Understanding Fish and Shellfish PDF

UNDERSTANDING FISH AND SHELLFISH CHAPTER 19 Understanding Fish and Shellfish Key Points • Fish products are divided into two categories: • Fin fish, or fish with fins and internal skeletons. • Shellfish, or fish with external shells but no internal bone structure. Fin Fish Composition and Str...

UNDERSTANDING FISH AND SHELLFISH CHAPTER 19 Understanding Fish and Shellfish Key Points • Fish products are divided into two categories: • Fin fish, or fish with fins and internal skeletons. • Shellfish, or fish with external shells but no internal bone structure. Fin Fish Composition and Structure • The edible flesh of fish consists of: • Water • Proteins • Fats • Small amounts of minerals, vitamins, and other substances Fin Fish Composition and Structure • Fish has very liAle connecBve Bssue. This means that: • Fish cooks very quickly. • Fish is naturally tender. • Moist-heat cooking methods are used not to create tenderness but to preserve moistness. • Cooked fish must be handled very carefully or it will fall apart. Fin Fish Special Problems in Cooking Fish • The major flaw in fish preparation is overcooking. Observe these tests for doneness: • The fish just separates into flakes, or it is beginning to flake but does not yet fall apart easily. • If the bone is present, the flesh separates from the bone and the bone is no longer pink. • The flesh has turned from translucent to opaque (usually white, depending on the kind of fish). Uncooked Fish Translucent Cooked Fish - Opaque Fin Fish Special Problems in Cooking Fish • Cooking Lean Fish • Moist-heat method • Lean fish is especially well suited to poaching. • This method preserves moistness. • Dry-heat method • Baste broiled or baked lean fish with butter or oil. • Do not to overcook it, or the fish will be dry. • Dry-heat method with fat • Lean fish may be fried or sautéed. • The fish gains palatability from the added fat. Halibut Black Bass Cod Red Snapper Examples of Lean Fish Fin Fish Special Problems in Cooking Fish • Cooking Fat Fish • Moist-heat method • Fat fish, like lean fish, can be cooked by moist heat. • Dry-heat method • Fat fish are well suited to broiling and baking. • The dry heat helps eliminate excessive oiliness. • Dry-heat method with fat • May be cooked in fat. • Care should be taken to avoid excessive greasiness. Atlantic Salmon Atlantic Mackerel Albacore Tuna Rainbow Trout Examples of Fatty Fish Fin Fish CUTTING FISH Market Forms • Whole or round: completely intact, as caught. • Drawn: viscera removed. Fin Fish CUTTING FISH Market Forms (cont’d) • Dressed: viscera, scales, head, tail and fins removed. • Steaks: cross-section slices, each containing a section of backbone. Fin Fish • CUTTING FISH Market Forms (cont’d) • Fillets: boneless sides of fish, with skin on or off. • Sticks or tranches: cross-section slices of fillets Fin Fish Cutting Fish Market Forms (cont’d) • Butterflied Fillets: both sides of a fish still joined. PROCEDURE DRESSING A FISH Step 1 Step 2 Scale the fish. Lay the fish flat on the work surface. Rub a scaling tool or the back of a knife against the scales from tail to head. Repeat un=l all the scales are removed. Rinse. (Excep=ons: Trout, with very =ny scales, and scaleless fish, like caEish, are not scaled.) Eviscerate. Slit the belly and pull out the viscera. Rinse the cavity. PROCEDURE DRESSING A FISH (CONT’D) Step 3 Step 4 Cut off the tail and fins. Scissors are easiest to use. Remove the head. Cut through the flesh just behind gills. Cut or break the backbone at the cut and pull off the head. Step 5 The fish is dressed. PROCEDURE FILLETING FLATFISH Step 1 Use a thin-bladed, flexible knife. Cut off the head, just behind the gills. (This step is optional.) Step 2 Make a cut from head to tail just to one side of the center line, down to the backbone. Step 3 Turn the knife so it is almost parallel to the table. Making long, smooth cuts, cut horizontally against the backbone toward the outer edge of the fish. Gently separate the fillet from the bone. PROCEDURE FILLETING FLATFISH (CONT’D) Remove the fillet completely. Repeat to remove the three remaining fillets. Step 4 Step 5 To skin, place the fillet skin side down on the work surface with the tail poinGng toward you. Holding the skin at the tail end, slide the knife between the skin and flesh, scraping against the skin to avoid cuJng into the fillet. PROCEDURE FILLETING ROUND FISH Step 1 Cut into the top of the fish along one side of the backbone from head to tail. Cut against the bone with smooth strokes of the knife to separate the flesh from the bone. Cut under the flesh toward the tail; detach it. Step 2 Varie2es and Characteris2cs Saltwater Fish - Fla<ish • Flounder • Sole (Dover sole or English sole) • Halibut • Turbot Varieties and Characteristics SALTWATER FISH—ROUND FISH • • • • • • • • • • • Arctic Char Black Sea Bass Bluefish Chilean Sea Bass Cod Escolar Grouper Haddock Herring Jack John Dory • • • • • • • • • • • • Mackerel Mahi-Mahi Monkfish Ocean Perch Orange Roughy Pompano Porgy Red Mullet Red Snapper Salmon Sardine Shad • • • • • • • • • • • •Shark Shark •Skate Skate •Striped StripedBass Bass •Sturgeon Sturgeon Fish •Sword Swordfish Fish •Tile Tilefish Fish •Trigger Triggerfish •Tuna Tuna Wahoo or Ono • Wahoo or Weakfish Ono Whiting • Weakfish • Whiting Varie2es and Characteris2cs FRESHWATER FISH • Ca#ish • Eel • Perch • Pike • Swai • Tilapia • Trout • Whitefish • Zander HANDLING AND STORAGE Checklist for Fish Freshness Overall appearance • Good appearance; clear slime; moist and pliable fins Odor • Fresh and mild with no off-odors Eyes • Clear, shiny, and bulging HANDLING AND STORAGE Checklist for Fish Freshness Gills • Red or pink Texture of flesh • Firm; elastic Scales • Shiny; tight on skin Belly cavity • No belly burn; natural-colored flesh, pink or red along backbone HANDLING AND STORAGE Storing Fresh Fish Objectives 1.To maintain temperature of 29º to 32ºF (–2º to 0ºC). 2.To keep the fish moist. 3.To prevent fish odors and flavors from transferring to other foods. 4.To protect the delicate flesh from being bruised or crushed. HANDLING AND STORAGE Storing Fresh Fish • Methods • On crushed ice (preferred method): • Use drip pans to allow for drainage of melted ice. • Change ice daily. • In refrigerated box at 29º to 32ºF (–2º to 0ºC): • Use if crushed ice storage is not available or practical. • Wrap all fish or leave in original moisture proof wrap. HANDLING AND STORAGE Storing Fresh Fish • Storage Time • Fresh fish may be stored for 1 or 2 days. If it must be kept longer, you may: • Wrap and freeze it immediately. • Cook and then refrigerate it for later use in recipes calling for cooked fish. Handling and Storage FROZEN, CANNED, AND OTHER PROCESSED FISH • Federal InspecCon • In the United States, voluntary inspecBons are conducted by: • The NaBonal Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministraBon (NOAA) • The Department of Commerce • Promotes the safety of processed fish and shellfish Handling and Storage •FROZEN, CANNED, AND OTHER PROCESSED FISH • Federal Inspection (cont’d) • Processors who wish to take part in the programs must pay for the service. • They may then use official seals or marks on their product packaging and in advertising. • PUFI seal (Processed Under Federal Inspection) • U.S. Grade A shield Handling and Storage • FROZEN, CANNED, AND OTHER PROCESSED FISH • Thawing and Handling • Frozen raw fish • Thaw in refrigerator. • Small pieces can be cooked from a frozen state. • Fillets, or other portions to be breaded or prepared in some other way before cooking, may be partially thawed. • Handle thawed fish as you would fresh fish. • Do not refreeze. Shellfish ClassificaLon • There are two classificaBons of shellfish: • Mollusks: Soc sea animals that fall into three main categories: • Bivalves, which have a pair of hinged shells (such as clams and oysters). • Univalves, which have a single shell (such as abalone and conch). • Cephalopods (such as octopus, squid, and cuAlefish). • Crustaceans: Animals with segmented shells and jointed legs. Abalone Conch Shellfish MOLLUSKS Oysters Mussels Scallops Clams Shellfish Cephalopods • Squid • Usually referred to on menus by their Italian name, calamari. • Octopus • The name means “eight feet.” Shellfish CRUSTACEANS Lobster Shrimp Crab