Skin on Massachusetts Black Sea Bass fillets. Dry skin side up in fridge overnight then sear for delicious crispy skin!
Origin: Massachusetts
Method of Capture: Hand-lines and Hand-Operated Pole-and-Lines
Wild or Farmed: Wild
Method of Capture: Hand-lines and Hand-Operated Pole-and-Lines
Wild or Farmed: Wild
- Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch- Good Alternative
- Current Population levels are above their target level.
- NOAA Fisheries, Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, and Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission cooperatively manage the black sea bass fishery north of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina.
- Managed under the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan
Black Sea Bass vary in hue from blue in the water to a brown and black out of the water with white fishnet pattern decorating its skin. Their flesh is a firm, white meat with a delicate flavor that's derived from their diet of crabs, shrimp, and mollusks. This fish is at its most flavorful in the late fall and winter and may weigh up to 5 lbs during this time. They usually arrive between 1.5-3lbs.
"The skin is incredibly thin and subtly gelatinous. It crisps impressively well and recommends the fish to whole fried preparations. (However, when pan-frying fillets, which are very thin, the natural moist flesh may parch before the skin crisps up. The Black Sea Bass is wonderful when steamed whole or in fillets; the thin skin permits the flesh to absorb subtle aromas and flavors of any accompanying ingredient. And if that isn't enough, it is one of the most delicious fish served cold- its nuanced flavor persists charismatic and full. Serve chilled over a salad or flaked into gazpacho. To prepare, I usually poach the fillets in water with a touch of white wine vinegar and a few slices of ginger, a particularly good partner as it draws out the sweeter, more floral character of the fish." [from p.381 of Barton Seaver's American Seafood]