Ladyfish are saltwater fish typically found in coastal flats, bays, estuaries, and other inshore areas. If you catch one, you might wonder, can you eat ladyfish?
However, they migrate from shallow areas to deeper sea levels during the summer to breed and escape extreme temperatures. Weighing up to 5-7 pounds, ladyfish is largely infamous for its mushy texture and unique flavor.
Most seafood consumers need to learn more about the ladyfish species and may not consider it a treat.
Nevertheless, ladyfish is an incredible food. What’s more, it does not require any special cooking skills, so you are good to go if you have cooked fish before. Nevertheless, you may be disappointed by its large bone-to-meat ratio.
Table of Contents
Do People Eat Ladyfish and Is It Safe?
As stated earlier, ladyfish is edible and safe to eat. However, there are better seafood choices than this, especially for people who detest mushy and oily meat textures.
Ladyfish are consumed in dozens of countries worldwide, with the coast of Florida and the Gulf of Mexico being one of the largest sources of ladyfish in the U.S.
Ladyfish is abundant in Indonesia, Madagascar, South Africa, Mozambique, New Caledonia, Tonga, Thailand, and Yemen.
The three ladyfish varieties are red sea breams, red snapper, and black-finned ladyfish. They are all safe to consume, with slightly different flavors and meat textures.
What Does It Taste Like?
Ladyfish is said to have a relatively tender and oily texture and a strong flavor. Most people who have had ladyfish liken its taste to that of oysters.
First-time consumers commonly complain about its oily taste, mushy texture, and many bones.
Can You Eat Ladyfish Raw?
It may seem unlikely, but ladyfish can be consumed raw in sushi rolls. However, ensuring the fish is fresh before a bite would be best.
Fresh ladyfish typically feature a pinkish color, which becomes grayish as it goes bad.
How To Cook Ladyfish
Like most fish, ladyfish can get prepared in various ways. Regardless of your preferred cooking method, it would help if you began by removing the head and fins and scrubbing away its scales using a stiff-bristled brush.
Then rinse the meat thoroughly to remove any dirt and slice it into filets of your ideal size.
Season your filets lightly using salt and your favorite flavors. Since ladyfish tend to be naturally saltier than most fish meat, make sure to add salt sparingly.
Fry your filets in olive oil on medium heat for three minutes on either face until it gets a golden brown hue, and then serve hot.
Ladyfish Recipes
There are plenty of tantalizing ladyfish recipes. One of the most intriguing recipes is the pressure cooking method, which can create delicious eats with the right equipment (pressure cooker and grill).
The recipe involves re-cooking the fish in a pressure cooker in jars to eliminate its bones and attain your ideal flavor.
Other popular preparations include ladyfish Rava fry and ladyfish cake recipes.
Is It Safe to Eat Ladyfish?
Though its popularity is on the rise, most seafood consumers around the globe have never heard of this delicacy.
It is safe to consume ladyfish; if prepared right, it will be a treat to sit and enjoy. Some may complain of its oily taste, but it depends on your cooking skills and preferences.
All said and done; if you haven’t already, ladyfish is worth a try.
Add comment