Fresh seafood delivery is now more widely available than ever before. Thanks to improved shipping and packaging methods, you can have fresh fish and seafood caught, frozen, and shipped to you within 24 hours. Your grocery store's seafood might not even be that fresh.
Some seafood, such as lobster, is usually shipped live. Even so, the longer a lobster sits in tank waiting to be shipped, the more degenerated the quality of the meat becomes. If you're sparing no expense to order lobster online, look for an online retailer that advertises overnight shipping and same-day catch. This will be the best-tasting lobster around.
Mollusks and other shellfish are also shipped lived sometimes for optimum freshness of the meat. It is always better-tasting to purchase these live.
On the other hand, King Crab legs and other species of crab legs are frozen almost immediately after catch. Freezing crab legs directly after the catch is the best way to preserve the freshness of that kind of meat.
Companies will vary in their methods of shipping fish, fresh or frozen. Some ship frozen salmon, halibut, etc. Others advertise filleting and shipping the fish of your choice the day you order it. This is obviously fresher than you could ever find fish at the supermarket. Whether you need yellow fin tuna steaks, haddock, cod, chances are you can find an Internet retailer offering to catch it and ship it to you in the same day.
When you receive your seafood delivery, make sure someone is there to sign for it and inspect it immediately. Fresh fish should not smell like fish at all and the meat should look lively and be springy to the touch. Live clams, mussels and oysters should clamp tight when tapped. Live lobster should be moving around to indicate they are still alive.
Plan on eating/cooking any fresh shellfish, mussels, oysters, etc. within a day of receiving the shipment. Discard (before cooking) any mollusks that don't close when you tap their shell. Also, these live mollusks and shellfish should not be stored on ice or submerged in water or put in briny water before cooking. Ideally, store them in a colander placed over a bowl. This allows for air circulation and catches any drips.
Ordering seafood online might seem like a risky prospect since you can't inspect the food for freshness yourself before purchasing. But any Internet retailer with any amount of credibility will guarantee overnight delivery and a fresh product or your money back (or replacement product). As long as you're present to receive and inspect your fresh seafood delivery (and perhaps have a backup plan) you should have a positive experience.
Mollusks and other shellfish are also shipped lived sometimes for optimum freshness of the meat. It is always better-tasting to purchase these live.
On the other hand, King Crab legs and other species of crab legs are frozen almost immediately after catch. Freezing crab legs directly after the catch is the best way to preserve the freshness of that kind of meat.
Companies will vary in their methods of shipping fish, fresh or frozen. Some ship frozen salmon, halibut, etc. Others advertise filleting and shipping the fish of your choice the day you order it. This is obviously fresher than you could ever find fish at the supermarket. Whether you need yellow fin tuna steaks, haddock, cod, chances are you can find an Internet retailer offering to catch it and ship it to you in the same day.
When you receive your seafood delivery, make sure someone is there to sign for it and inspect it immediately. Fresh fish should not smell like fish at all and the meat should look lively and be springy to the touch. Live clams, mussels and oysters should clamp tight when tapped. Live lobster should be moving around to indicate they are still alive.
Plan on eating/cooking any fresh shellfish, mussels, oysters, etc. within a day of receiving the shipment. Discard (before cooking) any mollusks that don't close when you tap their shell. Also, these live mollusks and shellfish should not be stored on ice or submerged in water or put in briny water before cooking. Ideally, store them in a colander placed over a bowl. This allows for air circulation and catches any drips.
Ordering seafood online might seem like a risky prospect since you can't inspect the food for freshness yourself before purchasing. But any Internet retailer with any amount of credibility will guarantee overnight delivery and a fresh product or your money back (or replacement product). As long as you're present to receive and inspect your fresh seafood delivery (and perhaps have a backup plan) you should have a positive experience.
Anne Clarke writes numerous articles for Web sites on gardening, parenting, fashion, and home decor. Her background also includes teaching, gardening, fashion, and food and drink. For more of her useful articles and recipes on seafood and food and drink, please visit Seafood, supplier of high quality fresh seafood delivery.
