Eating Rays?

[Morgo]

I've heard before that you can eat rays, but given that they're so slimy and unappealing i've doubted their edibility.

Does anyone eat rays here? Any ideas?

Tom

[brendong]

I wish you could too, where I holiday in Lake Conjola and Nambucca Heads they are every where....I've only really seen them taken to use as a Stinker for worming in years gone by....but that seems a little extreme given heads and skeletons do just the same thing....

My gut tells me frying up your left thong might be nicer too eat than a Ray....

[Dreamtime]

I've heard before that you can eat rays, but given that they're so slimy and unappealing i've doubted their edibility.

Does anyone eat rays here? Any ideas?

Tom

A dish of stingray is the first recorded European meal eaten in this country. Botany Bay was originally named Sting-ray Bay by James Cook.

The use of rays is limited in Australia, although skate enjoys an exalted status in the United Kingdom where skate and chips is a favourite.

The fins of some rays are used in shark-fin soup. Sometimes the fins are removed and the remainder of the carcass wastefully discarded.

Many skates and rays have a mild, delicate flavour similar to that of scallops. However, there are dozens of species in Australian waters with various flavours and textures.

The wings, the most commonly sold edible parts, consist of strands of flesh and cartilage. The flesh can be removed from the cartilage after it is cooked, although the cartilage softens during cooking and can be eaten. It is best to briefly poach skate before cooking by other methods.

One of the more common preparation methods is to lightly flour and pan-fry. The white flesh then peels easily off the bone. Lightly pan-fried skate wings can be wrapped in foil with vegetables and then baked.

Other methods are grilling, poaching (in fish stock or cider), shallow frying (fillets), baking or steaming. The firm flesh can also be cubed and used as kebabs or in soups, casseroles or curries.

With its slightly gelatinous structure, stingray is very good for Thai fish cakes. Skate with black butter (clarified butter heated until brown and foaming) is a classic French recipe.

Nutrition Facts per 100g of raw product

Kilojoules na

Cholesterol 47mg

Sodium na

Total fat (oil) 0.7g

Saturated fat 32% of total fat

Monounsaturated fat 20% of total fat

Polyunsaturated fat 48% of total fat

Omega-3, EPA 30mg

Omega-3, DHA 19mg

Omega-6, AA 103mg

Cooking Ideas

Bake Boil Deep Fry

Grill/barbecue Poach Raw

Roe Roe & Milk Salted

Shallow Fry Smoke Steam/microwave

Flavour Mild to medium

Oiliness Low

Moisture Medium

Texture Medium to firm

Flesh Colour Yellowish white or pale pink

Thickness Thin, medium or thick fillets (or steaks), depending on the species

Bones Generally boneless, although depending on the species and the cut, some cartilage can be present. Small pieces of cartilage become soft with cooking, and can be consumed.

Price Rays are low- to medium-priced finfish.

Suggested Wines

The selection of wine will be determined by the cooking method. With the stingray poached in cider, an aged riesling or a well made colombard would be suitable. Or you may wish to serve a full-flavoured sparkling wine, or even a cider.

Edited July 9, 2008 by Mariner 31

[flatty hunter626]

they accually do taste really nice me and a mate hav hooked a few big ens in juruselam bay and they taste good.........if u have a look at the tree behind cake rock up near the flats ull see just how many we have eaten......we hang there frames out to dry......

[Kit]

Yep,

While I don't generally keep em, I have eaten them before and they were very nice.

In the past, first thing I did was cut off the barb on the tail (so you don't get spiked), and then you cut off the wings.

the wings are full of meat. Careful not to overcook them tho because they can get quite dry.

I've also had ray in a fine dining restaurant once. It was cooked and the meat stripped off and broken up (sort of like canned tuna), it was then flavoured and then put on the plate in a small clump.. that was really tasty

I remember prawning at Ulladulla once and someone netted a small ray. We cut off the wings of the ray and boiled it with the prawns. Peel back the skin and the meet was very sweet and tender.

Chris

Edited July 9, 2008 by Kit

[donjuarez]

Is there a difference betwen skate and rays? or is it similar to the old shark and Flake scenario?

I've seen heaps of skate recipes in cookbooks etc.. some look really tasty...

[GregL]

I have tried chunks of wings deepfried with a sweet and sour sauce in a restraunt OS, very good!

Greg

[rickb]

Hi Morgo,

We catch heaps of them up nambucca,the small ones are not too bad{wings only} done in sweet and soar.But it is a last resort if your dying for a piece of fish.

WHORAY Rick.

[fishhunter76]

Tom rays are not bad at all if you cook them the right way. They have more cartlige then bones.

Cheers LALA

[rizzo]

I have tried chunks of wings deepfried with a sweet and sour sauce in a restraunt OS, very good!

Greg

Hey Greg did you try those at chunky chonks?

Rizzo