Lesson 18: Fish and Shellfish

Objectives
At the end of the lesson, the student should be able to:
1. differentiate fin fish and shellfish
2. identify the classification of fish and shellfish; and
3. familiarize with the proper selection, preparation, storage, and cooking of fish and
shellfish

Two Major Classifications of Fish

Fin Fish (Vertebrate) are covered with scales and have backbones.
Shellfish (Invertebrate) are covered with shell and have soft unsegmented
bodies.
Fish are cold blooded aquatic animals that have backbones, scales, gills for
breathing, and fins for swimming.
Classification of Fish According to Fat Content
 Lean fish have edible flesh with less than 2% fat.

Amberjack Grouper Flounder

Hake Barramundi Cod

 Medium fat fish have edible flesh with 2% to 5% fat.

Shad Bagre
 White Fish Corvina
 Fat fish have edible flesh with more than 5% fat with pigments such as yellow,
pink, or grayish.

Mullet Herring

Bass Trout
Classification of Fish according to Skeletal Type
 Flat Fish are characterized by having backbones running parallel through the
center of the fish, swim horizontally, and have both eyes on the top of their
heads.

Sole Flounder Halibut

Pampano Quitang
  Round Fish are described to have backbones on the upper edge of their bodies,
has an eye on each side of their hands and swim vertically.

Mackerel Salmon

Whiting/Sillago Trout

Cod Haddock Bass

Grouper Tuna
Classification of Fish according to Source
 Marine fish are fish from salt water habitat (ex. Apahap, lapu-lapu, tambakol,
maya-maya, etc.).

Bream Jobfish
 Pandora Croaker

Batfish
 Inland fish are fish from fresh water habitat like lakes, ponds, rivers, and other
inland bodies of water (ex. bangus, tilapia, hito, bulig or dalag, etc.).

Trout Pacu Carp

Lung Fish Perch

Classification of Fish According to Production

 Mariculture is the act of culturing fish in salt water. It is applied to tahong and
oysters.
 Aquaculture is the act of culturing fish in inland water.
Anatomy of a Fish

Market Forms of Fish Description

WHOLE
A whole fish is a live fish freshly caught in
its complete form and not yet been
frozen.

DRAWN
A drawn fish is a fish whose entrails have
been removed but the head, fins and
scales still linger on the fish.

DRESSED
A dressed fish is a fish whose entrails,
heads, fins, tails and scales are removed.

STEAKS, DARNES, AND TRONCONS Fish steaks are pieces of slices of

dressed fish cut across. It is cutting
portions right through the bone from the
whole of a round fish.
Types of Fish: cod, hake, salmon
 Fish fillets are thick muscles on the sides
of a dressed fish that is taken whole from
its ribs and backbone with the use of a
boning knife. The remaining fish bones
FILLETS adhering to the flesh are gently removed
by using a surgical forceps to make it
boneless.
Types of Fish: cod, herring, lemon sole,
megrim sole, monkfish, plaice, Pollock,
rainbow trout, salmon, sardines, sea
bass, whiting
(Direct Seafood, 2014)
SINGLE FILLET

Single fishfillet is the portion of muscles

taken from one side of a dressed fish.

BUTTERFLY FILLET Butterfly fillet is to split fish down the

center, cutting almost, but not completely
through. The two halves are then opened
flat to resemble a butterfly. Fish heads
removed.
(Stradley, 2004)
Types of fish: herring, mackerel, rainbow
trout, sardines, sea bass, whiting
(Direct Seafood, 2014)
Daing is a whole fish sliced in half all
CANOED FILLET OR DAING throughout the backbone, from fish head
to fish tail, separating the muscles from
the fish bones but keeping the belly part,
pectoral fin part, and pelvic fin part intact.
Entrails have been removed. The fish
bones may be removed to make it
boneless hence it is called boneless fish.
Types of fish: herring, mackerel, rainbow
trout, milkfish, tilapia
STICKS or GOUJONS Fish sticks are slice of fish muscles that
resembles like sticks. It is normally
breaded for frying. Goujons are small
strips cut from a fillet lengthways. These
are usually prepared by coating and
frying. Typically produced from white fish.
Type of Fish: cod, lemon sole, ling,
plaice, Pollock, whiting
(Direct Seafood, 2014)
 SUPREMES

These are cuts from large fillets or loins of

fish yielding a thick boneless portion.
Types of Fish: cod, haddock, marlin,
Pollock, salmon, swordfish, tuna
(Direct Seafood, 2014)

FLAKES

Fish flakes are partially cooked fish

muscles that had been separated from its
bone using two forks or a flaker machine.

LOINS or MEDALLIONS
Loins are cut from large fish. Typically,
large loins will be cut into boneless
supremes.
Types of Fish: monkfish, swordfish, tuna
(Direct Seafood, 2014)

Other Market Forms are fresh, frozen, canned, bottled, and cured.

Signs of Quality
APPEARANCE TOUCH AROMA
Look for shiny flesh or skin
with good, clear color.
Whole or drawn fish should Press on the flesh with a Fresh fish have a mild
have clear, bulging eyes. finger. It should be firm aroma, not a “fishy” or
Avoid fish with slime or and spring back to its ammonia smell.
dry, discolored edges. original shape.
Fresh fish will have red
gills.

Distinguishing Characteristics of Fresh and Stale Fish

CRITERIA FRESH STALE
Eyes Bright, full, bulging, clear dull, wrinkled, sunken
Gills bright red, covered with clear dull brown or gray, slime cloudy,
slime, odor fresh odor offensive
Odor fresh seaweedy odor stale, sour, putrid
Body firm soft
Color bright, shiny faded
Flesh firm, elastic, finger impression soft and flabby finger impression
does not remain remains.
Slime Clear Opaque
Belly walls Intact Often ruptured, viscera protruding
Muscle White, light pinkish, tainted with blood especially
tissue around backbone
Vent Pink, not protruding brown, protruding
Scales Complete, adhere tightly, sink loosely attached
Test Taste Sinks in a basin of water floats in a basin of water
Sweet Biting, itchy

LONG-TAILED GOBY (TALIMUSAK BLUE ANCHOVY (DILIS)

MACKEREL SCAD OR ROUND SCAD BIG EYED SCAD (MATANGBAKA)

(GALUNGGONG)

INDIAN SARDINE (TAMBAN) SHORT-BODIED MACKEREL

(HASA-HASA)
SURGEON FISH (LABAHITA) GROUPER (LAPU-LAPU)

TUNA (TULINGAN) RED SNAPPER (MAYA-MAYA)

SPANISH MACKEREL (TANGIGI) SEABASS (APAHAP)

SLIPMOUTH or PONY FISH ROUND YELLOW TAIL FUSILIER

(SAPSAP) (DALAGANG BUKID)

TILAPIA (TILAPIA) GRAY MULLET (BANAK)

 FRESHWATER CATFISH ( HITO) MILK FISH (BANGUS)
Cooking Methods for Fish are: (1) Baking, (2) Boiling, (3) Broiling, (4) Deep-frying, (5)
Sauteeing, (6) Panfrying, (7) Poaching and (8) Steaming

Fatty Fish – baked, broiled, fried – salmon, trout, mackerel, shad, tuna
Lean Fish – steamed, boiled, simmered, poached – sole, cod, haddock, halibut
Shellfish contain little fat and are lean.

Principles of Cooking Fish (Culinary Institute of America)

 Fish has very little connective tissue. It means it is naturally tender. It needs to be
cooked only a short time at moderate temperature.
 Raw fish is translucent or semi-clear. As it cooks, it becomes opaque (oh-PAKE)
– that is a solid color cannot be seen through.
 Properly cooked fish should be opaque throughout. The flesh should flake easily
when tested with a fork.
 If overcooked, fish becomes dry and mealy. It will also fall apart.
 If fish is not to be cooked at once, it should be dressed and wrapped completely
and place in freezer, in a closed or a package.
 Fish requires less cooking time for it has no connective tissues. It is fully cooked
when it can be easily flaked and eyeballs come out.
 Fat fish is best cooked by dry heat, broiled or baked.
 Cooking should be done in the shortest possible time to avoid loss of moisture,
flavor, and nutritive value.
 Because fish has mild flavor, it is frequently served with sauce and some
garnishes. Garnishes and sauce adds appearance and flavor to fish.
 Fish should be served soon after it has been prepared, otherwise it will become
dry and lose some of its flavor.
 Something colorful or tarts like raw celery, vegetables, coleslaw, or tossed green
salad should be served with fish.
 Fish may be fries at moderate heat until golden brown. Fry only a single layer at
a time and dry it on absorbent paper.
 When baking fish, baste the fish occasionally to prevent it from drying.
10-minute Rule for Cooking Fish
 Measure the thickest part of the fish. Include the stuffing if it is stuffed.
 Cook the fish 10 minutes for every 1 inch of thickness.
 If the fish is more than ½ inch thick, turn it over after half the cooking.

WHITING OR SILVER SILLAGO INDIAN MACKEREL

(AHOSOS) (ALUMAHAN)
 THREADFIN (BISUGO) BELTFISH (ESPADA)

FLOUNDER FRESH WATER SARDINELLA or

(DAPA o TAMPAL PUKI) HERRE (TAWILIS)

SILVER PERCH (AYUNGIN) SALMON CATFISH (KANDULI)

MUDFISH (BULIG) SKIP JACK TUNA

(TAMBAKOL o TULINGAN)

SNAKEHEAD (DALAG) BIGEYE SCAD (MATANGBAKA)

PANDACAPYGMEA
Shellfish is a general term that refers to the group of aquatic animals living in fresh
water and saltwater that has no backbones but has hard shells.

Two Types of Shellfish

Crustaceans are a group of three-segmented (cephalon, thorax, and abdomen)

shellfish, covered with hard with hard outer shells (exoskeleton), jointed limbs, pairs of
antennae or feelers, and pair of compound eyes.

cephalon thorax abdomen

Mollusks are a group of shellfish that have soft unsegmented bodies, no backbones,
and normally lives in a calciferous shell.
 siphons

Clam
Chiton
class Bivalvia class Polyplacophora
foot

tusk shell or whelk

scaphopod class Gastropods
class Scaphopoda

shell

tentacles
foot (captacula)
 Nautilus squid
(class Cephalopoda) class Cephalopoda

Three Major Groups Mollusks

(classified according to the kind of shell)

Univalves are a group of mollusks that normally has one-piece shell that serves as their
home.
Snail Auger Conch

Whelk Escargot

Bivalves are a group of mollusks that has two pieces of shells connected together one
side.
Clams Abalone Mussels

Scallops Oyster
Cephalopods are a group of mollusks that has prominent head, large complex eyes,
move on water by expelling water from a tubular siphon under the head, tentacles
attached to head and do not have external shells instead an internal shell call gladius.
Squid Cuttlefish Octopus

Market Forms of Shellfish (Narvaez – Soriano, 1994)

Live shellfish are shellfish in its natural state with complete body parts intact that is
caught and marketed alive.

Abdomen identification of Gender and Maturity of Blue Atlantic Crab

Whole shellfish are shellfish that are in its natural state with
complete body parts intact but are no longer alive.

Shucked shellfish are shellfish that are stripped off from

their shells to get the meats. Shells may be sold for
ornamental purposes. Fresh shucked shellfish have
translucent form while a spoiled shucked shellfish turns
opaque in color.

Headless shellfish are shellfish that are sold without heads

and thorax. Head of shellfish is purposely removed for it is
the main cause of rapid bacterial spoilage. In addition,
consumers abroad are not fond of eating the heads and
thorax of shellfish.
 Cooked shellfish are shellfish that are processed, cooked
and packed or served immediately.

Characteristics of Fresh Shellfish:

 Freshly shucked oysters and clams are characterized as shiny, fleshy, and
buttery tan in color, firm-textured, and sweet-smelling within an odorless and
clear liquid. Shucked scallops are preferably bought in frozen, vacuum-sealed
packages.
 Fresh lobster and crab should be swimming actively and scampering around in a
container. Avoid buying those that are motionless and panting.
 Live clams and oysters kept their shells tightly closed and if it is tapped it will get
even tighter. It is a good sign that the shellfish are alive and fresh. There should
be no cracks or damaged on the shells. Clams should not gape. Soft-shelled
clams do not close completely because the neck or siphon indicates that the
clam is alive. Clam should be discarded if the meat is dry when the clam is
opened.
 Fresh squid, cuttlefish, and octopus should have bright and clean eyes.
 Fresh crustaceans in the shell should have a uniformly light colored tail without
any discoloration.
 Crabs are ideally bought alive, so it should be moving its legs, to assure
freshness and quality.
 Live crabs, lobsters, spiny lobsters, and crayfish move their legs. The “tail” of a
live lobster curls under the body and does not hang down when picked up.
Crustaceans should react to being touched.
 Dead shellfish do not open after being cooked, these should be discarded.
 Fresh scallops have a sweetish odor and are free of excess liquid when
packaged. The flesh of a large sea scallop is white, orange or pink. Smaller bay
and calico scallops are white, light tan, or pinkish.
 Fresh shrimp have mild odor and firm-textured meat. The raw shell is grayish
green, pinkish tan, or light pink, not slippery and odorless. When cooked the shell
turns red and the meat takes on a similar reddish tint.
 Cooked crabs, lobster, and crayfish have bright orange to red shell. It should be
free of any displeasing odor.

Principles of Cooking Shellfish

 The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) provided specific guidelines in cooking
shellfish. FDA suggests that one should boil shucked oysters for 3 minutes, fry it
in oil at 375°F for 10 minutes, and bake it for 10 minutes at 450°F. Fresh clams,
mussels and steaming oysters for 4 to 9 minutes or boiling them for 3 to 5
minutes after they open. Scallops turn milky white or opaque and firm.
 Depending on size, scallops take 3 to 4 minutes to cook thoroughly. Boiled
lobster turns bright red. Allow 5 to 6 minutes per starting to time the lobster when
the water comes back to a full boil. (National Fisheries Institute; Meals for you,
2014)
 Cook shellfish very shortly.
 Overcooking under excessively high heat will cause shellfish to dehydrate,
reduce in size, tough and chewy.
 Cooked bivalves open its shell as it cook. Throw away bivalves that did not open.
 Remove unwanted parts of shellfish before cooking.
 Allow bivalves completely immersed in water prior to cooking.
 Crustaceans are cooked when it changed its color.
 Crustaceans may be cooked with salt only as it seasoning ingredients and place
in a covered skillet shortly, which is called halabos.
 Bivalves may be roasted, baked, or broiled in their shells.
 Generally, shellfish is a quick-cooking food item.

Storing Fish and Shellfish:

 Seafoods are stored frozen.
 Do not store seafoods in the freezer for a long time.
 Fish are stored in the freezer without internal organs to lengthen its shelf life.
 Shellfish and fish are separately place in individual food grade containers.