Fish – Washing or rinsing fish and seafood

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Do you wash or rinse your fish before cooking it? I usually don't, but I'm not sure whether I'm right or wrong.

Well, ok, I guess it's probably unnecessary in most cases but, what if we're making a raw fish dish like a ceviche? Does that scenario changes the rules?

Same question goes to seafood of all types: mussels, clams, shrimps, so on…

Thank you in advance!

Best Answer

Like in all things: IT DEPENDS and always try to buy the freshest seafood as possible and consume ASAP.

Fish, depending on the fishmonger, sometimes I will rinse a whole fish it if there is blood or innards still in there; I will make certain after to dry it out completely before using.

For filets and portioned fish or shelled shrimps, no, i will only dry it out.

For shellfish like mussels, clams, I will rinse them and let them soak in cold salted water (I never tried the corn meal trick, google it).

For raw unshelled shrimps, I will clean them out and rinse after.

For your question about Ceviche, I will use the above guide (my own) to prepare the fish before cutting and marinating.