Trout Baked in Clay

[JoeW]

A few years ago, I found myself hungry along a fairly remote little trout stream with a couple of smaller 10-11 inch Trout in my creel ( badly hooked, had to keep them!) and staring at a bank made up of gray clay. I remembered a recipe I had read in an old fishing book for "Trout Baked in Clay"!OK!

Ingredients: (not your basic grocery store items!)
Trout
Clay (must be gray for some reason)
stick
fire

I built a small fire on the gravel and as it was burning down, cleaned the Trout, whittled out a three-pronged skewer from a willow branch, impaled the fish cross wise, then grabbed handfuls of the gray clay and packed it all around the fish on the stick. Did not look particularly appetizing at that point!
Rigged up a couple rocks to hold the stick and them placed it over the fire. Sat back to enjoy the babbling little creek. After about 10 or 15 minutes, turned the stick over, and after another wait, I check the clay and it was hard and brittle all around. Perfect according to what I remembered from the book! Took the clay encrusted trout off the stick and broke the clay off them. Amazing, the clay came off cleanly and took the skin and small scales off the fish! What was left were two of the most succulent, juicy, and tasty trout I had ever eaten! Just unbelievable! The clay let them steam in their own juices! I probably could have eaten 40 of them!
Since then however, I have never had the right combination of seclusion, clay, fish, and hunger to repeat the recipe. Chances are slim, but if you ever find yourself in such a place, try this! And let me know what you think! Best---- JoeW

[Razor]

First time hearing this... well if i'm in a situation like you were, I might have to try this new trout recipe

[RAK]

I am definitely going to try this. The Columbia River has lots of gray clay, and your recipe sounds amazing. This is a survival cooking skill people should know.

Could you also cook other food like rabbit, potato or other foods?

[JoeW]

You guys got me thinking- I may go out and scoop up a bucket of clay and try it in my backyard! Oh yea, the trout! That'll be the tough part! LOL! Plus without the trout being fresh out of the water, and without the babbling brook, it may lose some of it's "flavor".

I wouldn"t try it on rabbit or any other kind of meat! Potatoes might work but they may have to cook for quite awhile? I'm thinking a nice fresh ear of corn in the husk sounds tempting!

And make sure the clay isn't too mushy. Should be thick and sticky like cookie dough so it forms a solid mass around the fish. I made it about 1/2 inch thick, with no gaps to let the steam out.

Good luck! Best---- JoeW

[fatworm]

A very interesting topic indeed! If you think about it though, the science behind this makes perfect sense. Clay just serves as a substitute to prevent the fish from overcooking. And theoretically, I bet you could keep the fish in the clay for a few days and it will still be fresh.

It's amazing that even people back in the days had there ways of cooking food without the usual pots, pans, and necessities.