How to Select Fresh Fish
Remove All of the Mystery
Unless you are the one who caught the fish, you really don’t know how fresh it is. Serving and eating fresh fish is obviously important. So, how do you know if you’re buying the freshest possible? It is relatively simple once you know what to look for.
On Purchasing Whole Fish
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Start with looking at the head. The eyes should be clear and bright and still be bulging outward. If the eyes have a washed-out gray appearance and are sunken, it is no longer considered truly fresh. If it was previously frozen, the eyes may look dull and gray too. So, ask. If you are told that the fish has not been previously frozen, it is best to pass and select another. Dull, gray, washed-out eyes do not necessarily mean the fish is bad or not edible alone. So, next, check the gills. The gills should have rich red coloring. If fish is old, the gills color fades. If the eyes and gills are both dull and faded, definitely pass. Lastly, look at the whole body of the fish. Visually it should have an overall clean, smooth, shiny look. If the color has faded or if the fish has patches of discoloration, it is past its prime.
On Purchasing Fish Filets
It is harder to tell if a fish filet is fresh compared to that of the whole fish. However, again, there are a couple of top tell signs of a fresh filet. If there is skin on the filet, it should look shiny and not discolored, which is the same as when purchasing a whole fish. If there is liquid gathering on top, definitely and continue looking, especially if it is not clear and colorless. Lastly, when you pull the filet out of the fridge and are ready to cook it, gently press a finger on the top of the filet. If the finger indent does not remain, the fish is nice and fresh. Of course, always discard fish if it does not smell right. It should smell clean and not overly fishy.
image credit – photo by David Holt
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