Fish and Seafood Categories – fish and shellfish

1. Fish and Seafood Categories – fish and shellfish

2. Fish • Have fins and a bony skeleton with backbone. • Low in fat, even fatty fish. • When heated, tissue turns to gelatin. • Fish and shellfish are tender, short muscle cells. • When cooked, the flesh “flakes” or breaks up into smaller pieces, and the color turns opaque (when uncooked, fish is translucent).

3. Fish characteristics • Choose fresh fish that have shiny skin, glistening color, and a mild, fresh aroma like seaweed. • Skin should spring back when pressed. • Whole fish should have clear eyes and bright pink/red gills. • Fish and seafood that have gone bad will smell fishy and ammonia-like.

4. Market Forms of Fish • Whole fish – includes head and tail and all parts. • Drawn fish – whole fish with scales, gills, and internal organs removed. • Dressed fish – Drawn fish with head, tail, and fins removed.

5. Market Forms of Fish • Fillet – sides of fish cut lengthwise away from bones and backbones. Usually boneless. • Steaks – cut cross sections from large, dressed fish. May contain bones.

6. Shellfish • No fins or bones. Mild, sweet flavor. • Crustaceans – long body with jointed limbs, covered with shell. • Ex: crabs, crayfish, lobsters, shrimp • Mollusks – soft body covered with 1 or more shells. • Ex: clams, oysters, scallops, squid

7. Crustaceans • Crabs – whole, legs/claws, crab meat • Crayfish – like a small lobster • Lobster – 1.25 lbs – 2.25 lbs. Maine is most popular • Shrimp – vary in size and color • How can you tell if done cooking?? • Color change

8. Mollusks • Clams – 2 shells, hinged, edible flesh inside, sold shucked = removed from shell or in shell • Oysters – rough, hard gray shell • Squid – calamari • Scallops – grow in beautiful fan shaped shells • Bay – small and Sea – large

9. Important • Do not eat mollusks that have not opened completely when cooked • Fish and seafood can be • Freshwater – lakes, ponds, rivers • Salt water – seas, oceans • Raised on fish farms