Selection and storage of fish and seafood

To my great regret Kiev stands on the banks of the river, not the sea. And that means really fresh sea fish have quite rare... and very expensive. Basically, we are content with chilled or frozen fish. But even if you caught the fish at the aquarium, it does not mean that it's perfect. How correctly to choose a really quality fish and how to store it, so that it has not lost its taste qualities?

Googling, I found quite a lot of material on this subject, but almost everywhere it is possible to allocate 5 basic rules. When choosing a fish you have to examine it thoroughly, touch and smell!

Fresh fish

1. Eyes. Pay attention to your eyes - they are in any case should not be dull! Only clear and bright eyes! If the "look" slightly clouded or tightened dairy film, then fish for several days and shelf life is almost expired.

2. Scales and skin. Pay attention to the scales. It should fit snugly and be bright and shiny (metal). Be careful, if the fish is not part of the scale or it is dry and dull, also should not take fish with darkened dry skin (if it is cleared of scales). Fresh fish should be moist and supple. The tail of the fish should also be flexible.

3. Gills. Gills at fresh and quality fish should be bright red, perhaps pink. Also, when selecting the fish need to ensure that no mucus in the gills. If the gills are pale or brown shades are close to, or you find mucus, so shelf life came to an end and the seller is cheating on you.

4. Smell. We really fresh sea fish such as the "smell of fish" no. It should smell like the sea and the salt. If the smell of sour, very strong or you "fish stinks," then the product is not so fresh.

5. Elasticity. If you buy fish fillets, try to click on it with your finger and see what happens. If the fillet is resilient and will recover the form, it means fresh. If, however, will remain a fingerprint, it means the fish was not fresh. The same applies to the whole fish.

clams

If you live far from the sea, it is definitely worth buying shellfish frozen. But if you are in a seaside town and decided to cook something fresh, you should know that it is better to buy them in place and tested live! How to determine that the clam is dead? Since fresh shellfish must be sold alive, they need to respond to external stimuli. Put them on the table, stand and wait. Then tap the shell - it should be closed even tighter than purchasing. With oysters will be more difficult - they have a very thick and hard shells. But the mussels and clams on it is sure to react.

Another version of the definition of "degree of alertness" - this preparation. If you bought the dead shellfish, they do not disclose the preparation of the shell. Feel free to throw them out. And, yes, if you are not sure of the freshness of purchased clams, it is better not to try them raw!

shrimps

It's very simple - buy them whole and frozen. Shrimp - a protein that is very perishable! And the whole it is better to choose because the shell protects against damage that can cause frost, and helps retain more moisture.

Squid and octopus

They are almost always sold frozen, so it is best to buy them in this form. If you had the good fortune to buy a fresh copy, then you need to pay attention to their eyes, and the smell of elasticity (as is the case with the fish).

Storage

Now move on to the purchase storage. Let's start with fresh fish!

Fresh fish, even in the refrigerator should be stored on ice, so you'll need ice and two plastic container - one slightly smaller than the other. Pour ice into a large container, put him to sleep on top of the fish and ice. A smaller container covering the top. Thus it will keep the ice and fish. And it would be ideal if she was lying dorsal fins up as if floating in the pool.

How long can you store fresh fish in this way? If you do catch a fish, you can store it for 7-10 days. If you bought the fish market, then store it in such a way can be just a few days. The same applies to fillets and steaks.

freezing

If you decide to freeze the fish, then you should know that the "freeze" does not mean just to stick in the freezer. To qualitatively frozen fish and storing it for several months, you need something to consider!

1. Dry frost. Well, almost. Remember, the air - is your enemy! It can spoil the fish, so you should do everything possible to block the access to oxygen. To this end, it is not necessary to have special equipment for vacuum packaging. Just have a good dry fish and wrap it tightly in plastic wrap.

2. Enrobing. In order to cover the layer of ice fish simply immerse it in cold water, then put on a tray or any other flat surface, that can support a low temperature, and send it to the freezing camera. Wait until the water layer is frozen and repeat the procedure. And so on until the ice layer on the fish will not be about 6.5 mm.

Frozen fish is kept for about 3 months. Tuna, salmon, salmon and other oily fish more than can be stored for about 6 months, but not more. After that, it loses its taste and beneficial properties.

And with the purchase of frozen fish in the market or in the supermarket, pay attention to its appearance. If the ice cracked and uneven, it could be seen under the damage and stains, it means it was frozen several times and it is better not to buy such a fish!

I hope this little post will help you the next time you purchase fish products. And even if the seller tells you that the freshest fish, look into her eyes - they were not deceived;)