Blue Runner

Blue Runner scales are small and easy to scrape off. It fillets easily and the skin is easy to remove from fillets but has little shrink when cooked so fillets can be fried skin-on. Yield is reasonable with a 1-1/2 pound fish yielding about 11 oz of bone-free skinless fillet (46%). Head and bones make a good medium flavored stock.

While this fish cooks well whole or pan dressed by any reasonable method, you need to get rid of those hard knobby things along the centerline or the fish will be hard to eat. Either cut them away before cooking the fish or skin the fish carefully before serving.

The lighter flesh is medium but the dark streak down the center is both wide and deep. The flavor of this fish is not nearly as assertive as mackerel but not for the faint of heart who like their fish "lite".

Like other jacks blue runner flesh stays firm with any method of cooking. Fillets poach very well.