frozen fish

[liz123]

My husband and I eat lots of fish. I've gotten too much bad quality fish from our local grocery stores (Publix, Kroger) so have ruled them out. I like most of Trader Joes things and gave them at least 3/4 chances. Thought all the fish I got there was all horrible)
So, I'm basically stuck with Whole Foods and while very good fish,currently horribly expensive.
Does anyone buy any tasty frozen fish from your groceries.? I even tried some of Mrs Paul's fish sticks the other day, but it was "too fishy" for my husband's taste. (I kind of liked it. Reminded me of Friday night dinners during my childhood) PS. It isn't that I just broil the fish. I've got many great recipes. But, when fish is tough or too fishy smelling, good recipes still don't help
And, I know talapia is always a good, less expensive bet. I use it sometimes; but just a personal taste thing. I don't care for it. To me it has a metal taste. Thanks Liz

[ediblover]

It's frozen. No matter what, the expansion of water and the crystal shards are going to ruin a lot of the cells/flesh. So, I don't think seeking out another source is going to make much of a difference.

Um... Maybe try canned?

[twyst]

The manner in which its frozen makes a huge difference, so different brands, sources will make a big difference. Most people I know rave about chilean sea bass. Just about every bit of it arrives in the US frozen. Lots of sushi is actually prepared from flash frozen fish as well.

[ernie in berkeley]

I've found that frozen fish thawed slowly at lower temperatures (eg, in the fridge overnight) results in better texture than some that is either cooked directly from the freezer or thawed at room or higher temperatures. The extended time allows any liquid that leaches out during thawing to be drawn back in.

[liz123]

I'll give Costco a try. Never thought of them. And, also, will try the Target salmon. Thanks

[Will Owen]

As we pretty much live on TJ's frozen fish, I'm always taken aback by people's grousing about it. The wild salmon, Alaskan cod and the mahi-mahi are our mainstays, and we've been liking that seasoned turbot a lot too. Tilapia, meh, but if it's pan-roasted and finished with a good dollop of pico de gallo plus some capers it's not bad at all. The only caveat about TJ's is that the fish apparently gets bounced around in transport quite a bit, and the plastic packaging can get torn or punctured. This lets air in, which can cause freezer burn. So I always check the package to make sure it's still vacuumed tightly up against the fish, and not free to slide around.

[ferret]

If you have a Costco nearby then try their offerings. Lower price and, to me, at least, better quality. As for packaging, they sell them in larger bags with each fillet individually vacuum-packed within. Never had a freezer-burnt filet. Their cod is excellent and reasonably priced.

[Will Owen]

Alas, we Costco no more. In-laws used to renew the family's commercial account every year, but that's over, and we don't go often enough to pay our own way. I must say, though, that I never found their prices any cheaper than TJ's. And until we get around to buying a separate freezer we don't have room for large packages of anything.

[ferret]

The prices are definitely lower. As far as the need for a separate freezer, we're not talking 20-lb packages. The fish comes in about 2-lb bags and each fillet is individually wrapped, so they can be removed from the original package when you get home without any impact on quality (the big outer package is essentially a giant label and protects them during shipping). Don't know when you last went but their fish selection seem much larger today than even 5 years ago.

[Val]

Liz, I've been buying Super Target's frozen USA wild-caught salmon for a few months now and it's very good, $11.49 per pound. The fillets are not very thick, but I think the overall quality is up there. You might try it.

[katecm]

I have found that my Safeway, nice as it is, actually just opens the frozen bags, defrosts them, and puts them out...until they sell, which may not be very quick. So I buy the frozen bags, have them handy, and am able to cook the fish as soon as it's defrosted. Now, that's not so say I'm doing a rare seared tuna for it, but for cod, flounder, halibut, etc., it's not bad.

[ferret]

As for tilapia not being to your liking, not all tilapia are the same and it depends on the farming method. Costco tilapia is very pleasant (boring, perhaps, but it plays well with sauces).

[ferret]

Costco has a decent selection of frozen and fresh-ish (it's sold thawed). Price-wise it's certainly a much better value for the quality. Are you near any Asian grocers/megamarts? They usually have a decent selection at a fair price (and tend to stock fresh and even live fish).

[Rick]

i was also underwhelmed by TJ's frozen fish (except for their Dover Sole which apparently isn't real dover sole, but delicious none the less). Costco has pretty decent frozen salmon and I've had good luck with frozen cod from a local fishmonger lately.

[mtngirlnv]

+1 on the Wild Alaskan Salmon at Costco. Sear, pan roast and topped with a dab of wasabi sauce. A huge hit in our house.