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Fresh Fish
Purchasing
When buying fresh seafood, use your eyes, hands, and nose. The word "fresh" refers to seafood that has not been frozen. However, that's not to imply that "frozen" is bad. As a matter of fact, frozen seafood can be superior in quality to fresh seafood products, so base your purchase on product quality.
How can you determine the quality of fresh seafood in the store? First, look at the display. All fresh seafood should be held at 32 F, which is maintained by refrigeration and/or ice. Fresh seafood should feel cold to the touch, not cool.
Whatever the variety, whole fish have certain characteristics that indicate freshness.
Bright, clear, full eyes that are often protruding. As the fish loses freshness, the eyes become cloudy, pink, and sunken.
Bright red or pink gills. Avoid fish with dull-colored gills that are gray, brown, or green. Fresh fish should be free from slime.
Firm and elastic flesh that springs back when pressed gently with the finger. With time, the flesh becomes soft and will slip away from the bone.
Shiny skin, with scales that adhere tightly. Characteristic colors and markings start to fade as soon as a fish leaves the water.
Fillets and steaks should have firm and elastic flesh and a fresh-cut, moist appearance, with no browning around the edges. Filleted flesh separates if it is left too long in the case. The flesh should be translucent, light will shine through it. There should be little evidence of bruising or reddening of the flesh from retention of blood. Prepackaged steaks and fillets should contain a minimum of liquid. Seafood stored in liquid deteriorates quickly. All fresh fish should have no fishy or ammonia smell.
Shellfish may be sold live, cooked, or fresh shucked. The form depends on availability and the shellfish itself. Each form and species will have different quality signs to examine. Odor is one quality indicator that should be sweet and mild, not overly fishy for all fresh shellfish. This odor has been likened to a fresh sea breeze or seaweed.
The shells of live clams, oysters, or mussels should be tightly closed. If the shells gape slightly, tap them. They should close; discard any that do not. The shells of live shellfish should not be cracked and should look moist. Oysters should have one shell that is well cupped. When selecting soft-shelled clams, the "neck" will show movement when touched. The meats of fresh shucked clams, oysters, or mussels should be plump and covered with their liquor. Their liquor should be clear or slightly opalescent (slightly milky or light gray) and free of shell or grit.
Scallops are not sold live because they are highly perishable. Scallops are shucked at sea shortly after capture. Fresh scallop meats have a firm texture and distinct sweet odor. A sour or iodine smell indicates spoilage. The smaller bay and calico scallops are usually creamy white, though there may be some normal light tan or pink coloration. The larger sea scallops are also generally creamy white, though they may show some normal light orange or pink color.
Live crabs and lobsters should show leg movement, and the tail of lobsters should curl tightly underneath the body and not hang down when the lobster is picked up. Lobsters and crabs will not be very active if they have been refrigerated, but they should move at least a little bit. The shell of a soft-shelled crab will be soft, while the shell of crabs and lobsters should be hard.
Cooked lobsters or crabs in the shell should be bright red in color and have no disagreeable odor. Picked lobster meat will be snowy white with red tints, while crab meat is white with red or brown tints, depending on the species or the section of the body it was picked from. Cooked, picked lobster or crab meat should have good color and no disagreeable odor.
Raw shrimp meat should be firm and have a mild odor. The shells of most varieties are translucent with a grayish green, pinkish tan, or light pink tint. The shells should not have blackened edges or black spots. This is a sign of quality loss. Cooked shrimp meat should be firm and have no disagreeable odor. The color of meat should be white with red or pink tints.
When buying whole squid, look for eyes that are clear and full. The skin should be untorn and the meat very firm. The skin of fresh squid is cream-colored with reddish brown spots; as squid ages, the skin turns pinkish.
Handling and Storage
Finfish and shellfish should be handled with care. Both are highly perishable. Storage life depends on how well you take care of it, whether the seafood is a whole fish or a live oyster. Fish bruises easily, so handle carefully. Lift whole fish with two hands and avoid holding by the tail. Pack all seafood products separately or at the top of your grocery bags.
When your seafood purchase arrives home, store it in the coldest part of your refrigerator at a temperature as close to 32 F as possible. The shelf life depends upon the variety of fish and the quality at time of purchase. Be sure to use fish quickly, within one to two days after you buy it. Fish that is not prepackaged should be washed under cold, running water and patted dry with an absorbent paper towel. The fish should then be wrapped in moisture-proof paper or plastic wrap, placed in a heavy plastic bag, or stored in an air-tight, rigid container until ready for cooking. Some varieties of shellfish, however, require different handling and storage guidelines.
Store shrimp, squid, and shucked shellfish in a leak-proof bag, plastic container, or covered jar.
Store live shellfish in a shallow dish covered with damp towels or paper towels. Never put live shellfish in water or in an air-tight container where they could suffocate and die.
Squid and freshly shucked clams have a shelf life of one to two days.
Shrimp and scallops have a shelf life of about two to three days.
Freshly shucked oysters have a shelf life of five to seven days.
Mussels and clams in the shell (live) should be used within two to three days; oysters in the shell, from seven to ten days. Some shells may open during storage. If so, tap them. They will close if alive; if not, discard immediately.
Live lobsters and crabs should be cooked the same day they are purchased. Cooked whole lobsters or crabs should be stored in tight air-tight containers and used within two to three days. Cooked, picked lobster or crab meat should be stored in a sealed moisture-proof plastic bag or air-tight plastic container for three to four days. Pasteurized crab meat can be refrigerated for up to six months before opening and should be used within two to three days after opening.
Refrigerate left-over cooked shellfish dishes as you would any other leftovers. Use within two or three days. Do not allow cooked seafood to come in direct contact with raw seafood or other raw meats.
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