Consumer Tips
Barbeque
- Use the seafood rule when barbecuing; measure fish at thickest point and allow
10 minutes per 2.5 cm (1 inch) of thickness. Whole fish may take up to 12
minutes per 2.5 cm (1 inch). Barbecue over moderately high heat. Fish is done
when it turns opaque and starts to flake when tested with a fork.
- Marinades and basting sauces add flavour and moisture to seafood. Commercially
prepared barbecue sauces, salad dressings and mixes are perfectly acceptable or you
may wish to try making your own. Remember sauces with a high sugar content tend
to burn, so should be added during the last 5 minutes of cooking. Marinades can
be made by combining any acid, such as fruit juices or vinegar, with your favourite herbs and a small amount of oil.
- For best results, marinate finfish and other delicate seafood for no more than 1
hour in the refrigerator, as the acids in the marinade will pre-cook fish causing it to toughen.
- When barbecuing fragile fish fillets, fold ends
under to make an even thickness, use a hinged basket, a mesh rack or place fish
on a sheet of perforated aluminum foil. Although barbecuing in foil is a common
practice, it is not recommended as it tends to steam the seafood. Perforating
the foil allows the steam to escape.
- Thaw seafood before barbecuing to prevent uneven
cooking. Turn steaks and whole fish once when barbecuing; fillets under 2.5 cm
(1inch) do not need to be turned.
- To avoid flare-ups when cooking seafood on a
plank, soak the wood in water before using.
- For extra flavour toss a handful of mesquite or
whole sprigs of rosemary, dill, thyme, basil or oregano into the fire just
before cooking seafood.
- Use proper barbeque tools when grilling seafood. Piercing seafood with a
fork or knife allows flavourful juices to escape and may cause flare-ups.
- To prevent sticking, oil grills, racks and baskets, just before placing seafood
on barbecue.
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Lobster
Live
- Lobsters should be alive when you buy them. Look
for movement when an individual lobster is lifted. In prime condition a live
lobster will wave its claws and snap its tail.
- In general, lobster will easily keep 36 hours out
of water in a cool damp environment. It is a salt water creature. Care should
be taken to ensure they are not exposed to fresh water, such as fresh water ice
or melt water. Store in the refrigerator on a tray covered with a damp cloth.
- A 1 1/2 pound lobster yields approximately 1 1/3 cups of meat. A 1 pound
lobster yields 2/3 cup.
- The most popular method of cooking lobster is to
boil it. Bring enough salted water to fully cover lobsters to a rolling boil.
Insert lobster into the water head first. Cover and simmer 10 minutes for the
first pound and 3 - 4 minutes for each additional pound. Remember to increase
the time if more than one lobster is in the pot. Once the lobster is cooked,
remove from water.
- To steam lobster, put 1/2 inch of water, a
tablespoon of salt and a tablespoon of vinegar in a pot and bring to a boil. Put the live lobsters in, cover and steam for 15 minutes for a one-pound
lobster. Add 5 minutes for each extra pound.
- There are several ways to tell when a lobster is cooked.
1. An antenna will easily pull free when tugged.
2. Force open the curled up tail and straighten it out; release it
quickly. If it snaps back into place with a sharp "clack" it is done.
3. The meat is opaque marble-white and firm, rather than transparent and soft.
Frozen
- Product should be frozen hard upon purchase and stored immediately in the
freezer. Do not allow defrosted lobster to be re-frozen. Under an ideal
frozen temperature of -26 to -30 degrees C (-15 to -20 degrees F) or below,
frozen lobster can be stored with no quality loss for up to 9 months.
- The best way to defrost frozen lobster is to
immerse the unopened can or pouch in cold water, and place in the refrigerator. Thawing times vary according to the package size and number. Allow
approximately 2 hours per pound. Thaw whole frozen lobster in brine in the same
manner. Allow 3-5 hours per package for thawing. Frozen lobster should be
separated and placed on a tray in a refrigerator.
- Do not thaw frozen lobster meat in warm water or
at room temperature. This causes quality loss and drip loss. If you wish to
thaw small packs in a hurry - to use immediately - they can be set under cold
running water.
- Frozen lobster is best consumed within 24-36 hours of thawing.
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Microwave
- Cooking times in the microwave is calculated mainly on the weight of the seafood
and the wattage of the oven. In a 700 watt oven allow 3 to 5 minutes
at HIGH per 500 g (1lb) of seafood. To avoid overcooking, cook for the minimum
time specified and allow seafood to stand (cooking continues during standing
time). Check to see if fully cooked at the end of standing time. Standing
time is about one-quarter to one-third of the cooking time. If necessary, cook
for additional time.
- If possible, use a round or oval dish and arrange
seafood in a single layer around outside of dish with
the thickest parts of the
seafood to the outside. Whatever shape dish is used, arrange seafood in a
circular pattern.
- To seal in moisture, cover the dish with a
microwave lid or plastic wrap. Seal does not have to be tight. Covering the
seafood allows the steam to assist in the cooking. To seal in only some of the
moisture, cover the seafood loosely with a paper towel. To allow most of the
moisture to escape, leave the dish uncovered.
- Thaw seafood before cooking as frozen seafood
cooks unevenly in the microwave. To thaw seafood, remove from packaging and
place in a dish. Use DEFROST power (about 30% power setting). Defrost for 1
minute and let rest. Repeat cycle as needed. Check the seafood carefully as
the high moisture content of the seafood and the liquid produced by melting ice
crystals can result in some areas of the seafood beginning to cook. Discontinue
defrosting while the seafood is still very cold with some ice crystals.
- Shellfish cooks well in the microwave. After
cleaning, arrange shellfish, such as mussels, in a circle on a microwave dish.
Place shellfish with hinged side to the outside. Cover
allowing room for shells and cook on HIGH until
they open. As shells open, remove from the dish and continue cooking until all
shells open. Discard any that do not open. Allow about 2 1/2 to 5 minutes at
HIGH per 500 g (1 lb) of mussels in a 700 watt oven.
- Seafood dishes that require stewing, poaching, or baking in a sauce cook extremely
well in a microwave.
- Cooked seafood is moist, flakes readily when tested with a fork and is opaque.
- Do not discard the liquid in the bottom of the cooking pan. Freeze and use to
make sauces that are rich with the flavour of seafood.
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Mussels
- When purchasing mussels make sure
the shells are closed. Some open shells will close when
gently tapped. If shells do not close discard those mussels. Mussels
should have a slight, fresh seafood odour. Remember, mussels are alive when
purchased and should be handled carefully. Ensure that mussels always have access
to an adequate supply of oxygen.
- Mussels are alive when purchased and should be
alive when cooked. When storing mussels, ensure that there are holes in
the containers or bags to allow oxygen to flow through to the mussels. Keep mussels
in a refrigerator or cool environment
until ready to use. Mussels may keep for 2-3 days prior to cooking. Cooked
mussels, in strained liquor and put in a covered container, may last for
approximately 2 days. Frozen, cooked mussels may last up to 4 months if
properly sealed. (Do not freeze live mussels).
- Prior to cooking, wash mussels in cold running
water, to remove any byssal threads and other material. Some scrubbing may be
needed to clean mussels totally. Avoid soaking mussels when cleaning, as
mussels do not survive in fresh water.
- A properly cooked mussel will be completely
detached from one side of the shell. The natural mussel juices will add to the flavour of the mussels and the liquor. There are two different colours of
mussel meat. The more orange colour mussel meat are the females and the whiter
meats are the males. There is no discernable difference in the taste and size
between males and females.
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