together a pint of drained, canned carp, two eggs and
six to eight soda crackers, and then form it into thin
patties. Fry the patties in a lightly oiled pan until
the edges are browned and the patties are heated
through. Because the meat is already cooked, it
takes little pan frying. Salt, pepper, crushed garlic or
other spices can be sprinkled onto the patties while
cooking. Hunt prefers his carp sandwiches with just
mayo and lettuce.
Hunt cans only carp caught from rivers with
sandy bottoms, such as the Platte and Loups, or
from reservoirs fed by such rivers, such as the
Calamus and Sherman, as the flesh of these fish is
firmer, less oily and better tasting than that of fish
from sandpits, ponds or mud-bottomed streams.
One reason Hunt cans fish and game is that
it allows him to utilize tough or bony meat that
others might discard. "I believe we should honor
the animals we harvest by using all of their meat,"
Hunt said. The local fame he has attained for his
carp dip and patties is also satisfying. ■
For more on canning meat, see information from
the University of Wisconsin Extension: http://bit.
ly/2e2vs0o, University of Minnesota Extension:
http://bit.ly/2fEGcT4, and Oregon State University
Extension: http://bit.ly/2feXDH8.
The Friday night salmon patties of my childhood are no
match for a Gene Hunt carp patty.
to
si
p
th
th
t
o
c
m
Th
ma
Mark
Dietz
(left)
and
Jason
Wallace
hold
a
stringer
of
Platte
River
grass
carp
and
a
common
carp
(left)
that
are
prime
for
canning.
PHOTO
BY
DOUG
CUNDALL
PHOTO
BY
GERRY
STEINAUER
54 NEBRASKAland • DECEMBER 2016
