Canadian Fishing Cookbook, which was published by Company’s Coming. You’ll want to make it again and again.
Northern Pike Chili
Serves: 4
- 1 lb northern pike fillets cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ½ cup diced red pepper
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ cup chopped onion
- 2 × 398 mL cans crushed tomatoes
- 1 × 398 mL can kidney beans, drained
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- ¼ cup water
- 2 tbsp parsley
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
Heat olive oil in saucepan and add red pepper, garlic and onion. Sauté fish until slightly brown. Add all remaining ingredients except pike. Cover and simmer until mixture begins to thicken. Stir occasionally to keep from sticking. Add fish and simmer for 10 minutes until fish is fully cooked. Serve with steamed rice and fresh bread.
If you’re interested in cooking your own pike right here in Northeastern Ontario, Art and Brenda Barefoot of Bear’s Den Lodge (located in the beautiful French River area) know a few things about pike and pike fishing!
Escape to the French River with family and friends for three days of fishing and relaxation. Non-alcoholic beverages, boat, motor, gas, worms, and daily boat and maid services are all part of the package. You only need to bring fishing equipment and a healthy appetite.
For more information contact Bear’s Den Lodge: (705) 857-2757
Proper pike prepping
Fish in the family Esocidae, like pike and muskellunge, have a slime layer on their skin that protects them but makes them taste bad when cooked, so you need to cut it off with a sharp fillet knife. Starting at the tail and running the tip of your knife along the inside edge of the skin is one way to fillet a northern pike. Then, carefully cut your way to the head.
To make fish steaks, stand the steaks up and use scissors to cut through the skin at the backbone. Then, skin each side of the steak all the way to the bottom. Once the skin is removed, discard immediately and wash the fish in cool water. Be sure to keep the outside portion of the skin from ever touching the meat.
Toxins like mercury tend to gather in the belly of a northern pike, so people who want to eat it should be careful to avoid the abdominal meat. The same holds true when filleting older fish, which have spent more time in the lake or river.
Some fishermen prepare pike using the “five-fillet method,” which includes a strip of meat from the back, two strips along the “Y” bones, and two strips in front of the tail’s caudal fin. Its a technique Ive used for years with considerable success. If you prepare and cook the northern pike the right way, it has a unique, bold flavor that is on par with popular table fish like trout and walleye.
And they’re a hoot to catch, too!
The Only NORTHERN PIKE FILLET Tutorial You’ll Ever Need!
What does a pike taste like?
If this is done correctly the pike should taste delicious with no hint of sliminess. Pike does have a stronger fish flavor than some of the lighter, more classically “good eating” fish like walleye. Pike is one of the fishier tasting northern fish but there are several ways to deal with this if you don’t like especially “fishy fish.”
Is Pike a good fish to eat?
Older fish, those in the 24″ and over range, are better for eating than the small ones, although both have a good flavor. The flesh of the pike is white and flaky and good for eating, as long as it does not come into contact with the skin or guts of the fish. What does pike taste like?
Does Pike taste better than walleye?
Pike does have a stronger fish flavor than some of the lighter, more classically “good eating” fish like walleye. Pike is one of the fishier tasting northern fish but there are several ways to deal with this if you don’t like especially “fishy fish.” Spices and choosing a special technique for prepping the pike can help with these issues.
Do northern pike taste good?
Northern pike can also taste absolutely delicious, however cooking pike correctly takes a lot more preparation and work to do it right! So if you’re lazy, walleye is definitely the way to go for a great tasting fish that holds up in the freezer.