Preparing and eating a seafood meal is one of life’s great pleasures — but there are certain DOs and DON’Ts to follow in order to ensure safety and optimal enjoyment. While you don’t necessarily need to follow all of these DOs, we definitely recommend adhering to our DON’Ts list. Not only will you avoid potential contamination issues, but you’ll also end up with an even better finished product when you’re done cooking.
Without further ado (a-don’t?), here’s our top list of seafood preparation DOs and DON’Ts:
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DON’T thaw seafood at room temperature. While it can be tempting to put out shrimp or a piece of fish on your counter to thaw over a period of a few hours, this is not a safe or recommended way to defrost your seafood.
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DO thaw seafood in the fridge overnight. This is the preferred method of defrosting seafood. While you can also use cold running water or short microwaving increments, planning ahead and thawing overnight in the fridge will yield the best final results.
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DO rinse seafood under cold water before cooking. Rinsing your seafood briefly before applying any seasoning or marinade allows you to remove any existing surface bacteria.
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DON’T risk contamination with your prep area or utensils. Make sure you thoroughly clean any cutting boards or utensils that you used to prepare your seafood, so you won’t accidentally cross contaminate once the cooking process is underway.
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DO wash your hands thoroughly after handling raw seafood. For your safety and for the safety of those eating your meal, hand washing is essential.
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DON’T overcook. Whether we’re talking about fish, shrimp, crab or other seafood, overcooking is a big no-no. Pay close attention to you cooking times, so you don’t accidentally end up with a dried out, rubbery final dish.
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DO season your seafood. While the natural flavors of seafood are delicious, including your favorite seasonings, herbs and flavor combinations can do wonders to enhance your meal.
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DON’T overdo seasonings. That said, don’t forget that less is often more when it comes to flavoring fish and seafood. You want the natural flavors to still shine, so choose wisely.
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DO cook fish skin-side down first. In fact, if you’re panfrying fish, you want to cook skin-side down for the majority of the cooking time before flipping to cook through the top.
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DON’T waste your money on farmed or “bargain” seafood. Not only is this worse for the environment, you’ll also sacrifice flavor and important nutritional qualities.
- DO eat seafood more than once per week. Some of the healthiest places in the world (looking at you, Mediterranean) make fish and seafood a staple part of their diet. There’s no need to limit to once per week!
With these DOs and DON’Ts in mind, you can safely enjoy seafood as part of your regular meal plan. Just remember: while some seafood can be consumed raw, you still need to exercise the same cross-contamination protocols for handling raw fish and shellfish that you would handling raw chicken. It’s always better to be safe than sorry.
One last “do”? DO place your order today.
