Fish
Categories of Fish
There are several categories of
fish, but the breakdown begins
with:
Finfish
Shellfish
Finfish
 This is what we typically just call
fish.
 Saltwater fish (found in oceans)
Freshwater fish (found in lakes,
rivers, streams, etc.)
Saltwater fish
 Saltwater fish can be further broken
down into the categories of round fish,
and flat fish.
 Round fish have an eye on either side
of their head.
 Flat fish have two eyes on one side of
their head. They typically swim or lay
on the ocean bottom.
Examples of round saltwater fish
Tuna
Seabass
Examples of flat saltwater fish
Flounder
Halibut
Freshwater Fish
 Fewer species of freshwater fish
than saltwater fish
 Have a more mild flavor than
saltwater fish
There is no flat freshwater fish, they
are all round.
Examples of freshwater fish
Trout
Sturgeon
Judging the quality of finfish
Eyes – should be bulging and clear
 Gills – should be a bright rosy color
 Scales – should be firmly attached
to the skin
 Smell – should smell faintly like the
ocean if a saltwater fish, and mild if
freshwater.
Shellfish
This category of fish is divided into:
 Crustaceans
 Mollusks
Crustaceans:
have a hard and segmented
exoskeleton, or shell.
Mollusks
 There are 3 types of mollusks:
 Univalves
 Bivalves
 cephalopods
Univalves
Not common in food service industry
Bivalves
Cephalopods
Judging the quality of mollusks
 Crustaceans should be sold live because they
deteriorate quickly
 Any crustacean meat that has been removed from the
shell, should never smell like amonia.
 Bivalves should always be tightly closed, the shell will
automatically open when the bivalve dies. If a bivalve
is slightly open, a tap on the shell, if alive, will cause
the shell to close.
 Any fish you purchase should not have a particularly
strong smell, nor should it be soft and mushy.
Processed fish
 The majority of the fish we eat is not fresh,
but instead processed in some way:
 Canned
 Frozen
 Marinated, ex. Herring
 Salted and dried
 Smoked
Aquaculture
 The farming of fish and shellfish that takes place in
the wild, or within man-made, self-contained
structures.
 Finfish and shellfish that are farm raised in the wild
are still contained to a specific space. They are fed,
monitored and eventually harvested whey they have
reached the appropriate size.
 Common aquaculture products include: salmon,
catfish, oysters, mussels, trout, and shrimp.
Debate about aquaculture
 Pros:
 Consistent price and quality level
 Potential of supplying large amounts of
food to growing population
 Cons:
 Damages environment
 Lack flavor of wild fish
Ways you can purchase fresh fish
 Whole
 Drawn – internal organs have been
removes
 Dressed – fins and head have been
removed, as well as internal organs
 Fillet – removed from the bone
 Steaks – crosscut individual portions
How to filet a round fish
Storage of fish and shellfish
 Fish and shellfish are the most perishable items in
commercial kitchens.
 Fish should be stored between 30-34° F. Since most
commercial refrigeration is designed to hold foods at
40°F, fresh fish must be stored on ice.
 When fish is stored on ice there must be a way for the
water to drain away. Fish becomes waterlogged and
destroyed if allowed to sit in water.
 Fish with the skin on can be laid directly on ice, fillets
must be wrapped first before storing on ice.
 Mollusks such as clams, oysters, and mussels, should
be stored at 40°F. Since they are alive, storing them
directly on ice may cause them to freeze and die.
 Store mollusks in the container in which they were
received and in the coldest part of the refrigerator.
 Cephalopods should be stored in the same manner.
Cooking Fish and Shellfish
 Since fish and shellfish have little connective tissue,
there is not need to tenderize the flesh.
 They are delicate and tender and should therefore be
cooked quickly.
 The most common cooking mistake in seafood
cookery is overcooking.
 Overcooked seafood becomes dry and has either a
mealy or rubbery texture.
Dry Heat Methods
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Sautéing
Panfrying
Deep frying
Grilling
Broiling
Baking
These are all appropriate methods of cooking
because the flesh of most seafood is naturally tender.
Moist Heat Methods
 Deep poaching
 Used for large or whole dressed fish or large pieces.
Does not use this method for added moisture, but
instead for flavor.
 Shallow poaching
 Uses considerably less liquid
 Used for small fillets
 After cooking the liquid is used to create a sauce.
 Steaming
 Used for shellfish and crustaceans
 The shell protects the flesh from the intense heat of
steaming.