Eating Amberjack; can you?

[dapapers1]

Hello forum, well we just completed our anual hatteras Memorial Day fishing trip for the 7th year in a row this year we caught something we have never caught before AmberJack. The Captain told us we could eat them as well as the cleaning station. Well after researching we found that these fis have worms so now we are wondering how safe it is to eat these with the parasites in them seems scarey and dangerous can I have some of you opinions.

[Gotta Gaff 'Em]

You can but the smaller the better. Some amberjack have been cited for ciguetera. Most people simply cut out the sections with worms and make sure they are well done.

[kapoc]

Their perfectly fine....i eat them as do my charters

[Jarosh]

They are fine to eat, just give it a try. I've had it before but prefer other fish for the table. But I sure do love C&R fishing for them, even a little one while vertical jigging can give you a work out.

[dapapers1]

Yes they put up one hell of a fight that for sure, I guess its a stomaching thing huh the thought of the worms is worst i guess

[joe nailer13]

EAT EM! the trick is to cook them the same day. marinate them in your favorite marinade and grill it. or mix italian dressing and soy sauce, 1 to 1 and once again grill it. I've cooked it right next to wahoo steaks, feed 20 people and run out of AJ, still have wahoo left. crazy. sounds gross but section out the wormed area. they are pretty obvious.

[capuzzi2]

Amberjack makes excellent eating. The meat is firm and perfect for the grill. Atlantic amberjack are prone to fish tapeworms that are harmless to humans. In my experience about half of AJ's below 20 lbs will have no worms. the vast majority of the others will have up to 5 per filet, easy to cut out. An occasional one will be riddled with worms. You can still cook them and eat them, but I feed those to the raccoons.

[uncljohn]

I caught them on a charter several years back and the captain said "You don't eat them. They got worms in 'em". So we threw a mess of nice ones back.

Fast forward a few years to another charter, again we catch a mess of them but this time they're going in the box. Captin pulls out a George Foreman grill as we're heading back in, Season-All and 5 minutes of grilling and it was fantastic. As stated above, excellent grilling fish. Firm and meaty.

[Dr Fish]

Amberjacks are one of those fish that just don't do much for me after they come to the boat. I worked on a commercial vessel ages ago, catching AJs to sell to Long John Silver's for 5 cents a pound. That's about what they're worth, especially after ya cook em. The worms are harmless to humans, but are kinda disgusting to look at. Check your next Long John's (or Mrs Paul's or Gorton's) fish and you'll see that it's loaded with these ugly parasites. Incidentally, Cod are usually full of 'em too- and the worms live for DAYS after the fish is dead, and they don't mind being iced down. Check your local grocery store seafood market for cod with little pink blotches in the flesh. Cut into one and I guarantee you'll find a live worm.

[gradymania]

interesting that you sell fish for 5 cents a pound that cost me $50 a lb to catch. something is wrong here in valuing what we have.