Roach, cupping and crickets – from underestimated white fish to a treat

White fish – underestimated and yet full of potential

Anyone who fishes in local waters is familiar with them: roach, rudd, bream and bream. They are white fish and make up a large proportion of the fish population in rivers and lakes. While they are almost a “bread and butter” fish for anglers, they rarely end up on the plate. The reason is easy to find: Bones, bones and more bones.

The fine, branched bone structure makes white fish difficult to eat whole – and many people shy away from it. However, these fish not only contain a lot of meat, but also a lot of flavor. Of course, the fish can also be put through a mincer to make delicious Thai fish cakes, for example, but that’s not the point here.

It’s not just white fish that (too) rarely ends up on the plate because of its bones, but also the wonderfully tasty pike, for example. Why not try pike on a spit?

The technique of cupping

This is where an old, almost forgotten technique comes into play: cupping. This involves making fine, dense incisions across the fillets or the whole fish. These incisions extend to the spine of the whole fish or to the skin of the fillet. The aim is to separate the fine bones that are hidden in the muscle segments.

When cooked – whether in a pan, in the oven or on the grill – the cut bones become soft and barely noticeable due to the heat. A fish that was previously considered “difficult to eat” suddenly becomes uncomplicated. Cupping is therefore nothing more than a culinary shortcut to making white fish edible in the first place. And it’s definitely worth it for roach or roach, because they taste wonderful.

Differences in the white fish

Each species of whitefish has its own characteristics, and this is also noticeable when cupping.

• Roach have a rather firm, fine-fibered flesh. Cuts at a distance of 2-3 millimeters are sufficient here. You don’t need to go too deep, as the bones are relatively fine.
• Bream, on the other hand, have coarser meat and much thicker bones. Here the cuts should be tighter, almost like a filigree hatch.
• Rudd are similar in structure to roach, but the meat is a little looser. It is therefore advisable to work with a particularly sharp knife to avoid crushing too much.
• Magpies are somewhere in between – a little more compact than roach, but not as strong as bream.

But the core remains the same: cupping transforms these fish from a “bone trap” into a real food that can be used in a variety of ways. Nothing stands in the way of grilling roach.

Practical tips for cupping

A few simple steps help to make cupping a success:

1. Sharp knife: Nothing works without a very sharp knife. The best choice is a thin filleting knife with a flexible blade. Filleting knives from Marttiini* have been the first choice for decades.
2. Distance between cuts: Approx. 2-3 mm for roach, closer for bream. The closer the cuts, the better the bones are cut.
3. Depth: Cut almost to the skin, but not all the way through. The skin holds the fish together when grilling or frying.
4. Uniformity: It is better to make smaller, clean cuts than cuts that are too deep or irregular. The meat should appear finely opened, not torn.
5. Exercise: After a few fish, the movement becomes second nature – and the initial shyness disappears.

Culinary use – more than just an emergency solution

Once the fish has been cupped, a culinary playground opens up. Grilling roach is particularly worthwhile. The skin becomes crispy, the meat remains juicy and marinades or spices penetrate wonderfully through the fine incisions. I simply use a few squeezes of lemon and a mixture of salt and herbs. Don’t season too much, as we want to be able to taste the fish.

I grill on special table charcoal* on my Japanese Konro grill from Margoni Grills. Take a look at this gem.

But roach are also versatile away from the grill:

• In the pan: fried with butter, onions and parsley, you get a wonderfully aromatic, regional fish.
• In the oven: filled with herbs and baked slowly, they develop a very mild aroma.
• For meatballs or spreads: The meat can be boned and seasoned for further processing – similar to pike or zander.

The great thing is that you get back a piece of regional cuisine that otherwise often ends up in the cat food bucket or on the smoking hook.

Sustainability and appreciation

In times when many fish in our waters are under pressure, the use of white fish is not only exciting from a culinary point of view, but also sustainable. Instead of overfishing noble fish such as zander or trout, it is worth discovering the potential of roach and co. Cupping turns these species into valuable edible fish – and this helps to make better use of local resources.

Conclusion

Cupping is a technique that requires a little patience and practice, but offers enormous benefits. It transforms “difficult” fish such as roach, bream or rudd into a real delicacy. Those who make the effort will be rewarded: with regional, fresh fish that shows its best side on the grill, in the pan or in the oven.

The roach in particular proves that sometimes all you need is the right touch to turn an unassuming white fish into a real treat – sustainable, regional and surprisingly tasty.

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