Buying fresh fish online

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For anyone who doesn’t live on or near the coast, fresh seafood can be difficult, if not impossible to find. Buying fresh fish online may be the only option, although it can be a risky proposition. The problem with buying fresh fish online is that you don’t get to physically inspect the product.

There are some markets and restaurants in landlocked states that special order fresh fish every day. For those lucky enough to live near one of these places, that is definitely the way to go.

When it comes to quality food, freshness is fundamental. This is true of virtually all types of cuisine, particularly fish and seafood. Fish are very delicate animals and once caught their bodies begin to break down almost immediately. This is why fish are frozen as soon as possible, often on the boat. If a Web site offers seafood frozen in such a manner and shipped immediately, buying fresh fish online is not a bad idea. Chances are that the local market cannot get it any fresher.

If you have the opportunity to go to a market rather than buying fresh fish online, inspect it carefully. Look at it, smell it and (with permission), touch it. When shopping for a whole fish look for:

• Very moist, almost slippery skin. If scales have not been removed they should be firmly attached and brightly colored.
• Moist and brightly colored gills. The redder, the better.
• Firm, responsive flesh. It should bounce back when you touch it.
• Bright, clear eyeballs. Make sure the eyes are not sunken into the skull.
• Fresh, pleasant odor. The scent will vary depending on the type of fish but it should be apparent when something doesn’t smell right.

Fish that is already cut into steaks or filets are more common these days, especially in middle-America, or when buying fresh fish online. It makes for easy preparation and cooking, but freshness may be more difficult to gauge. When shopping for steaks and filets look for:

• Very moist, almost slippery skin. If scales have not been removed they should be firmly attached and brightly colored. This may not be a concern is the skin has been removed from the flesh.
• Firm, responsive flesh. It should bounce back when you touch it.
• Even, uniform coloration. Meat should be clear white, red, pink or orange depending on species.
• Fresh, pleasant odor. The scent will vary depending on the type of fish but it should be apparent when something doesn’t smell right.

Similar guidelines can be used to determine freshness among other types of seafood as well.

It is always best to cook and eat fresh seafood the day it is purchased. When this is not feasible, proper storage techniques must be practiced. Fresh fish should be refrigerated in a covered dish or wrapped in waxed paper. It will not keep well for more than a couple days.

Live clams and mussels may also be stored in the fridge for two days. They should be placed in an open-air container and covered with a moist towel. Shucked clams and mussels can be stored in the refrigerator, in their own juices, for about three days.

Live crabs and lobsters must be used the day they are procured and should be refrigerated under a damp towel until they are cooked. Leftover crab and lobster meat must be tightly sealed, refrigerated and should not be eaten after three days.

Uncooked shrimp should be rinsed and drained before being refrigerated in a tightly sealed container. Shrimp, cooked or not, should not be kept for more than two days.

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