Crab Stuffed Catfish with Pesto Glaze
Patti and I have set one night a week just for us. It’s our date night. We usually put something special on our Green Mountain Wood Pellet Grill/Smoker but sometimes we cook inside. We always eat outside on our patio where it is very comfortable with a rainforest theme. Wood burning stove, little lights, candles, lanterns and surround sound. We enjoy a little wine, or strawberry margaritas using frozen strawberries for ice, good food, music and sometimes a dance or two…
Ken doesn’t like catfish, Patti loves it. But, with a crab meat stuffing and a pesto glaze he really liked it. The pesto glaze adds color and keeps the fish moist. And using our Green Mountain Roasted Garlic Chipotle rub the flavor added just the right spice. The stuffing was full of flavor and the fish was tender and flaky. So good. Patti served it with a boxed brown/wild rice with some chopped sweet peppers for an easy, pretty side.
As a special treat we were given some of Lumberjacks new “Lumber Jill” Italian Blend garlic wood pellets adding a nice smoky garlic flavor to our Crab Stuffed Catfish. Very nice, you have got to try these.
Crab Stuffed Catfish
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes at 350 degrees (177c)
Grill: Green Mountain Wood Pellet Grill/Smoker
Pellets: Lumberjack “Lumber Jill” Italian Blend
Crab Stuffed Catfish
Ingredients: Crab Stuffed Catfish with Pesto Glaze
• 2 ¼ lbs. catfish fillets
• ¾ cup seasoned stuffing cubes, crushed
• 1 egg, beaten
• 3 Tablespoons Ranch style salad dressing
• 3 Tablespoons sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• ¼ cup red onion, minced
• 2 teaspoons fresh garlic, minced
• ¾ cup crab leg meat, chopped
• 4 teaspoons Green Mountain Grills Roasted Garlic Chipotle Rub, divided
• ¾ teaspoon white pepper
• 4 Tablespoons prepared pesto sauce, we like DiGenova Classico
Directions: Crab Stuffed Catfish with Pesto Glaze
Sprinkle fish with half of Green Mountain Roasted Garlic Chipotle Rub
In small bowl blend well all stuffing ingredients including remaining rub.
Place ½ cup stuffing in center of each fish fillet, roll up and place seam side down. We used Patti’s favorite cast iron skillet.
Brush 1 tablespoon pesto sauce over each fish roll.
Crab Stuffed Catfish
Mix Stuffing Ingredients
Sprinkle Fish With Seasoning Ad Stuffing
Ready For The Grill
On the Grill with Lodge Cast Iron and Grill Grates
Crab Stuffed Catfish
Cooking Directions: Green Mountain Wood Pellet Grill
To prepare the grill for cooking, check your pellet supply – top off or change flavors as needed. Scrape grill grates off. Set the temperature to 450 degrees and press the “Start” button. Give the grill about 15 minutes to reach temperature and the grates to burn clean.
Note: You can set the start temperature anywhere you want. I do 450 (230c) for a quick cleaning burn.
So after the grill comes up to temp and burns clean turn it back down to 350 degrees (177c). Place everything directly onto the grill and just let it hang out in the smoke and get happy for 25 minutes or so.
When the fish reaches an internal temp around 125 degrees (55c) pull it off, cover it and let it rest for 10 minutes before serving. Keep in mind that the fish will continue cooking for another 5-10 degrees after you pull it off the grill. I use a Maverick ProTemp Instant Read Thermometer for checking meat temps.
Crab Stuffed Catfish
Note: I get a lot of questions about the kind of pellets you can use with a recipe. Keep in mind that a recipe is just an outline. Some you need to follow closely like when you are making bread, but most you can do anything you can dream, our favorite way to cook. Feel free to mix and match the pellets until you find a combination you really like. Also you are only smoking at temps less than 250 degrees (122c), anything higher is cooking and there will not be much if any smoke so it does not matter what kind of pellet you are using.
Cooking In the Oven:
We have been getting requests for recipe conversions for the Pacific Living Outdoor Oven. I tell folks all the time that cooking on a Wood Pellet Grill/Smoker is just as easy as cooking in your oven. Just about anyone can do it and do it well. Think about it. You set your control knob to the temp you want, put your meat in and leave it for a set time.
It is the same thing, time and temperature is what it is all about. The Green Mountain grill is just like your oven except it uses wood pellets and has wheels.
I did 25 minutes here at 350 (177c).
Note: The Pacific Living Outdoor Oven also has a smoke box.
Let’s Eat!
Crab Stuffed Catfish
About our Recipes
We do our recipes on our patio where we have a lineup of grills, including Louisiana, Green Mountain, Royall, Memphis, Traeger pellet grills, Char Griller side box smoker, Saber, Charmglow, Char-Broil, The Big Easy, Pacific Living Outdoor Oven, Lodge Sportsman’s, Brinkman and Weber. I call it our “Wall of Grill”. Our grilling styles are healthy and low fat and will fit pelletheads, gas, natural wood and even charcoal purists. Almost any of our recipes can be done on any kind of good BBQ.
The important thing to keep in mind is TIME & TEMPERATURE. You can even do some of them in the oven or crock pot, but, then you lose all the flavors you get from cooking outdoors. But sometimes it does rain.
Remember that a recipe is simply an outline; it is not written in stone. Don’t be afraid to make changes to suit your taste. Take it and run with it….
Live your Passion,
Ken & Patti
Live your Passion,
Ken & Patti
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Our Thanks To:
Maverick Industries, Inc.
1-800-526-0954
help@maverickhousewares.com
http://www.maverickhousewares.com/
F.Dick Professional Knives and Tools.
888-921-9378
thfinch@125west.com
http://www.125west.com/c-135-fdick.aspx
PelletCan
A storage container & dispenser for wood pellets
sales@pelletcan.com
Lodge Cast Iron
www.lodgemfg.com
Lumberjack Wood Pellets
Jerry Brown
715-866-8535
www.lumberjackpelletsonline.com
Grill Grates
http://www.grillgrate.com/
Pacific Living Pizza Oven
Pacific Living Inc.
Rick Jones
949-481-9213
rick@pacificlivinginc.com
http://pacificlivinginc.com/
Green Mountain Grills LLC
1 800 603 3398
Email: info@greenmountaingrills.com
