SEAFOOD

Careers in Seafood

• Raw Shellfish Preparer– Cleans and prepares shellfish for serving customers

• Fish Hatchery Attendant– Performs a combination of tasks to trap and spawn

game fish, incubate eggs, and rear fry in a fish hatchery

• Net Fisher – Catches finfish, shellfish, and other marine life

alone or as a crewmember on shore or aboard fishing vessels using a variety of equipment.

Did You Know???

• Alaska is the largest producer if shellfish in the United States?

Nutritional Values of Seafood

• Included in the Meat & Beans category of the Food Guide Pyramid

• Most people should consume between 5 and 7 ounces of fish per day

• One serving of fish is about 3 ounces

Nutritional Values of Seafood

• Excellent source of complete protein

• Fewer calories, saturated fat and cholesterol than red meat

• Contain the vitamins A and D

Nutritional Values of Seafood

• Contain the minerals phosphorus, iron, calcium and iodine

• Iodine – prevents swelling of thyroid gland called goiter

• Omega-3 fatty acids found in fish may reduce the risk of heart attack or stroke

Inspection of Seafood

• Voluntary program by the National Marine Fisheries Service

• Inspected fish carry a round inspection seal

Grading of Seafood

• Grades determined by:– Appearance– Odor– Flavor– Lack of defects

• Grade A– Top quality– Uniform in size– Good flavor– Few defects

• Grade B– Not uniform in size

and some defects

• Grade C– Nutritious, but less

attractive

Most fish in retail markets is U.S. Grade A.

Buying Seafood

• The amount to buy depends on the kind and form

• Fish fillets generally cost more than whole fish because they require more handling

• Local fish are less expensive than shipped fish

• Only buy from reputable sellers

• Fish should be stored on beds of ice in covered cases

Guidelines for storing seafood

• Highly perishable

1. Refrigerator: Store in a tightly wrapped container in the coldest part of the refrigerator and use within a day or two

2. Freezer: wrap in moisture-proof and vapor-proof material

3. Canned: store in a cool, dry space. Refrigerate unused portions

TWO CLASSIFICATIONS OF WATER ANIMALS

• Finfish– Fins and backbones

• Shellfish– Shells instead of

backbones

FinfishOften called “FISH”

• Lean Fish– Very little fat– White flesh…often

called white fish

– Types of lean fish:• Swordfish• Haddock• Cod

• Fat Fish– Fattier than lean fish– Flesh is pink, yellow or

gray in color

– Types of fat fish• Mackerel• Catfish• Salmon

Fresh Finfish

• Fresh fin fish should have a stiff body, tight scales, and firm flesh.

• Gills should be red

• Eyes should be bright and bulging

• A finger pushed into the flesh should leave no indentation

• The outside should have little or no slime

• The smell should be fresh

Forms of Finfish

• Whole– Also known as round– As it comes from the

water– Must clean before

cooking

• Drawn– Has entrails (insides)

removed

• Dressed– Has entrails, head, fins,

and scales removed

• Fish Steaks– Cross-sectional slices

taken from dressed fish

• Fish Fillets– Sides of the fish cut

lengthwise away from the backbone

Frozen Finfish

• Drawn fish, dressed fish, fish steaks, and fillets can be purchased frozen

• Frozen fish should be– Solidly frozen– In moisture proof wrapping– In vapor proof wrapping– No discoloration– Little odor

Guidelines to cooking finfish

• Internal temperature should reach 145o

• Naturally tender so cook for a short period of time

• Undercooked fish may contain bacteria• Overcooked fish is tough and dry• Cooking done when flesh is firm and flakes

easily with a fork• Flesh will lose the translucent appearance and

will become opaque

Methods of cooking finfish

• For fat fish use dry heat methods:– Broiling

• Under direct heat source

– Grilling• Directly over hot coals

– Baking• To prevent drying…

brush with oil or sauce

• For lean fish use moist heat methods:– Frying

• Coat with bread crumbs/batter

• Fry in small amt. of oil

– Poaching• Cooking fully

submersed in simmering liquid

– Steaming• Similar to poaching…

use less liquid

Shellfish

• Mollusks– Soft bodies that are

partially or fully covered by hard shells

– Types of Mollusks:• Oysters• Clams• Scallops

• Crustaceans– Covered by crust like

shells and have segmented bodies

– Types of Crustaceans:• Shrimp• Lobster• Crabs

Shellfish

Did You Know???

Shrimp and oysters are the most important shellfish in the United States in terms of

the amount eaten!

Shellfish

MOLLUSKS

Shellfish

• Oysters– Can be purchased

• live in the shell• Fresh or frozen

shucked• Canned

– Packaged according to size

– Live Oysters• Tightly closed shells• Shells that close quickly

when touched

– Shucked Oysters• Plump• Creamy in color• Odorless

Shellfish

• Clams– Available

• Live in the shell• Fresh or frozen shucked• Canned-packaged according to size

– Shucked clams should be…• Plump• Odorless• Creamy colored

– The shells of live clams should be tightly closed or should close when touched

Shellfish

• Scallops– Two varieties available

• Tiny bay scallops– Creamy white or pink in color

• Larger deep sea scallops– White in color

– Cannot buy scallops in the shell– Available fresh or frozen– Whole body is edible…commonly in the U.S.

only the large muscle used to close the shell is eaten!

Shellfish

CRUSTACEANS

Shellfish• Shrimp

– Many varieties

– Most sold without the head and thorax

– You may need to peel away the outer shell

– Before cooking, remove intestinal tract called deveining

– Marketed according to the number needed to weigh 1 pound

– Marketed by size• Jumbo, large, medium,

small

– Frozen shrimp may be purchased uncooked or cooked and either peeled or unpeeled

– When purchasing…look for shrimp that’s odorless with firmly attached shells

Shellfish

• Lobster– Dark, blue-green when

removed from water– Become red when

cooked– Can be purchased

• Live• Frozen whole or tail• Cooked• Canned

– When buying live lobster, look for…

• Those with tails that snap back quickly after being flattened

Shellfish

• Crabs– Common species are the blue and

Dungeness crab– Can be purchased

• Live• Cooked fresh or frozen• Canned

Overview…Shellfish: Signs of Freshness

1. Shell of shrimp should be firmly attached with no noticeable odor

2. Sea scallops should be white; bay scallops are pink or creamy white

3. Live oyster and clam shells should be tightly closed

4. Shucked oysters and clams should be plump, creamy white and odorless

Guidelines to cooking shellfish

• Naturally tender…cook for a short period of time at moderate temp.

• Overcooking causes tough fish

• Cooking methods:

– Simmering– Baking– Broiling/grilling– Pan-frying– Deep-fry– Microwave

General Hints

• To reduce fat content when purchasing canned tuna…look for tuna stored in water rather than oil

• When serving shrimp cocktail…purchase large, fancy shrimp rather than the small shrimp