How to choose fresh fish and seafood
In Australia we're lucky to have access to beautiful local seafood all year around. Once you know how to tell if seafood is fresh, you'll be ready to enjoy an abundance of seafood and new recipes. Follow these easy tips for buying the best seafood.
- Choose a fishmonger that has a high turnover. Ideally, seafood should not be sitting in water and the premises should smell fresh and pleasant. You can find your local fishmonger here.
- Seafood will stay fresher for longer when it’s kept cold. Make seafood your final purchase before you go home, and use an insulated bag or esky to keep your purchase cold. You can also ask your fishmonger to wrap up a bag of ice with your seafood.
- Once you get home, keep your seafood as fresh as possible by storing or freezing it properly.
- Buy in-season Australian produce. Ask your fishmonger for help in choosing the correct seafood for your recipe.
- And of course, remember to follow any social distancing rules and only touch items you're purchasing.
How to tell if fish fillets are fresh
• Flesh should have a vibrant translucent sheen and a sparkling colour, avoid pale or dry looking fillets
• Flesh has a firm texture, not water-logged or squishy
• No discolouration, bruising or gaping of the flesh
• Pleasant and fresh sea smell
How to tell if a whole fish is fresh
• Skin is bright and visually appealing with no bruising, appears shiny not dry
• Eyes should be clear and plump, not sunken, opaque or discoloured
• Firm flesh that springs back
• Pleasant fresh sea smell
• Vibrant and bright pink-red gills
How to tell if crustaceans and molluscs are fresh
For seafood such as prawns, crabs, mussels and clams, follow these key pointers.
• Vibrant colour and lustrous shells or flesh
• Shells, heads, tentacles or flesh appear firm and intact
• Mussels and clams should have closed shells, or they should close when tapped
• Pleasant fresh sea smell
• No discolouration, this is especially important for prawn shells
Now you know what to look to for, you can confidently choose beautiful fresh seafood every time. Find out how to store and freeze your seafood here to keep it as fresh as possible. Click here to discover more easy seafood recipes.
