The Biggest Red Flag When Shopping For Whole Fish

Purchasing and preparing a whole fish is an economical way to not only get a large meal, but also plenty of scraps to work with later. Just like how you can pick the freshest fish at the store with a smell test, you can also gauge how fresh a whole one is by steering clear of any that appear too limp.

A fish is essentially just muscle, so a fresh, whole one should always appear stiff. This is thanks to rigor mortis, the process of muscles seizing up upon death, which takes anywhere between an hour and a day to fully set in. Saltwater fish tend to remain in this state for anywhere between 30 and 120 hours, while freshwater varieties have a smaller window, between 72 and 80 hours. Either way, floppiness is a solid indicator of how long it's been since a fish was harvested, contributing to a lack of flavor and a worse texture.

This is especially important to keep in mind if you buy small fish. For example, small fish like orata may be some of the best to cook whole, but all tiny specimens also tend to develop and lose rigor mortis quite quickly. Ask your fishmonger to hold the fish up by the head at a slight angle. While some amount of bend is normal, it shouldn't fold over into a crescent shape, no matter how large it is. Ask if you can also give the fish a poke to ensure that it isn't maintaining its shape from being partially frozen.

Sometimes, your market is busy, or you just won't have the chance to poke, prod, and peruse your prospective dinner. Fortunately, whole fish have several freshness indicators that filets don't, and all of them are quick and easy to spot.

Visually, your fish should have clear eyes and cherry-red gills. These are sensitive, external organs that tend to cloud and lose color quickly, so if they're good to go, chances are the rest of the fish is too. A fish's tail is another surprisingly good indicator of quality. Since the membrane is so thin and delicate, it tends to dry out first. So even if the rest of its body has a nice, clear sheen to it, avoid anything with a tail like jerky.

Just like with gills and eyes, whole, fresh fish should retain most of its coloring, so stay away from any fish in the batch that look comparatively pale. The fins are an especially good spot to check, as they, like the tail, tend to age first. This also allows you to check if the spines are in good shape. If any are broken or if the membranes are torn, this could indicate some rough handling, which may have also bruised the flesh and caused it to lose some of its flaky texture.