Fish Explained

‘Contrary to popular belief, I don’t catch our own fish (although you may have heard me say I do!) I’m coming across lots of new customers who want to eat more fish but need more education – here are the tips you should look for buying and storing of fish. This information could be dangerous for other retailers but I’m not afraid to give it!! –

I tend to classify fish into 3 main types –

White Fish – or Demersal such as Cod, Haddock, Plaice, Hake, Whiting, Coley. Could be round or flat fish but would live close, on or under the seabed.

Oil Rich fish – Pelagic such as herring, mackerel, trout, salmon. They live nearer the surface and would swim in shoals.

Shellfish – such as lobster and crabs are all invertebrates (here’s the science bit) – they split into 2 types –

Molluscs – with either a hinged outer double shell (scallops, mussels) or single spiral shell (winkles, whelks)

Crustaceans – outer shells with hinged joints (crab, Lobster)

Here’s what you should look out for when buying –

WHOLE FISH –

• Clear bright eyes, not sunken
• Bright red gills
• Scales should be shiny and not missing.
• Bright colouring
• Firm flesh and stiff body
• Should not smell (apart from the sea)

 

FILLETS –

• Neat smooth flesh
• Not ragged or gaping flesh
• No discolouration

 

SMOKED FISH–

• frozen hard with no signs of thawing
• the packaging should not be damaged
• no evidence of freezer burn (i.e. dull, white, dry patches)

 

SHELL FISH –

• shells should not be cracked or broken
• shells of mussels and oysters should be tightly shut. Open shells that do not close when tapped sharply should be discarded
• lobsters, crabs and prawns should have a good colour and be heavy for their size
• lobsters and crabs should have all their limbs

 

When any fish is selected it should be handled carefully and should be stored in a refrigerator under 5ºC. When fish is caught it is gutted immediately and stored under ice, when we process into fillets or steaks it is stored under ice again, then we sell from a bed of ice.

 

Fresh Fish – I give a guarantee on all freshness and should be consumed within 2 days. Cover and store in the fridge.

Ready to eat ‘cooked’ fish such as Hot Smoked mackerel should be stored separately so as not to cross contaminate.

Smoked Fish – Should be covered and stored in the fridge away from other foods to avoid smell penetrating other foods.

Frozen Fish – if you decide to freeze fish, the secret is to keep wet and freeze as quickly as possible, this will avoid large crystal build up within the flesh and will come out as good as it went in. Always try to defrost as slowly as possible and not under running water. This will impair the quality and texture. Avoid re freezing.

I’ve included a storage table to make it simple –

RECOMMENDED DOMESTIC STORAGE TIMES

Did you know?

• Last year over 250 million fish and chip shop meals (featuring fish) were sold throughout the UK, proving that UK's fish and chip shops are still the nation's favourite hot take-away outlet.
• The record for the most portions of fish and chips sold by an independent fish and chip shop in one day is over 4,000.
• On a Friday in the UK, 20% of meals purchased outside the home are from a fish and chip shop.
• Fish and chips have a third less calories than the other popular takeaways, and represents just 30% of a female's recommended calorie intake and 23% of a male's. It also has a massive 42% less fat than a doner kebab and a third less than a Whopper Meal from Burger King.
• As far back as 1838 Charles Dickens wrote about fried fish warehouses in the classic novel 'Oliver Twist'. These warehouses acted as the forerunner to fish and chip shops - but the partner to fish wasn't the traditional chip as we see today, but either bread or baked potatoes. The fish was sold by street vendors who carried the goods in trays hung around their necks. The fish was purchased cold for about a penny a portion.
• The first fish and chip shop is thought to have been opened in Mossley, near Oldham, in 1863, although there are claims for one in London that opened in 1860.
  Fish and chips was the only take-away food not to be rationed during the Second World War. Frederick Lord Woolton, Minister of Food at the time, even allowed mobile frying vans to carry fish and chips to evacuees around the country.
• Originally, most fish and chips were fried in beef dripping - nowadays a variety of oils are used to satisfy the needs of a discerning public.
• In the early part of the 20th Century, the average wage was such that a portion of fish and chips with mushy peas at 6d was affordable for the working class - this would add vital protein and vitamins to the usual diet of bread, dripping, tea and condensed milk.
• The world’s biggest ever portion of fish and chips was cooked in Hull during Seafood Week, October 2002. The fillet, which measured 34 in long and 14 in wide, weighed 28 pounds and 1 ounce, beating the previous world record by two pounds.