Fish and SeafoodCategories – fish and shellfish

Fish

• Have fins and a bony skeleton with backbone.• Low in fat, even fatty fish. • When heated, tissue turns to gelatin.• Fish and shellfish are tender, short muscle

cells.• When cooked, the flesh “flakes” or breaks up

into smaller pieces, and the color turns opaque (when uncooked, fish is translucent).

Fish characteristics

• Choose fresh fish that have shiny skin, glistening color, and a mild, fresh aroma like seaweed.

• Skin should spring back when pressed.• Whole fish should have clear eyes and bright

pink/red gills.• Fish and seafood that have gone bad will smell

fishy and ammonia-like.

Market Forms of Fish

• Whole fish – includes head and tail and all parts.

• Drawn fish – whole fish with scales, gills, and internal organs removed.

• Dressed fish – Drawn fish with head, tail, and fins removed.

Market Forms of Fish

• Fillet – sides of fish cut lengthwise away from bones and backbones. Usually boneless.

• Steaks – cut cross sections from large, dressed fish. May contain bones.

Shellfish

• No fins or bones. Mild, sweet flavor.• Crustaceans – long body with jointed limbs,

covered with shell.– Ex: crabs, crayfish, lobsters, shrimp

• Mollusks – soft body covered with 1 or more shells.– Ex: clams, oysters, scallops, squid

Crustaceans

• Crabs – whole, legs/claws, crab meat

• Crayfish – like a small lobster

• Lobster – 1.25 lbs – 2.25 lbs. Maine is most popular

• Shrimp – vary in size and color– How can you tell if done cooking??

• Color change

Mollusks

• Clams – 2 shells, hinged, edible flesh inside, sold shucked = removed from shell or in shell

• Oysters – rough, hard gray shell

• Squid – calamari

• Scallops – grow in beautiful fan shaped shells – Bay – small and Sea – large

Important

• Do not eat mollusks that have not opened completely when cooked

• Fish and seafood can be– Freshwater – lakes, ponds, rivers– Salt water – seas, oceans– Raised on fish farms