The best way to break down the mistakes that are done when buying seafood is to look at each type of seafood and the characteristics it should have when you purchase it. You should buy high quality seafood whether it is fresh or frozen and these tips on what to look for to keep you from making the top 10 mistakes when buying seafood.
When you go to buy fresh whole fish do not buy it if the appearance of the fish is not bright and shiny, scales are not intact and adhere to the skin. If the eyes have turned pink, cloudy and sunken, except with small eyes fish like salmon. Gills should not have any type of slime coating or be green or brown in color. Fish should not have a fishy odor.
When you buy fresh whole fish it should be bright, shiny, and most of the scales should be intact and adhere tightly to the skin. Every fish has markings and colors that will fade and be less pronounced as the fish loses its freshness. The eyes should be bright, clear, and full and sometimes protrude according to the species. The color of the gills fade over time, turning from bright red to pink, grey and then to a green or brown color so the brighter red the more fresh. Fish that is fresh will have practically no odor at all, the fishy smell happens over time.
When buying fresh fish filets and steaks do not purchasing if the fishy odor is strong, there are signs of browning or drying around the edges of the filets, if plastic wrapping is not tight, it if there is plenty of space between the fish and the wrapping, and if there is any liquid in the packaging.
Fresh fish filets and steaks odor should be fresh and mild. The flesh should be moist, firm, elastic and have a fresh cut appearance.
When you buy frozen seafood do not buy if it is not frozen solid, if there is any discoloration or any type of drying which can mean freezer burn, if there is an odor. Do not buy any frozen seafood product that has ice crystals or water stains.
Frozen seafood should only be purchased if it is frozen solid and if there is no discoloration and if there is an odor it should be fresh and mild. The wrapping should be moist and vapor proof and should fit around your seafood closely and not damaged in any form. If you notice water stains or ice crystals, the seafood has thawed and been re-frozen. Always look for an expiration date.
When you are purchasing any seafood product fresher is always better. When you buy frozen talk with the person that is in charge of the seafood and learn how the seafood was frozen. If it was “flash frozen” it may in fact be better than fresh. The time it takes to get quality fresh seafood to your store will give the seafood time to age. Flash frozen is when the seafood is frozen within just a few hours of harvesting to ensure the quality that you can buy.
Hans is author of
Seafood
Recipes at http://www.steaks-guide.com. We feature a lot of top ten mistakes. Download our free e-book!
What do you think about this article? Do you agree or disagree with it? Be the first to comment on this article, and share your thoughts with the world. No registration is required to post comments.
Smoked Seafood: A Delicious Meal Shannon Linnen One of the best courses to serve during summer is smoked seafood. For a light yet delicious meal, consider an appetizer of smoked oysters to start. These...
Fish Cooking Basics
I must admit that I have met more than a few fishermen that know every trick in the book to catch fish, but after they have caught it, have no idea what to do with it. So if you are...
Seafood is Mexican cuisine's best kept secret. While Americans eagerly devour chicken, beef and pork dishes, few seem to understand how delicious and important it is in Mexico. With two long coastal...
Seafood Is The Variety Of The Ocean Shannon Linnen The Japanese suffer less heart attacks and cholesterol problems than many other nationalities. The Bengalis in India stay lean and healthy and they share a...
Do you love seafood, but live to far from the coast to get it delivered fresh? As an adventerous cook and eater, it can be difficult to find something to cook for dinner when you've gone through everything...
I travel to Japan quite often and each time I go I discover something new. It's always great to go and eat the delicious ways the Japanese can prepare fish and seafood, but each time I go, I notice that...
Betta fish is suitable as pet fish because it has bright colors, such as blue, orange, red, green, yellow or turquoise. It is sometimes called Siamese fighting fish, and it was originally found in fresh...
Who says there is something fishy on fish oils, shellfish, and other seafoods when it comes to health benefits? That is absolutely a fishy story.Nowadays, people have come to realize the importance of seafoods
Oban, on the coast adjoining the Scottish Highliands, is the seafood and sea-kayaking capital of Scotland. Plus, thanks to its distilleries, it also shaping up to be a thriving whisky producing area too.
Shellfish are one of the 12 foods most likely to cause the classic symptoms of food allergy, including upset stomach, hives and angioedema (swelling of the lips and eyes). The others are berries (blackberries,
It is believed that when Christopher Columbus first landed on the island now known as Jamaica, he was in Montego Bay. Initially, he called the bay Golfo de Buen Tiempo or Fair Weather Gulf. As the Spanish...
The Internet has greatly revolutionized the business industry today. You can actually find information on anything under the sun on the Internet. In fact, you can even purchase almost any product or service on
Cooking can be as simple or as elaborate and complex as you want it to be. For most chefs, adding wine can mean that this is a very special dish and this ingredient can definitely make the dish have a very...
Ahhhhh! Just think about forking a succulent bite of fresh lobster meat into your mouth and savoring it all the way down! How could anything taste more sublime? But before you rush out to your nearest Red...
Sweet, succulent, dripping with butter ah, live Maine lobster and only minutes away from becoming your next meal! This delicious seafood can now be yours, complete with side dishes, appetizers, chowder and...
Live Maine lobsters have been harvested from around the coasts of Maine for many generations. It's hard to believe that in the beginning, people placed no value in lobster meat. Only the poor ate it. Over...
Did you ever look at a lobster swimming around in the little fish tank at a restaurant and wonder where he lived before he was caught? You may remember he lived in the ocean, but did you realize that most...
Advocates for animal rights will protest the practice of putting live lobsters into boiling water. Their concerns are based on whether or not the lobster is capable of feeling pain. They believe that there has
Maine lobsters are not red! I know the ones you see in all the pictures in magazines and restaurant menus are red, but; that is not their natural color. In fact, Maine lobsters are naturally found as being...
Ten Proven Tips to buy the Best Meat AvailableAs you look through the meat section at your local grocery store you are probably like so many others asking yourself if the steaks you have chosen is really...
Lemon TetraGlassily transparent, the lemon tetra (hyphessobrycon pulchripinnis) could appear to be just a sunbeam flashing through your community tank if not for background elements like plants and...
Solar lights are very popular for lighting yards and gardens. They are virtually maintenance free, easy to install, and cost almost nothing to run. Once you have bought solar lights, the only future...
It is unavoidable, Fall is coming and we like to enjoy the outdoors as long as possible.As Fall is drawing near. Outsite living enthousiasts like us like to extent their season.And when winter is over and...
Many low fat low cholesterol recipes are usually bland and un-flavorful but you can find some unique and tasty treats on our website that are full of flavor.Here are a couple of low fat low cholesterol recipes
If you're looking for a beautiful, old world garden style, then you should look into designing a Tuscan garden design. There are several different things that you can do with a Tuscan garden design, but...
Coffee is one of the most popular beverages in the world. It's rich, full-bodied taste is a daily necessity to millions of people. Of course, coffee is not only loved for its taste. The caffeine kick is needed
You can be a coffee lover without knowing much about coffee beans, but learning a little bit about the different types of coffee can help you get the perfect cup every time. There are many types of gourmet...
What makes Thai BBQ chicken recipes so delicious? It is all the wonderful and unique spices and ingredients that are used to deliver a flavor that are taste buds enjoy. These recipes are wonderful and give...
Love the taste of prime rib? Love the taste of barbecue? You can combine them together for cooking roast prime rib on the grill. It takes a bit longer than hamburgers, but cooking roast prime rib on the...
Article: Top 10 Mistakes When Buying Seafood Author: Hans Dekker Publication Date: 2007-07-29 Total Views: 514 Word Count: 567 Category:Home /
Food and Drink / Seafood
Categories
