Fish quality - rate from 10 to -10

[Little_Flatty]

What do we mean by green eel? A moray or the typical freshwater type?

I’ve tried both. The moray was when I was young and stupid and didn’t know better, and whilst there were no complaints, no one was singing its praises either.

Freshwater eel is a delicacy in Chinese and Japanese cooking. Prepared the Chinese way (as cutlets steamed with soy, ginger, garlic, black bean and chilli) it’s quite nice, but you have to be prepared to work through quite a lot of bones. Cooked Japanese style as deboned (roasted?) fillets (suspect with something like teriyaki sauce), it’s nice with rice. I will agree with the comments re the fattiness though…not an everyday fish.

Simultaneously surprised and not surprised that Flounder has featured so highly on people’s lists. I really enjoy it whenever I can get my hands on one.

I would put coral trout high at the top of my list as well.

I also love kingfish and yellowfin tuna as sashimi or raw in a poke bowl or hoedupbap (Korean rice dish). Yum.

[mrsswordfisherman]

11 hours ago, Pickles said:

Donna, I guess I should have included the precursor “commonly caught/ eaten East Coast species” how about:

Kingfish, Barramundi, Luderick, yellowtail Kingfish, Black Drummer, Flathead, Tailor, Australian Salmon, Bream, Snapper. (If more than 10, can I include: Garfish, Groper, mahi mahi, John Dory, prawns, mud crab, Blue swimmer crabs, silver Trevally, mackerel).

 

There are too many good answers here @Pickles

If you or anyone else would like to create a poll it is easily done when you first make the post. Yell if you want a hand anytime. 
 

 

[Pickles]

1 hour ago, mrsswordfisherman said:

There are too many good answers here @Pickles

If you or anyone else would like to create a poll it is easily done when you first make the post. Yell if you want a hand anytime. 
 

 

Cheers Donna, given the responses (terrific replies), a poll no longer really necessary.

thanks

Bob

[noelm]

Here's my take in groups.

1) non fish taste

Basa

Blue Groper

Coral Trout

Red Emperor

2) mild/family

 Bream

Whiting

Flathead

Flounder

Sweetlip, Red Throat

3) distinctive flavour

Snapper

Garfish

Mullet

Blackfish

4) strong fish flavour

Atlantic Salmon

Trevally

Tuna

Kingfish

5) personal favourites

South coast lake Prawns

hot Blue Swimmer crab, straight out of the cooker

Blue Eye

Black Drummer

home made Prawn cutlets

Edited November 13, 2021 by noelm

[noelm]

I guess to add something not mentioned...over rated

Lobster (still good)

Abalone

Sea Urchin

Red Rock Cod

Pigfish

[noelm]

Just to add...again

we haven't even touched on shellfish, Squid, Cuttlefish and stuff like that

[kingie chaser]

The title of the thread is fish but maybe it should be seafood??

So are we now expanding it to include all seafood, crustaceans, molluscs, cephalopods, bivalves etc??  

 

Because that would definitely change my whole top 20.

[Billmack]

The most obvious with this post is the amazing choice we have in this country. 

KC summed it up perfectly with his comments...

20 hours ago, kingie chaser said:

I guess the question is what are the determining factors that make a specific fish a "quality" fish in your eyes?

Is it just on flavour?

I doubt if you did the Coca-cola/Pepsi blind fold challenge with 2 or more fish just steamed with no salt or flavour the majority of people wouldn't be able to differentiate between many fish(in my opinion 😉)

Is it a textural thing?

I know I enjoy the eating quality of the smaller flaking fish like dory & flounder over the larger flaking fish like blue eye.

Is it a moisture or oil content thing?

Obviously different fish also have different moisture & ool content so the method of cooking(or not cooking) will also affect the end product.

 

Personally each fish for me has to be cooked(or eaten raw) in the right method to get the best out of but if your just going to crumb or batter everything you may as well be carp 😛

For different reasons for different species I select 10......

Estuary Cod ( black spotted)

Threadfin Salmon 

Black jewfish 

Barramundi ( Wild from salt)

Mudcrab

Calimarri

Garfish

Flathead

Mangrove Jack

Golden Snapper ( fingermark )

[Rebel]

As the post said. Fish quality and what you have eaten.

Tastes vary.

Cheers.

Edited November 14, 2021 by Rebel

[noelm]

Agree 100% that cooking makes a huge difference, and certain species lends itself to different methods, plain old bread and butter fish, I personally prefer just rolled in flour, others I like crumbed, and others in some kind of sauce/dish. My wife makes a sauce with so many different ingredients that she still needs the recipe and she has been making it for decades, but for poached Salmon, or steamed Barramundi it's the best, she actually makes it for her hand made Prawn ravioli, but I save a bit and freeze it for later use.

[wazatherfisherman]

5 hours ago, Little_Flatty said:

What do we mean by green eel? A moray or the typical freshwater type?

I’ve tried both. The moray was when I was young and stupid and didn’t know better, and whilst there were no complaints, no one was singing its praises either.

Freshwater eel is a delicacy in Chinese and Japanese cooking. Prepared the Chinese way (as cutlets steamed with soy, ginger, garlic, black bean and chilli) it’s quite nice, but you have to be prepared to work through quite a lot of bones. Cooked Japanese style as deboned (roasted?) fillets (suspect with something like teriyaki sauce), it’s nice with rice. I will agree with the comments re the fattiness though…not an everyday fish.

Simultaneously surprised and not surprised that Flounder has featured so highly on people’s lists. I really enjoy it whenever I can get my hands on one.

I would put coral trout high at the top of my list as well.

I also love kingfish and yellowfin tuna as sashimi or raw in a poke bowl or hoedupbap (Korean rice dish). Yum.

Should have said Green Moray eel- the kind commonly caught off the rocks and in harbours. 

[noelm]

I have eaten some funny fish when I was a kid camping around the rocks, but never in a million years did we eat Green Eel, we ate Periwinkles, Limpets, Conchs, Wirras, Weed Cockies, Cungi, Oysters, Sea Urchins (50 years ago, before they became a delicacy) Abalone and just about anything else, but Green Eel.........nope.

Edited November 14, 2021 by noelm

[Green Hornet]

52 minutes ago, noelm said:

I have eaten some funny fish when I was a kid camping around the rocks, but never in a million years did we eat Green Eel, we ate Periwinkles, Limpets, Conchs, Wirras, Weed Cockies, Cungi, Oysters, Sea Urchins (50 years ago, before they became a delicacy) Abalone and just about anything else, but Green Eel.........nope.

Having close ties with a couple of local, aboriginal communities all my life, I've tried almost everything that grows on and around the rocks as well. A surprising standout was a chunky soup made from wirrah that was absolutely delicious.

I haven't tried a cocky, my cousin kept one once and the smell in his bag was horrendous and as for green eels, I can't bring myself to even touch one, let alone eat it.

 

[frankS]

Sardines on  toast. Just had some for lunch and thought I would mention them as a good quick snack.

Frank

[Blackfish]

Sounds good Frank, bit of Brown vinegar and salt as well ? Bloody yum.

[zmk1962]

Man o man ... after all that and excluding the eel... all I can contribute is that my mouth is watering ....  .. 😋😋😋😋

Cheers Zoran

 

[jenno64]

For what it is worth....fish I have eaten or caught

1. Blue eyed cod

2. Pearl perch

3. King George whiting/ yellowfin whiting

4. snapper

5. flathead

6. yellowfin tuna

7. kingfish

8. john dory

9. black drummer

10. Mooloolaba king prawns

[kingie chaser]

On 11/13/2021 at 9:33 AM, noelm said:

I guess to throw another curve ball into the whole thing, how a fish is cooked can make a huge difference, I don't eat fish covered in 20 different spices and sauces, for me, fresh fish, rolled in flour and cooked in hot clean oil is about as good as it gets, I do make a great poached Atlantic Salmon, but, that's a very "fishy" taste, and let's be honest, unless it's advertised well on a menu, who is going to eat/order "boiled farmed fish"? But called it "poached" and it all changes......

I'm with you Noel where the majority of the time I just like most of my fish plain, lightly seasoned & mostly pan fried, I do however like to have an complimenting sauce or even a compound butter, not to mask any flavour but to add to the flavour.

This flounder dish I did at home when I made the buerre blanc really added to the combined flavor of the flounder which was so good already on its own.

But being in the food trade we have to venture into the creative side, there are people out there that want to try different flavors combined with techniques.

Essentially they don't want to go out & eat something they can easily make themselves at home.

People were saying how ordinary lobster was, well butter poached with some basic herbs will lift it right up, even a bit of shaved truffle, but I love the texture of it as well when cooked from fresh green meat.

We have moved away from the word poached a fair bit, we now like to use the words "slow cooked" or "confit".

 

Edited November 14, 2021 by kingie chaser

[noelm]

Yeah, but poached still sounds better than "boiled" doesn't it? if I think of it I will be my wife's secret sauce recipe if you want to give it a try, it enhances seafood perfectly, but, it's got lots of ingredients.

[James Clain]

I personally do not like bream or snapper for some reason although many people often say how good they are. Flathead, kingfish, mac tuna and bonito, tailor are good. I also don't mind Aussie salmon when most people say how bad they are. However, those spotted bigeye we get @Pickles have to be the best. 

[Restyle]

My rating are based on taste and also ease of cleaning & the amount of meat you get of the fish.

 

Jewfish 10/10

Flathead (river mouths, bays) 9/10
Flathead (Upstream) 5/10 

Flounder 8/10

squid 10/10

whiting 7/10 

Bream & snapper 5/10 

kingfish 7/10 

gummy shark 8/10

tailor 5/10

salmon 3/10

bonito 3/10 (raw, its a solid 7)

 

Not a huge fan of prawns & oysters. to much work to eat

 

 

[kingie chaser]

3 hours ago, noelm said:

Yeah, but poached still sounds better than "boiled" doesn't it? if I think of it I will be my wife's secret sauce recipe if you want to give it a try, it enhances seafood perfectly, but, it's got lots of ingredients.

Chefs dont ever boil.....................they simmer 😉😁

Always willing to try someone's secret recipe on anything if it looks good.

 

One of the simplest & tastiest things I like to add to a steak or piece is fish is a compound butter, but it has to suit the food its going with.

For something like fish its as easy as some dill, parsley, lemon zest & a but of juice, ground black pepper & sea salt.

Mixed with a good quality softened butter, rolled & frozen just a slice on a piece of anything will elevate it.

https://www.thebetterfish.com/thecurrent/5-simple-compound-butter-recipes-that-are-perfect-for-fish/

 

I made my own black garlic a while back, did the same thing with some fresh herbs & the minced black garlic, made a log & have been enjoying if with both seafood & steak over the last few weeks.

You only need 10-20gr on a meal.

 

Looks like this fish rating thread could turn into a kitchen thread soon enough 😂

Edited November 14, 2021 by kingie chaser

[noelm]

10 hours ago, maccapacca said:

Is fresh leatherjacket fishy? Never tried it but they’re really easy to catch and accesible.

No not fishy, they belong in the distinctive category, different taste to other fish.

[noelm]

11 hours ago, James Clain said:

I personally do not like bream or snapper for some reason although many people often say how good they are. Flathead, kingfish, mac tuna and bonito, tailor are good. I also don't mind Aussie salmon when most people say how bad they are. However, those spotted bigeye we get @Pickles have to be the best. 

Spotted big eye???

[dirvin21]

12 hours ago, maccapacca said:

Is fresh leatherjacket fishy? Never tried it but they’re really easy to catch and accesible.

Not real fishy, although I haven't eaten one for about 15 years