Order Seafood in Season for Best Flavor

Thanks to seafood farming and high-speed worldwide transportation, you can generally get any type of seafood you want at any time of the year you want it. If you prefer wild-caught fish to farmed, though, there are distinct seasons when specific fish and seafood are much tastier and more readily available. If you’re going to order seafood online or have seafood shipped to you, it makes sense to get the best tasting selections available. If you’re going to order seafood in the winter, here’s a quick rundown of your best choices.

King Salmon

The King Salmon, also known as the Chinook salmon or the tyee salmon, is easily the most prized of all salmon – perhaps of all fish. The king salmon spends up to five years of its life swimming in the ocean before it returns to fresh water to spawn. Chinooks can grow up to 100 pounds, and have the highest amount of omega 3 fatty acids of all types of salmon. Wild-caught Alaskan king salmon are available for most of the winter – and all Alaskan king salmon is wild-caught. It’s illegal to farm king salmon in Alaska. It’s one of your best choices for winter seafood.

Halibut

Halibut is a mild-flavored, white fish with firm, succulent flesh. It’s one of the favorite fish on restaurant menus, and is rapidly becoming a favorite among home cooks as well. Alaskan halibut is in season from March to November, but is available fresh frozen the rest of the year. California halibut, also known as chicken halibut, Monterey halibut and hirame, is a different species than Alaskan halibut, but shares the mild flavor and succulent texture of its Alaskan cousin. When you buy halibut, ask how it is caught. Line caught or bottom trawl California halibut are considered a good alternative to wild-caught Alaskan halibut (also called Pacific halibut), but some California halibut are caught in set gillnets, which frequently catch other marine animals and seabirds.

Both king salmon and halibut are versatile – they’re equally good baked, broiled, grilled and pan-fried. Salmon and halibut are also among the most popular choices for sushi and sashimi.

If you decide to order seafood online, choose a fish market with a local presence and an excellent local reputation. You can have your seafood shipped overnight and enjoy it as fresh as if you were living next to the dock. Why serve anything but the best to your guests and family?