Five Tips for Better Seafood Handling

In a country like Australia, seafood is found commonly and is eaten very often. The country is surrounded by beautiful oceans, marine life and delicious varieties of seafood. However, the thing about seafood is that it can get a little difficult to handle. Different types of seafood require different types of handling. Each has a different storage time, a different way to clean and different manner to be eaten in. This is why seafood can get a little complicated. We have hence compiled a list of 7 tips that will help you handle your seafood better, just like seafood restaurant in Melbourne do.

1. Handle with care

Instead of grabbing the seafood with your hands and pulling at it, you should handle it with utmost care. Unlike meats that we commonly eat like chicken or beef, seafood tends to get bruised very easily. That can cause a change in taste and a change in the texture of the meat. So when you do start preparing your seafood, make sure it is handled with caution and you do not bruise the meat.

• Store separately

Most people do not realize this when they buy seafood at the grocery store and start using the same utensils for both cooked and uncooked seafood. They also store both of them in the same place. This is not okay. This way it can lead to cross-contamination for bacteria and the bacteria you had previously cooked off will renter your food making it harmful. This is why it is important that you color code the utensils being used to make sure that there is no cross-contamination. Also, use different storage spots for the two.

• Clean it

Before you prepare the seafood, make sure you clean it thoroughly. The way to clean seafood is to run it under cold water, except the dried or the smoked version of seafood. This includes the frozen seafood you buy too. If you want the flavour to remain, then use iced saltwater as it gives the best results.  In addition to this, any equipment that you do use while preparing the seafood or washing the seafood should also be cleaned properly. This is because seafood can contain bacteria that can be very harmful. Once you cook, it tends to die however when you use the same products again, it can cross-contaminate other utensils and ultimately lead to sickness.

• Keep it cold

The best way to store seafood is to keep it frozen. This helps reduce the buildup of bacteria and enzymes. This also helps keep the seafood fresh. Otherwise, seafood is one of those proteins that tend to rot and go bad very fast. So making sure it is kept cold is essential.

• Keep it moist

While you are preparing the other ingredients, make sure the seafood is kept moist. This is because if it is kept dry, it can lose its weight and appearance as dehydration occurs. So to prevent your seafood from looking unappealing and to prevent the change in texture, make sure it is kept moist.