BK’s FISHING CHARTERS GOLD COAST - recipes for our most commonly caught fish.

Cooking fish doesn't get any easier or taster, use whatever is already in the fridge or spice rack and the image recipe below.

Please click on any of the above thumbnail pictures for a larger version.

EASIEST ~ SHALLOW FRIED, TRUNKED FISH (See images above). Suits smaller, scaled, trunked, thin-bodied fish, eg, Bream, Flathead, small Trevally, Tarwhine & Sweep but not Bonito, Mack, Striped or Yellow fin Tuna, they dry out. (Trunked, refers to the fish being, gutted and without head and tail). Ingredients: plain flour and oil. Simply roll the scaled trunked fish in plain flour and cook in a pan of shallow oil. Turn once, use a fork to dig and eat the flesh from the frame. Fish is cooked when the flesh first turns white at the centre.

2nd EASIEST ~ TRUNKED FISH, COOKED IN FOIL (as pictured above). Use a whole thin bodied, gutted fish, eg, Snapper, Tusk, Bream, Flathead, Trevally, Tarwhine, Sweep, Tailor or Teraglin, but not Bonito, Mack, Striped or Yellow fin Tuna, they dry out. Method: barbeque, grill or oven. Spice and or add your favourites to gut cavity eg, tomatoes, onion, mushrooms, ginger, garlic, lemon pepper. Wrap the whole fish in foil, head and tail can be removed if space is limited. Cook on a moderate heat; turn regularly on barbie and griller. With small fish unwrap and have a look after 10 minutes. A white colour, shiny and wet is required when the flesh is separated. Dry, grey coloured flesh indicates over cooking. Fish is cooked when the flesh first turns white at the centre. This cooking method really does keep the juices in, especially when cooked with the scales on. Larger fish, eg, a 5 kg Snapper may take 40 to 80 minutes or more depending on the heat. To serve/eat, push the foil, skin and scales to the side of the plate. Serve the top side of the fish to the frame first and then remove the frame to scoop out the under side flesh leaving the skin and scales on the foil.

3rd EASIEST / BK's FAVOURITE ~ SKINNED, DEBONED FILLETS, ~ BBQ OR PAN FRIED. (Re skinned fish has a lighter flavour.) Ingredients: any skinned fillets other than Bonito, Mack, Striped or Yellow Fin Tuna, they dry out. Highly suited for Tailor, School, Spotted and Spanish mackerel, Wahoo, Cobia/Black Kingfish, Trag Jew/Teraglin and ESPECIALLY Scorpion Cod. Size thick fillets down to approximately 2 centimetres. Method: spray olive oil onto both sides of the fillets and the pan or bbq plate, turn once and cook for approximately 6 minutes. Don't overcook it will dry out, especially mackerel.

4th EASIEST ~ MARINATED, B.B.Q, FISH FILLETS, Ingredients: any boneless fillets (skinned for a lighter flavour) other than Bonito, Mack or striped Tuna, they dry out, any marinate, eg honey soy or sweet chilli. Coat fillets in marinate, bung the fillets on the hot barbie plate; turn once, cook until it first turns white in the centre.

FISH CAKES or BALLS ~ Suits FROZEN Tailor & Mackerel as they mince easily, HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. Mix 500 grams (2 cups) of minced skinless boneless fish with 1 cup of cooked chopped noodles, 1 cup of chopped coriander, (or favourite herb/herbs) 3 eggs, half cup dry grated parmesan cheese, half cup plain flour, 1 diced red onion, 3 cloves of chopped garlic, salt & pepper into patties to suit. Spray with olive oil and B.B.Q. / PAN FRY. Can also be deep fried.

CRUMBED, DEEP FRIED FILLETS. Suits all fish other than red meat tuna as it has no taste and dries out when deep fried. The best method for Bonito. Ingredients: skinned boneless fillets (2 cm thick maximum), plain flour, eggs, milk, breadcrumbs, oil, & maybe minced garlic & your favourite herb (garlic and or herbs is your choice.) Tip - try the first fillets cooked without garlic and or herbs and the last fillets cooked with garlic and or herbs. Method: Roll & press the fillets in flour then dip in egg mixed with a dash of milk, then roll and press in crumbs that can have minced garlic and or herbs evenly added, place in hot oil, cook for approximately 1 minute only until the crumbs first turn golden brown or test time the first few to find out when the fillets first turn white in the centre. Don’t over cook, it dries out.

BEER BATTERED FISH. Suits all fish particularly FLAKE/SHARK, but not red meat tuna, it has no taste when deep fried. Lightly mix 2 cups of plain flour, 2 teaspoons of salt, 2 cups of full strength bitter beer, don’t over beat, lumps are ok, let stand for 30 minutes then lightly fold in 2 whisked egg whites that have been whisked until stiff. Shake fillets in a bag of flour, dip skinned or not skinned boneless fillets in batter mixture then deep fry until the fillets first turn white in the centre.

MANGO COCONUT CREAM & CURRY FISH. …Unbelievable.
Suits: any boneless skinned fillets other than Bonito and red meat tuna, they dry out. Ingredients: 2 teaspoons of oil, half cup of coconut milk, half cup of cream, 2 tablespoons of mango chutney, I teaspoon of curry powder, 2 tablespoons of chopped eschalots, 2 tablespoons of finely diced red capsicum. METHOD; Oil hot pan, brown the eschalots and capsicum, add the mixture of coconut milk, cream and chutney, then heat and stir until almost boiling, add boneless skinned fish fillets, cook for approximately six minutes and check the inside of the thickest fillet, calculate extra time required from there.

STIR FRY, for any boneless skinned fillets other than Bonito, Mack, Striped or red fleshed Tuna, they dry out, (approximately 2 x 2 centimetre cubes) great for oily strong flavoured fish like SCAD. Method - brown diced eschalots and onions in peanut oil, add and brown - marinated fish cubes, (eg, honey soy or mango chutney) add and reheat boiled rice, add and reheat scrambled egg strips. …Fantastic!!!

BAKED TUNA/all red meat tunas. Ingredients. 8 (1.25 cm thick / ½ inch) yellowfin tuna portions, 6 to 8 potatoes quartered, 3 medium onions, 2 cups of sliced pea pods julienned. 1 shot of sherry, olive oil, salt, pepper, Tbsp garlic crushed, 1 can pineapple crushed. Prepare marinade by mixing pineapple, olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic. Marinate tuna steaks for at least one hour. Place potatoes and onions in a baking pan. Sprinkle with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and bake at 375 degrees F until the potatoes are slightly underdone (a fork should go in easily almost to the center, but not completely). Remove excess marinade from tuna steaks. Sear for one (1) minute each side over high heat. Place seared tuna steaks over potatoes and onions, and sprinkle pea pods over all. Bake for 10 minutes at 400 degrees. 4 servings.

JAPANESE SASHIMI. Suits MACK TUNA and other red fleshed TUNA or any 1cm x 2cm x 2cm (aprox), skinned boneless fish pieces. Simply, display the pieces of the raw fish around the dry edge of a shallow dish of soy sauce, provide wasabi in a side dish, then with toothpicks or fingers dip a piece in the soy, wasabi or both, (wasabi is a hot Japanese horseradish, green in colour- sinus clearing hot), eat as an entree. Another style of sashimi is to coat a raw fish piece in sweet chilly sauce and minced garlic, wrap in lettuce to a mouth sized ball, insert all at once, chew first, then down the hatch.

ASIAN TUNA JERKY, Suits MACK TUNA and other red fleshed TUNA. Marinate 1kg of Tuna strips approximately 1 centimetre thick by 10 centimetres long and 3 centimetres wide in a mix of ½ a cup of soy sauce, 1/3 of a cup honey, ½ of a cup of sesame seeds, tsp garlic, tsp ginger, tsp salt and a 1/3 tsp of pepper for at least 20 minutes. Dry out at low heat for 3 to 5 hours in an oven (bbq ovens work just as well) at 80 degrees suspended on wire racks. The goal is to dry it out, not to cook it. Enjoy as a savoury snack with a beer or wine. If you like chewy jerky, Asian spices and cooked caned tuna you’ll love it.

MARINATED SEARED TUNA/any red coloured flesh tunas. Marinate small pieces of skinned, de-boned tuna, approximately 1.5cm X 2cm in any mix of salt, pepper, soy sauce, ginger or favourite marinate and spices (garlic and pepper is fine by itself) to then sear for approximately 30 seconds on two sides only in olive oil, remove from heat when most of the middle is still pink. The effect to aim for is to still have a pink colour on two ends in most of the center to display. Over cooking will severely dry it out and remove all the fish flavour. A serving suggestion is the Thai salad below.

KINILAW, a quintessential Pacific Islander food, is the cooking of fish in freshly squeezed LIME or LEMON JUICE. Our MACK TUNA is highly suited. Simply soak small pieces approximately 1.5cm X 2cm in the juice for up to 3 hours. The fish can then be mixed in a salad with added coconut cream. (Lime juice and a red and green capsicum, onion, and herbed salad is bks favourite.)

THAI SALAD. 2 cups of sliced lettuce, 1 cup of thinly sliced capsicum, 1 red onion thinly sliced, Lebanese cucumber peeled into ribbons, half a cup of fresh mint leaves, half a cup of torn fresh basil leaves, 2 cups of vermicelli noodles. Cook and cool fish pieces and noodles, lightly toss all, apply dressing, see below for dressing. Accompany with lime wedges. Vary ingredients or dressing to suit.

FISH DRESSING – thoroughly mix 3 tbs sugar, 3 tbs rice wine vinegar, 1 tbs sesame oil and 3/4 of a cup of light olive oil. Option - add either chopped fennel, dill or thyme to add colour and taste.

AN EASY SAVORY CHEESE SAUCE - cream and blue vein cheese. Heat and dissolve half a tablespoon of blue vein cheese into 500mls of cream. Add more or less cheese or cream to suit. You may also add a squeeze of lemon. Truly an awesome sauce. Great on all fish.

TIPS, DON’T OVER COOK ANY FISH, It will dry out. A white colour, shiny and wet is required when the flesh is separated. Dry, grey coloured flesh indicates over cooking.
Fish is cooked when the flesh first turns white at the centre.
Olive oil spray is recommended, spraying lowers the kilojoules as opposed to shallow or deep frying and olive oil smokes/burns less than other oils.
Teflon pans are superior to plain steel & aluminium for frying.
Score skinned fish to allow spices/wine/lemon to enter and reduce curling of fillets.
The use of lemon, sauces, dressings, spices and skinning fish will tame the fishier tasting fishes.
In many fruits, vegetables and fish, a large amount of the goodness is in the skin.
Fish Serving suggestion - serve fish on a bed of fluffy rice, with salad or vegies, garnish with slices of fruit, eg tinned peaches and provide lemon or lime wedges, crispy fresh bread stick/rolls and salt and pepper.

DON'T WANT TO COOK OR IF YOU DONT DON’T HAVE COOKING FACILITIES WHEN YOU ARE ON THE GOLD COAST? - Then just ask your resort concierge if their restaurant will cook your fish for you, if not phone the Surfers Paradise Beach House Pub Restaurant on 55267655 or Georges Steak and Seafood Broadbeach on 55701222 as they have done so in the past, but you must phone the cook early to organise.

Links follow

If visiting the these links please return to BK's Gold Coast Fishing Charters / www.bksfishing.com.au to enquire or book.

Gold Coast Fishing Charters :: gold coast deep-sea fishing

If visiting the these links please return to BK's Gold Coast Fishing Charters / www.bksfishing.com.au to enquire or book.

Our trips and prices

Our 5 hour ocean reef and game fishing experience fee is $90 per person.
First time or experienced anglers, sightseers, mums, dads, kids, grandparents or the girls' day out ~ all are extremely welcome.
Three boarding times are available ~ 6.00am, 11.15am and 4.30pm.
We build the party to a maximum of 12 guests, singles, twos etc are no problem or you can book the whole boat for your group only @ $1020 for weekends and public holidays, ie $85ea for 12 persons.
Our non weekend & non public holiday SPECIAL is $960 for a maximum of 12 guests, ie $80ea.

HOW DO I ENQUIRE, BOOK AND PAY? Our preferred enquiry and booking method is by email. To Secure your booking we do require your Visa or MasterCard details which are not drawn on unless you default on your booking. Cash is preferred, payable on the boat after boarding. Your credit card details are kept as a security only. If you prefer to pay by Visa or MasterCard you will need to bring it on the day of your trip. Our second preference for enquires and bookings is by Fax on 07 55375057. Alternately for enquires and bookings please phone us on 0414 293 034. Our cancellation policy is that no payment is required by you if you cancel 14 or more days prior to your boarding time. On cancelling within 14 days of your boarding time we will endeavour to replace your booking but if unsuccessful we will debit your Visa or MasterCard for the seats we do not fill that you had booked. Our email address is bk@bksfishing.com.au.