Should you eat the fish’s skin when it’s served as an entree? —Suzi M , St. Louis.
When the skin was served at all, fish entrées were typically served skin side down or on the side. The skin was not necessarily left on for consumption, but rather for stability and handling.
Chefs have treated fish skin with the same reverence as the flesh in the last 15 years or so as they learned how important fish skin is as a food source. Omega-3 oils, which are beneficial to both physical and mental health, are abundant in fish and can be found in both the skin and the flesh.
Fish skin is safe to eat as long as it comes from a reliable source, which is one of the reasons chefs tend to avoid some farm-raised species.
Nowadays, it’s standard practice for chefs to season the skin, sear it until it’s crispy, and then serve the fish portion skin-side up. Nowadays, a good rule of thumb is to assume that the tasty skin of your snapper, bass, trout, or salmon is intended to be eaten if it is presented in that way on the plate. Today, some avant-garde menus offer salmon skin that has been baked, crispy-fried, or used in handrolls (like at Nick Bognar’s indo, which just opened today in Botanical Heights).
However, some fish skins (much like some cheese rinds) don’t taste all that great. Another rule to follow is: If you can’t easily cut through the fish skin with a fork, then leave it alone. This applies to monkfish, shark, swordfish, and tuna because they all have thick, tough skins.
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Mahe is St. Louis Magazines dining editor. Send Mahe an email at gmahe@stlmag if you enjoyed this article or have additional comments to make. com.
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How do you eat red snapper?
How to consume a whole fish, including the tail, head, and eyes – YouTube
Do you leave the skin on red snapper?
The answer to this question depends on personal preference. Cooking red snapper fillets with or without the skin is possible. Because it acts as a barrier to safeguard the delicate fish during cooking, many chefs prefer to leave the skin on.
Leaving the skin on enhances the fish’s ability to maintain moisture and its shape. Additionally, the skin preserves the fish’s flavor while it is being cooked. In fact, some chefs assert that the red snapper’s skin enhances the flavor of the fish and gives the dish a delicate texture.
Although the skin can be removed if preferred, it is advised to leave it on for the most flavorful and tender results.
Yes, red snapper skin is regarded as safe for consumption by humans. Omega-3 fatty acids found in red snapper’s skin are very good for heart health. Omega-3 fatty acids found in red snapper improve body composition, lower inflammation, and lower LDL cholesterol, or “bad” cholesterol.
Red snapper skin also has protein, zinc, iron, selenium, niacin, and vitamin B12, which are all advantageous elements. Additionally, vitamin D found in red snapper skin may help to strengthen bones and enhance general health.
Red snapper skin is naturally low in fat and calories, so eating it may help you lose weight. To prevent food-borne illnesses, it’s crucial to properly and safely prepare red snapper skin, just like you would with any other food.
What fish skin can you not eat?
Safety aside, certain fish skins just don’t taste good. Avoid eating the prickly skin of skate and the thick, tough skin of tuna. Additionally, swordfish and monkfish have tough, leathery skins that you should probably avoid. Barramundi and salmon skin are both delicious, especially when cooked to a nice crisp.
The saltwater fish in the drum family, which includes speckled and white trout, black drum, redfish, and croakers, are frequently parasitized by spaghetti worms. Many different worms use these fish as hosts, despite the fact that most fishermen think they all look alike.