# Blackfish, aka Tautog, Chowder



## WaterRat (Oct 30, 2019)

Hey All,
Had a good day this past weekend fishing and came home with some nice blackfish aka: Tog, tautog and a Black sea bass. So on a cool drizzly day yesterday I decided to make the GF some blackfish chowder. I mostly followed this recipe: https://www.food.com/recipe/blackfish-chowder-78556 but added and equal amount of celery to the onion, as well as some cayenne and fresh lemon thyme from my garden. I also used veggy stock instead of water. It came out quite tasty and very easy to do. Served with a nice loaf of sourdough and a salad. Enjoy!


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## fivetricks (Oct 30, 2019)

Any day with fish chowder is a good day.

Yours looks especially nice.


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## chilerelleno (Oct 30, 2019)

Tog is a great fish, wonderful flavor.
Almost too danged good for chowder, why hide it?
It certainly does look hot, hearty and  delicious.
*Like!*

We love a good chowder too.
Try the chowder recipe in my Index sometime.

https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/redfish-chowder.253264/


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## normanaj (Oct 30, 2019)

One of the finest people I knew made one the best blackfish chowder on this Earth.

Miss you Crafty.


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## gmc2003 (Oct 30, 2019)

I love me some chowder(New England style - not Manhattan) and yours does look really good. 

Point for sure
Chris


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## SmokinVOLfan (Oct 30, 2019)

Chowder looks great!


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## WaterRat (Oct 30, 2019)

fivetricks said:


> Any day with fish chowder is a good day.
> 
> Yours looks especially nice.



Thank you! My GF was a little warry when I said fish chowder even though she loves clam chowder and is a chef but she loved it.



chilerelleno said:


> Tog is a great fish, wonderful flavor.
> Almost too danged good for chowder, why hide it?
> It certainly does look hot, hearty and  delicious.
> *Like!*
> ...



Thnx Chile! More fish in the freezer and hopefully get another good fishing trip in. I'll give your recipe a go for sure. Yes, it's tasty, I guess after a summer of grilling striper and black sea bass, once tog season opens it's chowder time. Also a big thing here in NE. Also fried some the night before :)


normanaj said:


> One of the finest people I knew made one the best blackfish chowder on this Earth.
> 
> Miss you Crafty.



My regards.


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## WaterRat (Oct 30, 2019)

gmc2003 said:


> I love me some chowder(New England style - not Manhattan) and yours does look really good.
> 
> Point for sure
> Chris



Thank you! Yeah, I don't really think "manhattan" is chowder ;)  



SmokinVOLfan said:


> Chowder looks great!



Thnx Vol!


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## smokerjim (Oct 30, 2019)

great looking chowder


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## chilerelleno (Oct 30, 2019)

gmc2003 said:


> I love me some chowder(New England style - not Manhattan) and yours does look really good.
> 
> Point for sure
> Chris


LOL... Manhattan is soup.


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## jcam222 (Oct 30, 2019)

Haven’t had Tog before  That chowder is lucious creamy looking!! I’d devour it for sure. Where and how to you catch tog?


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## gmc2003 (Oct 31, 2019)

WaterRat said:


> Thank you! Yeah, I don't really think "manhattan" is chowder ;)





chilerelleno said:


> LOL... Manhattan is soup.



I know, but it's still sold/listed as a chowder. My mom loved it.

Chris


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## SmokinAl (Oct 31, 2019)

Awesome looking chowder!
Nicely done!
Al


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## WaterRat (Oct 31, 2019)

jcam222 said:


> Haven’t had Tog before  That chowder is lucious creamy looking!! I’d devour it for sure. Where and how to you catch tog?



Thank you! Tog are a heavy bodied saltwater fish. They live/hide around rock piles and shipwrecks, have thick skin and a pretty heavy slime coat to protect them from the same. We fish them anchored up (as opposed to on the drift) and use peeler/green crabs as bait. Their natural food is all types of shellfish. I fish them along the CT/RI coast from Fishers Island to Block Island.


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## WaterRat (Oct 31, 2019)

SmokinAl said:


> Awesome looking chowder!
> Nicely done!
> Al



Thanks Al!


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## tomd8 (Nov 6, 2019)

Blackfish also make a great salad coming close to tasting like lobster.  In my younger days I used to spearfish these.  Excellent tasking.  WaterRat I'm just south of you on Long Island.  Sounds like a banner blackfish  season.


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