The best tips for picking out fresh seafood

Guide: How to choose fresh fish

Choosing fish can be difficult for those who aren’t well-versed in the seafood industry. It can be difficult to know what the best and freshest options are. So we asked The Black Marlin Bayside Grill to provide us with some of its best tips for picking out fresh seafood.

The basics

•  In the fish display of your market, whole fish are typically stored directly on ice. Look for clean, well-drained ice; there should be no staining or graying areas on the ice, which might imply that it’s not replaced regularly. 
•  If the fish is packaged, look for clean, dry packaging materials. 
•  •Do a sniff test. There should not be a powerful fishy or ammonia-type smell suggesting that the fish is declining. 
•  •Ask if the fish has been previously frozen. Flash-freezing techniques have improved to such an extent that texture is hardly affected by freezing; however, a fish that was previously frozen and thawed should not be refrozen. Ideally, you should eat this fish on the day of purchase.
•  Ask for recommendations on choosing a fish and how it is best prepared. A reputable and experienced fishmonger will know these things and more.

Choosing a whole fish

•  Fish should look as if they might jump up and swim away. The skin should be glowing and shiny with close-fitting scales. Dry, drab flesh and loose scales are indicators of age.
•  The eyes should be bright, clear and plump as if the pupils are full of life. If the eyes look sunken and hazy, then it‘s a sign that the fish has seen better days and you should look for a fresher one.
•  A fresh fish has clean and bright red gills. If the gills are slimy and have turned to a dark brown or black, it’s a clear indicator that the fish is no longer fresh.
•  It may not be possible to dig and poke the fish prior to purchase, but the feel of the flesh is also a critical sign of freshness. Your fish must spring back to its original shape after it’s gently pressed. If the flesh is too soft and slightly sinks with your finger, the fish is turning bad.
•  Smell, as previously noted, is one of the important signs of freshness. Fish should have a pleasant smell. If you detect any unusual scent, the fish is deteriorating.

Choosing fillets

•  The fish should be firm. It should appear juicy; a whitish film on the surface signifies dehydration. 
•  The coloring should be the same throughout. White-fleshed fish (such as cod or bass) should be white, with no darkened areas.

For other seafood

•  Make sure crustaceans are alive: If you’re buying lobster and crab, make sure they’re making it into your basket alive. Once a lobster dies, the body starts to break down and will become mushy.
•  Make sure mollusks are closed: Mussels and clams should always have closed shells, which means they’re still alive. Some might be cracked open the tiniest bit, but if you squeeze them, they’ll close back up. If they stubbornly stay open, they’re not fresh; toss them.