FishExplorer has been updated. See what's new... (hide this)
Cajun Gasper Gou Recipe
Blog by: Lloyd Tackitt , TX 5/10/2018 (Return to blogs)
I saw a Cajun cooking show on television many years ago. The theme of the show was to go into real homes and record how old time Cajuns cooked, at home, not restaurant style. One show was about cooking Drum.
This old geezer, with that beautiful accent designed for story telling that Cajun's have, was making Gaspergou. In an old black cast iron pot, over an open fire, out in the yard.
He put whole chunks of scaled Drum in layers with other ingredients like tomato sauce, celery, onions, bell peppers. I can't recall off hand if he used a roux or not, probably did though given the usual aspects of Cajun cooking. The pot, with lid on, was hung over a camp style fire. About every 5 minutes or so he would shake the pot, using a stick. Stirring, he said, would break the fish up so he shook the pot gently instead.
As I recall he cooked it for about three hours, maybe less, hard to remember now. What came out of that pot looked like something from heaven. Spicy enough to make the eyes water I bet. Served over rice with ice cold beer on the side and eaten outside under a tree.
Some day I'm going to try that. Probably in the house in a dutch oven on the stove top though. Here is one of the very few on-line recipes I've found that is close to what I watched that old man do.
Ingredients
6 lbs goo fish cut in large pieces; 1/4 cup water; 1 tsp salt; 1 tsp black pepper; 1 tsp cayenne pepper; 3 tsp vegetable oil; 2 cloves garlic minced; 1 bunch parsley chopped; 1 large bell pepper chopped; 2 tbsp flour; 3 stalks celery chopped; 2 lemon slices; 1 large bunch green onions chopped; 1 1/2 (15 oz) cans tomato sauce.
Directions
Select a large, heavy pot with handles that you can handle well enough to shake, as you never stir the fish while it's cooking. Rub the pieces of fish with a mixture of salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper. You can use Tony Chachere's Creole seasoning in place of the salt, black pepper and cayenne. Pour oil in the unheated pot. Arrange half of the fish on the bottom.
Mix the chopped vegetables and sprinkle half over fish. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of flour over the vegetables and half of the tomato sauce and then repeat layers. Add the lemon and 1/4 cup water.
Set pot over a low heat and cook slowly for one hour or until fish is tender.
Shake pot often to keep from sticking. Never stir as this will break up the fish. When tender, taste for seasoning and add more if necessary.
Blog content © Lloyd Tackitt
Comments
anglerwannabe
05.10.18 7:14 AM
Was it Justin Wilson? He was amazing and so very funny. He would have you in stitches by the end of a show. Measured everything in his hand. Saw an episode where he was challenged and said it could be accurate that way. He poured a teaspoon in his hand and when measured, it was perfect. Then he did a tablespoon. Now when he measured wine, that was a little different! lol
Lloyd Tackitt (author, aka Lloyd Tackitt)
05.10.18 10:09 AM
Not Justin Wilson. I used to watch his shows all the time, he was a riot! A little wine for the pot, a little wine for me...he could finish a bottle of wine and still talk straight. He was a master story teller.
Kev-o
05.10.18 4:04 PM
Gasper Gou lol! I thought that was just a nickname you guys gave the drum I never knew that it was an actual thing.
Goosehunter82
05.10.18 4:15 PM
I just released a good eater sized drum last weekend. I'm going to give this recipe a try next time I get into them.
Lloyd Tackitt (author, aka Lloyd Tackitt)
05.10.18 7:22 PM
Kev-0: Drum, or Sheepshead, or Gasper Gou, or Croakers - are all names I've heard used for them. They are the freshwater cousins of the saltwater redfish.
Lloyd Tackitt (author, aka Lloyd Tackitt)
05.10.18 7:25 PM
Goosehunter82 - I've not eaten one yet - from what I hear they have good firm flesh but you have to eat them fresh. After being in a refrigerator or on ice too long, or frozen I hear they aren't near as good.
anglerwannabe
05.10.18 7:48 PM
you left off stone head.. they have smooth white stones in their skull
Lloyd Tackitt (author, aka Lloyd Tackitt)
05.10.18 9:09 PM
Aren't those stones supposed to bring good luck?
Coyute
05.11.18 10:37 AM
sounds delicious. I love catching drum, cool looking and very sporty.
Lloyd Tackitt (author, aka Lloyd Tackitt)
05.12.18 7:06 AM
I caught a 5 pound drum yesterday - put up a great fight.
About the Author
I live on the edge of the Brazos River. I walk out my front door and into the river and - boom - I am fishing just like that. For me the river is fascinating. The mile long stretch I fish is a microcosm of the river, I have it all in that one mile. Trying to figure out where the fish are, what they are doing, why they are doing it, what they are biting, if they are biting - this is what keeps me in the river casting flys. I fly fish almost exclusively. It isn’t that I am a fly fishing snob, it’s that fly fishing works – it’s effective - and it has added benefits. I carry all my tackle in a vest, no tackle box needs to be dragged along. The casting itself is fun, even when I don’t catch fish I’ve enjoyed the experience of casting. Fly rods enhance the experience of bringing fish in. I like the hands on the line feel instead of the feel of line spooling up on a reel and muted down through a gear and crank system. Fish fight better and feel better on a fly rod. Fly fishing just feels better to me than other methods.