home
***
CD-ROM
|
disk
|
FTP
|
other
***
search
/
Gold Medal Software 2
/
Gold Medal Software Volume 2 (Gold Medal) (1994).iso
/
misc
/
seafood.arj
/
SHELFORM
< prev
next >
Wrap
Text File
|
1993-01-04
|
4KB
|
65 lines
Market Forms of Shellfish
Shellfish, like finfish, are also marketed in a
variety of forms. Following are some examples as well as
tips on purchasing.
Live in the shell -- These shellfish are sold just as
they come from the sea and must be kept alive until they
are cooked. When purchasing, be sure they are active.
Crabs and lobsters should show movement in the legs. The
lobster's tail should curl under and not hang down when the
live lobster is handled. Hard clams, oysters, and scallops
should close their shells when tapped.
Shucked -- Shellfish sold in this form have been
removed from the shell while alive and packed in a clear
liquid. Scallops, oysters, clams, and mussels are
available in this form. When purchasing shucked shellfish
there should be little or no liquid and a fresh, mild odor.
Excess liquid indicates poor quality and careless handling.
Color is also a good indication of quality. Clam meat
should be pale to deep orange, scallop meat should be
creamy white to light tan, orange, or pink, and oysters
should have a creamy color. In addition there should be no
shell particles in shucked oysters and clams. Scallops are
unique in that only the abductor muscle is removed from the
shell, not the whole scallop. Shucked shellfish is
available fresh or frozen.
Headless -- The head of the shellfish has been
removed. Shrimp is sold in this manner as are spiny
lobster tails. Fresh shrimp have a mild odor and firm
meat, usually greenish or pink in color. The shell should
fit the body with no sign of shrinkage.
Peeled and cleaned -- Shrimp is commonly sold in this
fashion. It is headless with the intestinal tract removed.
Cooked in the shell -- Crabs and lobsters are sold in
this form. The market cooks the shellfish and sells them
whole, or the meat may be picked from the shell and is
packaged chilled or frozen. Cooked lobster meat is red in
color and has a mild odor. The tail of a cooked lobster
should spring back after it has been straightened.
Frozen -- Shellfish are frozen in almost every form:
raw, cooked, in the shell, and out of the shell. Oysters,
scallops, clams, and mussels are sold breaded and ready to
fry or bake. They have been shucked, coated with batter,
breaded, package, and frozen. Shrimp is also frozen raw or
fried and breaded. In this case the shrimp are peeled and
cleaned, coated with a batter, breaded, packaged, and
frozen.
Canned -- Whole shellfish, lumps of meat, minced meat
and smoked meat are canned. Whether they be "dry packed"
in a vacuum or "liquid packed" in a brine or juice, they
are ready to serve or use as purchased. Oysters, lobsters,
clams, crabs, and shrimp are sold in this form.