How to Buy Tilapia Fish
Research your local fish suppliers to determine where the best quality product is available from., Purchase tilapia live if at all possible., Smell the fish or filets before buying., Inspect the eyes if you are buying the fish whole to make sure...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Research your local fish suppliers to determine where the best quality product is available from.
Ask the fishmonger at your grocery store or seafood supplier where their tilapia comes from and how it was grown.
Because tilapia meat retains the flavor of the water the fish swam in, these facts are important to know.
If your supplier doesn't know, this could be an indicator of poor quality and you should try another supplier. -
Step 2: Purchase tilapia live if at all possible.
Make sure the fish are swimming in clear water and appear lively and healthy.
The fish should be swimming in the tank as opposed to floating motionless, and their eyes should be clear and bright.
If live fish are not an option in your area, choose freshly cut filets that are packed in thin layers of ice and are not frozen through.
The ice should only be enough to keep the meat cold, not to freeze it solid. , Fresh tilapia should remind you of the sea.
If it smells "fishy" or musky, it's likely an older catch, and should be avoided. , Eyes that are slimy or murky indicate the fish is past its prime.
Also check the gills to make sure they are dirt-free, and make sure the scales are clean and shiny, and not flaking or peeling. , Tilapia meat will absorb the taste of water it sits in, so if there is standing water, it may give your filets a bad taste.
Avoid purchasing filets that appear to be sitting in excess liquid. , Though filets can be kept at 32 degrees Fahrenheit (0 degrees Celsius) for as long as 2 days.
But the longer the fish sit, the more flavor they lose.
Optimally, you should be buying the fish the just hours before you will be cooking it. -
Step 3: Smell the fish or filets before buying.
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Step 4: Inspect the eyes if you are buying the fish whole to make sure they are clear.
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Step 5: Search the wrapping or packaging if you are buying filets.
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Step 6: Buy your tilapia as close to the time you wish to cook it as possible.
Detailed Guide
Ask the fishmonger at your grocery store or seafood supplier where their tilapia comes from and how it was grown.
Because tilapia meat retains the flavor of the water the fish swam in, these facts are important to know.
If your supplier doesn't know, this could be an indicator of poor quality and you should try another supplier.
Make sure the fish are swimming in clear water and appear lively and healthy.
The fish should be swimming in the tank as opposed to floating motionless, and their eyes should be clear and bright.
If live fish are not an option in your area, choose freshly cut filets that are packed in thin layers of ice and are not frozen through.
The ice should only be enough to keep the meat cold, not to freeze it solid. , Fresh tilapia should remind you of the sea.
If it smells "fishy" or musky, it's likely an older catch, and should be avoided. , Eyes that are slimy or murky indicate the fish is past its prime.
Also check the gills to make sure they are dirt-free, and make sure the scales are clean and shiny, and not flaking or peeling. , Tilapia meat will absorb the taste of water it sits in, so if there is standing water, it may give your filets a bad taste.
Avoid purchasing filets that appear to be sitting in excess liquid. , Though filets can be kept at 32 degrees Fahrenheit (0 degrees Celsius) for as long as 2 days.
But the longer the fish sit, the more flavor they lose.
Optimally, you should be buying the fish the just hours before you will be cooking it.
About the Author
Kelly Long
Creates helpful guides on crafts to inspire and educate readers.
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