Fishmonger Tips

Whole Dungeness Crab
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What should consumers know when shopping for seafood?

Consumers should get to know a local Fish Monger.    They should always ask the basic questions.  When did the fish come in?  Where is it from?  Even how it was caught?  Use your local Fish Monger as a guide.  Consumers should become comfortable with terms such as flavor, texture and freshness.

How do I choose a fresh fish?

When shopping for fresh fish one needs to know what to look for.  If shopping for whole fish the eyes should be clean and clear.  Feel free to touch the fish lightly with your index finger.  The flesh should spring back.  Check the gills.  They should be slimy and bright red in color.  The body cavity should be free of any discoloring.  There should be no smell, other than that of the ocean.   If purchasing fillets of fish the flesh should be firm and responsive to touch.  If the fillet looks dry or dull in color, you may want to look for another option.

What are the different types of salmon?

There are many different species and variations of salmon.  To best explain this we have divided salmon into two groups;   “farm raised or aquaculture” and “wild” salmon.

FARM RAISED OR AQUACULTURE

Farm raised salmon are raised in netted pens.  The pens are placed off shore in estuaries and inlets.  They can be found off the Northern US Coasts, Chile, and New Zealand.  The most prevalent of the farmed salmon are Atlantic salmon and Pacific King Salmon.

Farm raised Atlantic salmon are native to the northern East co and are not commercially fished.  It is one of the most prevalent farmed salmon due to their rapid growth rate.  To identify whole Atlantic salmon look for large leopard shaped spots.  They start at the back of the head and run the length of the fish.  The fins appear underdeveloped, and the tail will appear spade shaped.  The Atlantic salmon arrives to market with its gills intact and guts removed. Fillets are orange in color with prominent lines of fat.  Atlantic salmon will have a mild flavor and moist texture.

Farm raised Pacific King Salmon are of course native to the Pacific North West.  Identifying this species can be a little more of a challenge to the untrained eye.  To identify whole farmed King Salmon look for black backs and a silver belly.  Note the shape of the fish, it will appear more “football” shaped rather than streamlined.  The fins will appear undeveloped and the tail will appear spade shaped.  Farmed King salmon arrive to market with no guts and no gills.  The fillets will be orange in color with less prominent lines of fat.  Farmed King will have a very mild to dull flavor and a dry texture.

WILD SALMON

There are five species of wild salmon.  King/Chinook, Sockeye/Red, Silver/Coho, Chum/Keta, and Pink/Humpie.  There are obvious differences amongst these species.   Kings, Sockeyes, and Silvers are the most common sold at today’s markets.

King/Chinook salmon are the most sought after salmon.  Their high fat content attributes to wonderful flavor and moist texture.   Kings are the largest of the salmon species.  They weigh between  4-35+ pounds, and have a streamlined appearance.  They should have black backs and silver bellie with fully developed fins.  The tail should be “fan like”.  Most whole Kings arrive to market head on with no guts or gills.  Look for hook marks on the heads, as most kings are “hook and line caught”.  Fillets should be firm to the touch and have a red orange flesh with defined fat lines.

Sockeye/Red salmon are known for their bright red flesh.  These salmon are smaller than Kings with an average size of 4-10 pounds.  They are bright silver with a black to blue back.  Sockeyes will have fully developed fins and the tail will be slightly thicker at the base.  These fish are “gill netted” when caught, therefore they arrive to market headless and gutless.  The fillets are bright red with limited visual fat lines.  the fish has a lot of flavor and a slightly firmer texture.

Silver/Coho salmon look similar to Sockeye salmon.  They are a little larger and sizes range from 6-14 pounds.  They are bright silver with less color on their backs.  Their fins should be fully developed, and the tail should be slightly wider at the base.  Silvers are also “gill netted”.  They arrive to market headless and gutless.  The flesh should be more orange than red.  Flavor is slightly stronger and texture will be slightly firm.

How should I store my seafood?

Fresh fish should be stored in the refrigerator, on ice.  Put the bag of fish in a perforated pan.  Put the perforated pan in something that will hold water.  Put ice on top of the fish.  Stored this way your seafood should keep up to five days.

Live Shell fish should be placed in a container single layer.  Cover shellfish with a damp towel.  This includes oysters, clams and mussels.  They should keep up to  five days if stored properly.

Freezing fish is best accomplished with a freezer zip lock bag and a little water.  Place fresh fish in a freezer zip lock, add just enough water to coat/cover the fish.  Press out as much air as possible and seal.  Packaged like this, fish should freeze up to six months with no freezer burn.  Thaw in refrigerator.  Allow two days to completely thaw.

How should I reheat cooked crab?

Dungeness crab arrives at market fully cooked.  Your fish monger will be happy to clean it for you.  When you get home you will want to re-heat it or eat it cold.  To re-heat fill a stock pot with approximately 1 inch of water.  Bring the water to a boil.  Add the crab and cover.  Allow to steam for 1-2 minutes.  Crack and enjoy!

King crab arrives to market cooked and frozen.  If you purchase frozen King crab it will need to be thawed before re-heating.  When thawed follow directions above.