GREAT DIVE LINKS
The very best campground and beach in California...
A short history of paddle-board and kayak diving.
Keith Cox's 1962 (Fish Bulletin)
Lingcod hunting pictures
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North Coast Abalone Ode
When I’m dead and in my grave
No more abalone will I crave
At the top of my tombstone will be seen
“Here lies the body of an abalone diving fiend”
A little bit lower will be inscribed
“He nearly got the big one before he died”
At my funeral the preacher will say
“It if hadn’t been for abalone, he’d be alive today”
My family will be sad, and, they’ll wonder why,
So will my buddies when they come to say good bye
All I can figure, is, God wanted my soul
Cuz I think I located God’s favorite ab hole…
Abaloneten
A 135 carat pearl found in the gut of an abalone.
A 10 5/16 inch abalone "Trophy on the rocks". Photo provided by Dwayne Dinucci.
HOW TO CLEAN ABALONE (most commom method)
There are many ways to clean an abalone. I am showing you the method taught to me by some talanted divers in the 60's.
(1) Insert an ab iron between the shell and the meat. Prying downward with some power will release the top of the muscle from the shell. You may have to pry a few times to achive separation. When the abalone pops free it should resemble picture 2. If the gonad (gut area) is green then the abalone is a female. If the gonad is light brownish then it is a male. Easy to remember this. G is for green and girl, B is for boy and brownish. At this stage you may want to squeeze the gut area in hopes of finding a pearl. If you feel something hard in the gut it is probably a pearl. Cut the pearl free and put it aside. (3) Starting at the small end of the abalone trim off the gut from the crown area. The small end of the abalone is where the mouth and eyes stalks are located.
(4) Notice the circular cut in this picture. Cut about 1.5 or 2.5 inches inward and remove the mouth, eyes, brain, etc. The cut will vary depending on the size of your abalone. Also, abalone are not known to have much for brain power so don't worry about seeing something all nasty looking.
(5) Trim the skirt (black area) away from the meat. Save this for chowder, won tons, etc. Once frozen the black will just wash away leaving strips of good meat. It will scrub off if not frozen.
(6) Trim away about 3/16" or so from foot of abalone. I discard this, however, some people say it is edible.
(7) Trim off the area from the crown to the top edges of the abalone leaving only the white of the meat.
(8) At this stage cut the abalone in half (the long way) and begin steaking. I cut my steaks about 3/16" thick or so. If your abalone is 7-8 inches there is no need in cuting it in half before steaking.
(9) Using the small end of a a meat tenderizer I then pound the steaks. You don't have to pound extremely hard. You can actually feel the muscle breaking down as you pound. After you pound a few steaks you will become a pro at it.
(10) Tools used for abalone cleaning. Abalone iron, sharp knife, meat tenderizer tool.
COOKING ABALONE (steak method)
There are many ways to prepare abalone. Everyone has their favorite recipe. We fry ours in extremely hot peanut oil using a wok. First we dip the pounded abalone steaks in beaten egg. Then we bread the abalone using panko crumbs and flour (50-50). Add a little salt and pepper to the mix. We use enough oil that the ab steak does not have to be flipped. It takes 30 seconds (flash fry) to complete the fry task. The steaks turn a golden brown in this 30 second period. If they do not then the oil is not hot enough. Drain on a paper towel and serve. We guarantee you that you will receive many compliments about your abalone.
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