Sea Food Online

How to Buy Fresh Fish

Buying fresh fish in a seafood market, or in a restaurant, can be a tall order. What's good? What's fresh? Is this fish too "fishy?" By coming in armed with the right knowledge and asking the right questions, you too can make the proper decision as to what fish you want to take home and cook.

Step1
Fish is never, NEVER, caught that day, filleted, and placed in a case for you to see. No matter what kind of fish it is or where you buy it, the fish is typically caught out at sea 2-3 days prior and encased in ice, to ensure its freshness. The fish is then transported from a warehouse type area near the docks to the market. It is filleted on site and placed in the case. If anyone tells you their fish was caught that day, they're lying. However, it tastes as if it has just been caught, due to the icing process. So focus on more important questions.

Step2
Was the fish caught fresh or was in frozen? Most fish, like Tuna, Salmon, and Halibut are caught and shipped immediately, as described above. However, other fish like Tilapia and Orange Roughy are filleted somewhere and sent in an iced packing box. These are difference because the fish loses its freshness once filleted, so if you are told it comes in frozen, it has been filleted elsewhere. A fish filleted from a whole fish on site will be deemed fresh. If you want frozen fish, go to the grocery store.

Step3
Do you want your fish to taste fishy or more like chicken? Those new to fish should start with fish like Orange Roughy, Tilapia, and Halibut. These fish all have white meat and, as a good rule, white meat fish usually taste less "fishy" than other fish. Salmon, for example, has a pink meat and tastes very fishy.

Step4
How do you intend to cook the fish? The best fish to grill would be tuna, due to its steak like qualities, Orange Roughy, Salmon, or Sea Bass for baking, and Catfish for frying. If you are making sushi, get Ahi or Yellow Fin Tuna, as these are the common sushi quality tunas. As for salmon, the Alaskan Salmon will do the trick, but you could spend a little more for its brother, the King Salmon.

Tips & Warnings
* Always make sure to buy fresh fish, but remember you will not be getting a fish that was swimming that day. Freshness = how it was packaged.
* Seafood markets have fresh fish that are filleted on site. Other vendors, like grocery stores, get all frozen meat. Restaurants are the toss up here. High end restaurants have fresh fish, but lower end ones probably don't.
* If the fish has spots or a greasy texture on it, ask why those characteristics exist. Sometimes, fish are just slimy, but other times they have been in the case awhile. Get an explanation just to be safe.