Around 3 billion people around the world count on seafood as a primary source of protein in their diet. But, with overfishing and climate change as a major concern, it’s important to keep your seafood practices sustainable.
Let’s go through what you need to know to serve your customers or friends sustainable seafood that tastes great, whether you’re running a restaurant or just throwing a dinner party.
- Buy Sustainable Seafood
The first way to ensure that your seafood dishes are delicious and sustainable is to make sure that you’re actually purchasing sustainably-produced seafood.
Look for fisheries certified by organizations that monitor sustainable seafood best practices. These fisheries normally try and minimize their pollution output and their impact on the environment at large, along with fish.
Fisheries also need to be careful not to overfish, so that the fish can continue to reproduce at sustainable rates. The method of harvesting can also affect the sustainability of the seafood.
- Choose the Right Fish
Before you start looking at recipes, you want to make sure you’re choosing ones that utilize seafood that’s a good, sustainable choice. This can differ based on your location and the time of year.
There are some types of seafood that you should always avoid buying because they’re rarely harvested in a sustainable manner. Most forms of catfish imported into the United States should be avoided, for example, since they’re often farmed in dangerous and unsustainable ways using chemicals and other dangers.
Some other types of fish you’ll want to generally avoid include blackback, snowy grouper, and California flounder. Check regularly to see if recommendations have changed.
- Use the Right Methods
Next, you’ll need to brush up on your seafood preparation skills. This will let you get the most out of your seafood. If you’re trying a new type of fish for the first time, learning how to cook it properly is particularly important. Many types of fish go well with a simple sear in a pan on the stove, but you’ll still want to look into different methods to get the most out of your fish.
If you want to create a delicious lobster feast, research how to steam lobsters before you start cooking. You don’t want to have to start again and waste the meat, after all!
- Look for Good Recipes
The secret to getting delicious sustainable seafood is finding seafood recipes that appeal to you. There are some recipes with sustainable seafood that can be adapted for different types of fish. Stirfry, for example, is a great choice for a diverse array of fish.
You might want to consider serving clam chowder. Clam chowder is a great appetizer on cold days, or a delicious lunch when served with freshly baked bread. Or, look into some shellfish recipes if you’d prefer something lighter
Utilize Sustainable Seafood Today
So, what are you waiting for? Make sustainable seafood a cornerstone of your next restaurant or meal plan.
Are you searching for more cooking advice? Take a look at a few of our other articles for everything you need.