Time-Saving Tips for Seafood Preparation

When it comes to prepping seafood, it can seem endless - and something that requires a lot of time and dedication. Of course, it’s all worth it for the delicious result, but if you can save time, why wouldn’t you? We’ve put together some of our favourite time-saving tips to help you get that prep done!

Fresh Fish

Even before you start to prep your seafood, you need to ensure that the seafood you pick is the freshest possible. Make sure to examine your produce, fresh fish should have a mild scent and visually look freshly cut. A good indicator for fresh fish are the eyes and gills, make sure the eyes are bright and almost bulgy and the gills vibrant red. 

Don’t Overcook Your Fish

By avoiding overcooking your seafood, you ensure that your fish isn’t dry or flavourless. Not only does it save you time in terms of not spending as much time cooking, but it also means that you don’t have to try and rectify things in the event that you do overcook it. Bear in mind that lighter and more tender types of seafood will continue to cook when you remove them from the heat. 

Seasoning Your Fish

When it comes to seasoning your seafood, it’s important to remember that each type of seafood has its own unique taste and flavour. So, when you season your fish during cooking or create a sauce to accompany it, be sure to take into consideration the natural taste of the fish so that you don’t pair it with a heavy sauce that overpowers the flavour. This can cut down the amount of time you might previously have used to create a complex sauce or seasoning. 

Deep Frying Temperatures

When deep frying fish, consider the temperature of the cooking oil, as the right temperature is really important when it comes to deep-frying. You can avoid the risk of burning the fish or having to cook it for longer by ensuring that they are kept at 350 and 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Keeping the cooking oil at this temperature can help your fried fish to cook evenly. 

Thawing Seafood Safely

In the event that you haven’t been able to get your hands on some fresh fish, or you’ve divided it up and frozen some of it, waiting for it to thaw before you can begin cooking can seem like a long wait. So, for the freshest, safety and quickest results, try defrosting your fish for half an hour by placing it in water, ensuring that it’s in a sealed package. While you’re waiting for it to defrost, you can prep other ingredients for your meal and save yourself that little bit of extra time! Once your fish has thawed, simply take it out of its packaging, run it under some cold water and then pat it dry before cooking. 

Marinate and Move On

Unlike other types of protein, like chicken and steak, fish doesn’t take quite as long to marinate and absorb flavour. So, rather than letting your fish sit for hours in a marinade, pop it in and leave it for about half an hour. While your fish is marinating, you can prep the rest of the meal - you’ll be done in no time!

Opt for In-Season Fish

By choosing in-season fish, you can not only save yourself money, but you can also save yourself time. In-season fish means that you don’t have to spend as much time and effort to make your food flavorful and delicious. All fish has its own delicious taste, which is more apparent in the fish when it is in-season. 

In addition, make sure you are making a sustainable choice when it comes to choosing your seafood,  we can help advise on Sustainable options with our Simply Sustainable list.

More tips and fresh fish

For more information, tips and of course, fresh fish, why not get in contact with your local M&J branch? For any other questions or enquiries, please get in touch with one of our friendly team on 01296 610600 or email us at enquiries@mjseafoods.co.uk.