There is an endless number of ways to utilise almost every part of a fish, even the scales are being used as people answer the call to ‘waste nothing’. Numerous fish species have copious amounts of meat in the head area which are not accessed by simply filleting them. The head and frame are prized across various cultures and ignored sometimes in other cultures. The solution in any case is to show respect for the fish and our community by sharing the unwanted parts that other people will appreciate. If you don’t know anyone in your street who would want them, go to www.freefishheads.co.nz to find a lucky and grateful recipient.
- Learn how to iki or quickly kill fish correctly. For the full treatment that can help make your fish last longer see – The right way to kill a fish.
- Some species, such as kahawai and skipjack tuna, have high amounts of blood in the flesh causing it to deteriorate faster. Bleeding these species can improve the eating qualities.
- Chill your fish in an ice slurry – 1 part salt ice : 2 parts seawater. Do not use a thick ice slurry as this can freeze the fish.
- Remove fish from the slurry to an ice bin after 15 minutes.
- If you have just the one chilly bin to keep fish cool, use a thin ice slurry and add ice through out the day to maintain it.
- Use cooking methods that utilise the whole fish, such as smoking, barbequing or making stock.
- If a fish is used for bait, use as much of the fish as practical.
- If the fish head and frame is not used, chill properly and share them with others in your community using the Free Fish Heads app or freefishheads.co.nz.
See LegaSea’s video on how to best care for and use all your catch by clicking the link below.