Seafood Preparation

Eating and prepping seafood is a little bit like fixing a car—you need the right tool and the right technique for each individual job. After all, you can't just slap a lobster on a plate and immediately chow down, lest you want to learn the hard way what lobster shells can do to human teeth. Pun intended. So, in this article, we'll be going through some good habits and useful gadgets for properly preparing and enjoying seafood.

When handling fresh fish, be it bass, salmon, or otherwise, the first thing you'll want to do is behead the fish and then remove its scales. It is possible to do the latter with most kitchen knives, but alternatively, you can use a fish scaler. These handheld tools have serrated blades that catch easily on the scales and pull them off as the scaler is pulled across the surface of the fish skin. In addition to the handheld variety, there are also electric scalers to do the job for you.

The easiest way to cut lobsters for certain portions or dishes is to use a food cutter. Using a cracker is doable, but usually messy and imprecise. The blade of a food cutter penetrates cleanly through the shell and the meat inside so that your cut is as clean as possible. Not to mention, the adjustable blade is far easier to use than a cracker; simply bring the blade down on the exact spot that needs cutting.

Oysters are great steamed, fried, or baked, but none of that really matters if you can't get them open. Oyster shells are very tough and thanks to the connective muscle within the shell, getting them open is not so simple. Instead of struggling with a knife or other utensil and potentially hurting yourself, try using an oyster shucker. These appliances resemble food cutters, even down to the manually operated lever blade. The force of the lever causes the two-pronged blade to separate the shell's halves cleanly and easily.

Published by:
Christian Dantes

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