So here in Florida, southern pufferfish are very common, and they share a genus with a very popular nontoxic pufferfish(S. maculatus, northern pufferfish or "sugar toad). My question is, is it safe to eat northern pufferfish? FishBase lists them as harmless (toxic fish are always marked), and i've seen a video online where a guy eats one without any ill effects- should I go for it? i've looked at all other species in their genus and i'm confident on my species- my relatives are dubious, however...
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by Squidpastry
I'd assume so if they're closely relatedto the northern puffer. I eat northern pufferfish and they are delicious. Probably one of the best fish to eat.
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by Fried_Flounder
i've heard they taste like chicken! is that true?
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by Squidpastry
Kinda but still have the consistency of fish
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by Fried_Flounder
One way to find out.
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by finaljourney
Be very careful! Read "The Serpent and the Rainbow". They use pufferfish toxin to make zombies in Haiti. Google it. Make very sure you know what you're eating. There is a pufferfish they eat in Japan and you have to be specially trained to know how to clean the fish so as not to get the toxic meat. It can kill you.
Joecat
Loc: Florida / Rhode Island
I ate my first one last week in Florida it was excellent
I’d buy them cleaned at $15 lb. from guys that would catch them in fish traps like a crab pot from the Chesapeake Bay. They’re easy to clean. You skin them with pliers after making a cut. Leaves a lot of meat on one slender bone.
Have caught them from the Banana River off Cocoa Beach, FL. Assume they’re the same but tossed them back.
We eat them in NC, don't know if it's the same species. 2 strips along the back, good eating. Better check it out thoroughly before eating just to make sure, dont need any zombies in the USA!!!
Tip from my Island friends that eat seafood from saxitoxin waters. Place some by a red ant bed and if ants are still eating next day its SAFE to eat? I`ll pass on that test, makes sense if ants have nothing to do with it PASS TOO! Too many other seafood things to eat, just pass on that test.
JimRed
Loc: Coastal New Jersey, Belmar area
In our part of the northeast we call them Blowfish; they are safe and tasty. (Hold the Hootie, please!)
Gordon
Loc: Charleston South Carolina
I go down every year on Labor Day weekend to fish for them in West Palm with my brother in law. there are plenty during the month of September in the Inter coastal. There is a poison sack in them. It is the liver. A is small and black. It stands out compared to the rest of the inners. Don't mash or eat it. The people in West Palm call them Toadies. Very good tasting. Look on youtube on how to clean them
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