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This Delivery Service Ships Frozen Fish That Might Even Be Better Than Fresh

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Credit: Joe Lingeman

If there’s one protein my family of mixed eaters can agree upon, it’s seafood. We probably enjoy fish and shellfish two to three times a week.

Knowing that we eat fish this often comes with much responsibility. We can’t — and won’t — just pick anything from the store. Fishing and sustainability practices have become part of how we think about, source, and eat our fish. I seem to always find myself checking sustainability ratings and doing my best to buy fish that have been sourced in a way that will help keep ocean ecosystems healthy and alive for future generations. I cannot act alone in this endeavor, we all must become conscious consumers when it comes to the sea. Our planet literally depends on it.

So when I discovered PureFish , a fully traceable sea-to-plate delivery service, I was excited to learn more. I liked that the website goes into detail about the specific sustainability practices and geographic origin of each type of fish, like the Skye Steelhead from the waters off of northern Scotland and the Caribbean Cobia caught near the Panama Coast. And the idea of being able to scan a QR code on the bottom of each package to learn about the fishermen, fisherwomen, and farmers who make my meals possible was intriguing. I couldn’t wait to give it a try.

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Using a shock-freezing method that takes less than an hour at -40 Celsius, PureFish freezes everything within 24 to 72 hours of being caught or harvested. This process locks in freshness, inhibits bacteria growth, and keeps the structural integrity of the fish intact. By freezing everything they catch, less fish is wasted, thus helping to reduce overharvesting. Less-than-perfect cuts are repurposed as human-grade pet food, high-oil farm feed, and compost materials.

I used to avoid frozen fish, assuming that it wouldn’t taste fresh and that the smell, color, and texture would be, well, off . But PureFish completely changed how I think about frozen fish. Or, at the very least, the frozen fish from PureFish . They offer beautiful center cuts that are elegant enough to serve even for a special occasion. The recyclable tray holds two 6-ounce pieces wrapped in a breathable, state-of-the-art film. The tray itself (and the absorbent material underneath) is oven safe up to 375 degrees, which means you can bake your fish directly on it and avoid dirtying up an extra dish. And if you happen to forget to pull out your proteins to defrost ahead of time, check the PureFish website before giving up on dinner; you can look up which cuts are best for cooking from frozen.

Credit: Amelia Rampe

I received a box with a mix of products, including several from The WhiteFish Box , plus a few extra pieces of salmon, and I cooked so many delicious meals with it all. I made a seafood paella with shrimp and scallops. I poached the tuna steaks in olive oil. I grilled the steelhead. I slow-roasted the salmon directly on the recyclable tray, and it came out perfect. The seafood was just as good as the fresh fish I usually purchase — and even better in some cases! Everything tasted super clean and fresh, and there were zero “off” odors, colors, flavors, or textures. I was beyond impressed with all of their products and will absolutely shop from them again, especially since every order includes free shipping. I might even sign up for a subscription to take advantage of extra savings.

Credit: Amelia Rampe

PureFish checks off all the boxes that make me feel like an earth-conscious consumer. And having fish in the freezer that tastes fresh no matter when I use it takes away that pressure of having to cook everything ASAP. You can pull a tray out exactly when you need it and have fresh catch on demand. Easy! Now all that’s left to do is figure out what I’m going to do with all the time I won’t be spending researching sustainability ratings …

Buy: The WhiteFish Box , $250

For more info on seafood sustainability, check out https://www.seafoodwatch.org/seafood-basics/what-is-sustainable-seafood .

Amelia Rampe

Studio Food Editor

Amelia is a Filipino-American food and travel writer, food stylist, recipe developer, and video host based in Brooklyn, NY. She graduated from the Institute of Culinary Education and worked in kitchens under Jean-Georges Vongerichten at ABC Kitchen and Nougatine at Jean-Georges. She is a former contributing food editor at Bon Appétit Magazine and current Studio Food Editor at thekitchn.com. Her recipes have been published by Food52, Bon Appetit, Washington Post and more.

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Source : food