If you love seafood, we are betting that you could eat it at least weekly. Shrimp, flounder, and tuna might be on your list of regularly eaten seafood. But, have you really branched out and tried some you don’t normally eat? Most of us get stuck in ruts with eating the same food. And this goes for seafood also. With seafood, there is no need to get in a boring pattern because there is so much delicious quality seafood available! Whether you go to a seafood restaurant, fish market, or cook at home there is a multitude of ways to prepare it, so you never get bored. In this article, we wanted to spend time looking at some of the quality seafood you may be missing. If you try it, you may find that you love it!
Saltwater Seafood
Ocean water is home to many different kinds of quality seafood. The majority of fish we see at restaurants and markets comes from saltwater. Everyone has their own preferences and tastes, so you can use this list of some of the best-tasting saltwater fish to find what suits your tastebuds.
Red Fish
Red fish has some variation in the taste depending on the water it comes from. Mostly, it has a very mild sweetness and firmness that distinguishes it from other fish. You would describe it as having a soft, sweet flavor and a medium firm texture. For comparison, red fish is not as flaky as white fish and not as tender as a flounder. Red fish is delicious baked with melted butter and salt and pepper. Keeping it simple is the best way to go in preparing this fish. You can add anything you like to the red fish like diced red and yellow peppers or papaya. It also tastes good when cooked with blackened seasonings.
Red Snapper
Red snapper is a very popular white fish, with a firm texture and a sweet, nutty flavor. You can prepare this either whole or in fillets. The flavor of the fish lends itself well with many herbs and spices, even chile peppers if you like your food spicy hot. And, it is very versatile in the way it can be cooked–grilled, sauteed, baked, broiled, pan-fried, deep-fried, and steamed.
Mahi Mahi
Mahi mahi is also called common dolphinfish, though it is not actually dolphin. It has a distinct sweet and moderately mild flavor with a fairly firm texture. The taste of mahi mahi is milder than swordfish but stronger than cod. A distinguishing characteristic of mahi mahi is its large and moist flakes. This fish can be cooked most any way you want–poaching, steaming, frying, and grilling.
Yellowfin Tuna
Yellowfin tuna is also called “ahi” tuna and is one of the highest quality tuna available. Yellowfin tuna is best prepared medium rare with the center a bit pink. It is fine to cook ahi tuna all the way through, but you run the risk of it becoming very dry. This tuna is delicious when marinated in sesame oil, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, and lime juice. Then, all you need to do is quickly sear it on both sides.
Chilean Sea Bass
Chilean Sea Bass is a wonderfully flavorful fish with a high fat content that keeps it moist during cooking and gives it a rich, tender flavor profile. It melts in your mouth! Chilean sea bass has white flesh with large, tender flakes. And, it is high in levels of Omega-3 Fatty acids. It is delicious when baked or pan-seared with an Asian marinade made of soy sauce, ginger, and mirin. Get it flaky and tender with a crispy skin and you will be in love.
Freshwater Fish
It is up for discussion what the best freshwater fish are to eat because, just like with saltwater fish, it is largely up to individual preferences. But, since North Carolina is plentiful with rivers and lakes, we have quite a few to choose from. Here are four of the best, quality freshwater fishes to eat.
Trout
If you haven’t tried trout, you are missing out on one of North Carolina’s most delicious freshwater fish. Trout fishing is a big sport in our state, so the fish can be easily accessed. Trout is the best when it is fresh. It can be cooked several different ways–pan-fried, baked, or grilled.
Catfish
Catfish is found in lakes and ponds as well as rivers near coastal waters. This meat is not as white as most freshwater fish and actually has a yellow hue in the flesh. One of the most popular ways to cook catfish is frying it. Try cutting it into small nuggets and fry them. Yum-yum!
Bass
Freshwater bass from a clean lake has a very agreeable taste that is mild. The flesh is white and tender and becomes flaky when it is fully cooked. However, if the bass comes from unclean waters, the taste is not very good. The best ways to cook bass is pan frying, grilling, and deep frying.
Crappie
Crappie is a great-tasting freshwater fish. It has a white, flaky, and sweet meat that is perfect for grilling or frying. Coating it with a Louisiana-style fish fry gives it an enhanced flavor and is a simply delicious meal when served with lemon wedges, tartar sauce, or cocktail sauce.