How to Like Seafood

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You’re not alone if you dislike seafood because of its ‘fishy’ flavor. Many people dislike fish because they have had bad experiences with strong-flavored fish like sea bass or trout.

So is there a way that you can seafood once again? Yes! This guide highlights some small tips on how to like seafood that will make you fall in love with all the omega 3.

How to Like Seafood

Some people have been irked towards seafood especially, fish. However, that particular flavor is not present in all fish. Many varieties of fish have a mild flavor similar to chicken and can be consumed with ease.

#1: Stay Away From “Fishy” Fish

Arctic char resembles salmon in appearance, but it is less fatty and has a less fishy flavor. Flounder and catfish, as well as rainbow trout and haddock, are mild and readily available. Tilapia is the sea’s boneless, skinless chicken breast, with a virtually bland flavor.

All of these, which contain variable amounts of omega-3 fatty acids, are excellent for experimenting within recipes.

Fresh fishes stacked up

#2: Shrimp Is a Good Option

Another way to like seafood is to have a good shrimp. It’s sweet, delicious, and highly adaptable: you can prepare it virtually any way you want and eat it hot or cold.

It’s also easy to find peeled and deveined, which helps to reduce the ick factor. After achieving perfection in cooking shrimps, you can also try scallops or mussels, which have a very mild sweet taste.

#3: Summon Your Favorite Foods

The wonderful tuna flavor in the Tuna Sushi Burgers becomes more delicious by adding fresh ginger. Feel like a kid again one evening by replacing chicken fingers with Fancy Fish Sticks, made from mild-tasting halibut.

#4: Add a Variety of Tastes to Seafood Dishes

People like curry, soups, and stews, all of which have intense flavors, so seafood variations will likely appeal to here as well.

Try my Thai-Coconut Bouillabaisse, a traditional seafood stew with halibut, clams, mussels, and shrimp in a light coconut milk broth with red curry paste and fresh herbs.

#5: Prepare Your Meal Outside

Grilling seafood imparts a smokey flavor, and cooking outdoors prevents the fishy odor from entering your home. (Just make sure to grease the grill grates thoroughly first. Otherwise, you’ll end up with delicate fish glued to the grill.)

#6: Watch Out for Overcooking

Cooking shrimp and scallops carefully can make the difference between tasty and rubbery. To avoid overcooking, check for crispiness early and often, and treat specified cook times as just that: suggestions.

Your 400° oven may cook fish faster than the 400° oven in my Test Kitchen. The shrimp will finish cooking due to residual heat, and you will not have a shrimp that isn’t good enough to eat.

#7: Select White-Meat Seafood

White-meat seafood has a moderate flavor, absorbs spices and seasonings well, and has the most little fishy taste. Picky eaters will like tilapia, flounder, halibut, shrimp, scallops, and Chilean sea bass, among other species. Choosing shrimp sandwiches or grilled fish allows you to get used to the taste and gradually progress to fishier seafood.

#8: Never Overcook Fish

A very crucial thing to remember while cooking fish is never to overcook it. It is not only for fish but for all seafood. Because when fish is overdone, the texture becomes more rubbery.

Creamy fish recipe in a pan

#9: Use Familiar Spices and Methods

Making the shift to seafood more straightforward so it doesn’t taste fishy by using familiar spices and sauces. Put your fish on the grill, for example, if you love smokey flavors. Seafood can also be fried or added to your favorite meals.

#10: Pick and Store Seafood Mindfully

  1. Choose the best seafood/fish – Ideally, you should only cook and eat the freshest catch of the day. The fish will smell and taste less fishy the newer it is. Fresh fish will have only a faint odor.

    If fresh fish isn’t available, consider frozen fish. If you don’t live near the ocean, you won’t buy fresh seafood like those who reside in the Midwest.

    Look for packaged fish with the “Flash Frozen” seal on it in the freezer section (This means fishermen froze it right after they caught it in a super-cooler).
  2. Don’t buy shellfish unless you have access to an excellent supermarket in a large inland city.
  3. Stick to fish if you want to buy frozen. The fish meat should be firm and slightly resistive to touch, rather than mushy.
  4. When keeping fish, avoid using plastic freezer bags and instead use ice containers.
  5. Fresh fish is a source of delicious protein that has a short shelf life.
  6. On the fish, look for brilliant skin with no missing scales and bright, clear eyes.
  7. It’s essential to have a firm, intact stomach as well as bright, moist gills.
  8. Any fish that you will not consume within a few days must be frozen. When freezing, keep the fish from coming into touch with air by vacuum-sealing, glazing, or firmly wrapping it.
  9. Store-bought fish can be cooked quickly for the most delicate flavor and requires no additional preparation.
  10. If you need to clean the fish, you’ll need to take a few extra steps. Gutting and scaling fresh-caught or entire fish is required. You can always ask the fishmonger to “dress the fish” for you as a novice, and most will do so for a bit of cost.
  11. Seafood, such as crabs, shrimp, and mussels, is simple to prepare. You have to cook the crab properly, while you should steam the other two.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Seafood a Better Choice Than Meat?

Non-fried fish and shellfish, such as shrimp, crab, and lobster, are lower in saturated fat than many kinds of meat and are a healthy choice for consumption.

Close up shot of cooked shells

Is It Possible to Eat Fish Every Day?

Yes, for most people, eating fish more than twice a week is healthy. “It’s fine for most people to eat fish daily,” says Eric Rimm, a professor of epidemiology and nutrition at Harvard School of Public Health and director of cardiovascular epidemiology.

How Much Seafood Is Too Much?

Salmon, catfish, tilapia, lobster, and scallops, among other fish and shellfish in this group, are safe to consume two to three times per week, or 8 to 12 ounces a week, according to the FDA. However, consuming too much seafood can lead to a lot of problems.

6 Tips for Cooking Fish (so it Actually Tastes Good!)

Conclusion

Seafood is high in nutrients!

Omega-3s, iron, B and D vitamins, and protein are all essential nutrients for overall health and wellness at all ages. One needs nutrients, vitamins, and omega-3 fatty acids found in fish and shellfish for strong bones, cognitive development, and a healthy heart and immune system.

Consumption of seafood at least twice a week lowers the risk of death from any cause by 17 percent. Omega-3 EPA and DHA lipids, which are present naturally in seafood, are necessary for my health.

Nathaniel Lee is an avid cook, drawing on his decades of home cooking and fine dining experience. He is a contributing chef at Mashed, and his recipes and contributions have been featured in Tasting Table, Edible Arrangements, Insanely Good Recipes, and The Daily Meal.