How to Get the Best Cooking Results with Frozen Fish
Frozen fish and seafood are often the best choice when it comes to quality, especially if you are concerned about conserving natural resources. Although there isn’t really any type of fish that cannot be frozen while it is still exceptionally fresh just after it has been caught and processed, you still need to consider what happened from the point of processing and freezing, to the moment of consumption.
Your considerations should include where it was caught, and how it was frozen, transported, kept frozen, and prepared as a dish. Below are tips to help you get the best results from buying and cooking frozen fish.
Buy Ecolabel Fish
Support fishing companies that operate environmentally responsibly by buying fish carrying the stamp of approval from the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC). When you buy Sea Harvest’s frozen fish, you support sustainable fishing practices. Our company operates within the South African deep-sea trawling industry, which is MSC certified, and our Cape hake also carries the MSC Blue ecolabel.
Buy Local
Wherever possible, buy frozen fish from local fishing brands, such as Sea Harvest. In this way, you will know that the fish on your plate was wild-caught according to the strict regulations of the South African Deep-Sea Trawling Industry Association (SADSTIA) of which Sea Harvest is a member. Even the frozen fish and seafood products imported by Sea Harvest for the catering and hospitality industry come from trusted and environmentally responsible suppliers.
Understand the Labels
Frozen at sea is the best possible option, since the fish is caught, cleaned, and frozen as fresh as it gets, and you get all the freshness locked inside. However, individually quick-frozen is also good, since the freezing method ensures optimal freshness. Sea Harvest has trawlers where the fish is caught and frozen at sea, and we have processing plants right at the harbours of Saldanha Bay and Mossel Bay to ensure that the fish caught at sea can be processed as soon as the trawlers get to the plants. All fish products on the trawlers are kept cold to ensure that you get the freshest possible fish. Quick-frozen simply means that the fish has been frozen within minutes, instead of hours.
Cook it from Frozen
When you buy frozen fish from the Sea Harvest brand, you don’t have to thaw the fish. Indeed, it is better to cook from frozen using our easy-to-follow instructions. Of course, you can spruce up any fish dish by following our delicious recipes on our Recipes page, where you can also download guides to keep in your kitchen.
