tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17422713.post114066164384467881..comments2024-03-27T20:45:01.098-04:00Comments on Beyond Salmon: Would you like some scales with your fish?Helenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12271344371852988017noreply@blogger.comBlogger61125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17422713.post-14234139657127653022022-12-19T20:01:24.503-05:002022-12-19T20:01:24.503-05:00Hey Anonymous,
I just read the entire thread from...Hey Anonymous,<br /><br />I just read the entire thread from start to finish, LOL. I found out some things that I didn't know. I've always liked crispy salmon "bacon-skin" and never really looked for *or* noticed any scales. I've got a couple nice looking steelhead skin-on trout fillets that I just bought today. Just checked both, and they *do not* have scales on them. I bought them at Kroger (might be King Sooper where you are?) Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13559011149598248694noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17422713.post-80300465098892176362022-11-04T22:56:25.228-04:002022-11-04T22:56:25.228-04:00I’m so impressed that this thread has been going o...I’m so impressed that this thread has been going on since 2006! I feel obligated to continue it as I only just found out today (to my dismay) that WF does not scale their fish. I’m definitely in the camp that would never intentionally serve fish with scales on. To those that argue it’s easy and neat to scale a fillet of fish, I am sure it is for you, but it’s not for most of us, and you’ll just have to take our word for it since you are obviously more skilled than rest of us! Anyways, WF said they will scale fish upon request, so that’s what I will be doing from now on.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17422713.post-49148878635013379642021-12-27T20:23:01.754-05:002021-12-27T20:23:01.754-05:00Eating any scaled fish with the scales on is like ...Eating any scaled fish with the scales on is like eating catfish that hasn't been skinned. Yuck.<br /><br />Yes, salmon scales are small (and maybe soft), but as others have said, above, they aren't a flavorful addition to the fish served with skin on, and they aren't as soft as canned sardine bones (which, I believe, have been cooked to softness).<br /><br />If you really want a difficult salmon scaling experience, try it on salmon steaks (and good luck wit dat).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17422713.post-31659549891002520922021-09-09T12:07:43.281-04:002021-09-09T12:07:43.281-04:00I think fish should be displayed unscaled.Upon pur...I think fish should be displayed unscaled.Upon purchase one can have them scaled. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15132578692671187865noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17422713.post-74638493664242995122021-03-03T14:34:25.462-05:002021-03-03T14:34:25.462-05:00In my experience, although most of the people in t...In my experience, although most of the people in the WF fish departments know very little about fish -- and forget about asking them to prep a whole fish -- most of the filleted fish has been prepared properly. But the salmon was always hit or miss. A few years ago they stopped scaling their salmon altogether. I have sent emails to WF with no real response, and I've inquired at the fish department where they will scale it if you ask. It must be a cost savings to them, but I would rather pay a little more to get fish prepared properly. It makes a real mess when I do it at home.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05539164393226045740noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17422713.post-27259867684848539122020-10-17T03:58:21.052-04:002020-10-17T03:58:21.052-04:00Its not only them I'm saying why don't the...Its not only them I'm saying why don't they descale tinned fish because after they put whatever sauce on top of fish you have take it off to descale it ! And after you have done it there is no fish left yes in most places you go out ro eat the fish has scales on them they can't be so called chefs if they giving it us the paying costumer. I see the same thing on cooking programmes they don't do it either and they want us as viewers to do same that's terrible viewing anyway let's hope they start descaling fish in tins and restaurants from now on. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17422713.post-34698141186632096642020-09-07T11:29:27.360-04:002020-09-07T11:29:27.360-04:00Anonymous - it was actually HelloFresh itself, as ...Anonymous - it was actually HelloFresh itself, as opposed to GreenChef. I imagine there were quite a few people impacted by that, as it couldn't have just been a small part of one salmon that was left unscaled...Justinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17422713.post-69710122948127090442020-08-15T22:54:53.017-04:002020-08-15T22:54:53.017-04:00Dear Justin,
Was it GreenChef(/also the owners o...Dear Justin,<br /><br /><br />Was it GreenChef(/also the owners of HelloFresh)? [<<Moderators, please feel free to redact that company name, if needed. We can call it, 'the meal kit service company that provides guaranteed organic ingredient who are owned by the company with a green lemon as its logo'] If so, I had the same scale-ridden experience with this past week's box, only IMO worse support when I wrote in about it.<br /><br />When I brought the non-edibleness of the scales in their ready-to-cook meals to their attention --not asking for any refund or anything-- and just inquired about this detail future fish dishes, I was told there is no option for buyers to request that the portion fillets cone de-scaled, because apparently that's just the way it comes from their suppliers and they have no way to "inform the kitchen of that request." (Like...what does that even mean, what kitchen?? It's a quality control issue if you don't hold your suppliers to quality expectations...)<br /><br />It's the first time a fish order through the service has come with scales *BLECH!!*<br />All my earlier experiences with fish fillet dishes have been totally devoid of scales and actually had been among my favorites from this service.<br /><br />Product quality, it seems to me, has gone downhill from these service providers and how much inattention to detail they might allow their suppliers get away with...<br /><br />I think I may as well buy whole fillets from my nearest market counter, if I'm going to be spending time to at least finish descaling it by the tail and cutting it up into properly-sized portions. I can get 3 lbs of wild-caught, headed, gutted salmon sides at almost-supplier prices there, for the same as what I'm paying for 1 of these (2-plate, farmed salmon) meals.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17422713.post-79718497019588731712020-08-10T11:05:44.977-04:002020-08-10T11:05:44.977-04:00I received a salmon fillet with scales on from a (...I received a salmon fillet with scales on from a (large/national) meal kit service yesterday. It was a pretty bizarre thing to experience - these were not scales I'd be able to eat, and I've never bought a piece of fish that had scales on it (and I've never asked for it to be done - always assumed that my fish would already be de-scaled).<br /><br />De-scaling two flimsy fillets was a pretty annoying process (15 minutes to get every last scale - those things are sticky!), and when I contacted support they said that was not intentional and gave a refund. I'm trying to imagine if there's something being lost in translation with those above saying scales shouldn't be removed when sold at a grocery store... what possible benefit does having them add?!Justinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17422713.post-20959159201854000872020-07-13T19:55:17.475-04:002020-07-13T19:55:17.475-04:00most people don't even eat the skin so that...most people don't even eat the skin so that's probably 50-75% of the effort they'd spend scaling wasted. ask or learn to do it yourself, or find someplace else to go. no one owes you anything.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17422713.post-2602233736790741502018-09-13T22:46:03.398-04:002018-09-13T22:46:03.398-04:00Eating any type of fish with the scales on is WRON...Eating any type of fish with the scales on is WRONG. Blows my mind that people think it is tasty, normal and okay?! Yuck... No thanks. Or they are oblivious to scaling... I've had friends serve me fish with scales on before and been disappointed.. What a waste of skin. Also told "You can still eat it like that"... Ugh. I just ate a fillet of salmon tonight with the scales on (of the store bought, ready cooked packaged variety) which prompted me to search Google and find this blog lol. I tried to scale the skin carefully so I could still eat it. I managed to remove it off half the fish, the rest just fell apart.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17422713.post-53610683584170534772017-06-03T06:26:09.939-04:002017-06-03T06:26:09.939-04:00Commercial fisherman: If I were one of your custom...Commercial fisherman: If I were one of your customers buying a salmon, you would have your first customer asking you to de-scale a fish. <br />I'm sorry that the world seems to be full of so many people who don't think that ridding salmon (and certain other fishes) of their scales is important--even people who work in the business--but to some of us, IT IS! For a number of reasons, they should be removed. Just because some people don't get that doesn't change the fact!<br /><br />Scales left on?!....<br /><br />And then, all over my dinner plate??!!...<br /><br />YUK!!!!!!!!!!<br /><br />Get those nasty scales and their accompanying slime outta here--before that fish ever even touches my plate, thank you very much!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17422713.post-24278583332572718822016-12-01T14:02:16.522-05:002016-12-01T14:02:16.522-05:00I am a commercial fisherman and have never been as...I am a commercial fisherman and have never been asked to de-scale a fish for a customer. We also never do it at home, and it's perfectly fine. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17422713.post-54726797433453674742016-04-27T06:25:35.385-04:002016-04-27T06:25:35.385-04:00Oops, I blew it....
I said something that is incon...Oops, I blew it....<br />I said something that is inconsistent with the truth of things in the first of 2 comments which I left here on 3-24-2016, and now the right thing to do is to eat a little humble pie and retract what I said in error. <br />In my zealous fervor, and my desire to throw my 2-cents worth in on this topic, I talked about filleting salmon on board fishing vessels, and claimed to have done that--but a fishing buddy of mine who has since read my comment(s) here reminded me that we have only done that with rockfish which we have caught off the California coast. It was a rookie mistake, constituting nothing short of total brain-fade on my part to not remember this, as OF COURSE, filleting salmon at sea isn't legal, and probably hasn't been for quite some time (if ever). Filleting rockfish on board is legal (or at least, I believe it was when we did it!), but filleting salmon is not, since there are currently restrictions on filleting at-sea many fish species for which there is a size limit--and salmon is definitely one of those species to which this restriction applies. <br />So, MY BAD.....<br />I hate that I might have damaged my credibility here by blurting out anything as stupid as saying we filleted salmon on-board; I personally never have, and neither has anyone that I know, and such a correction most definitely needed to be made here, after the egregious placing of my foot inside of my mouth. Sorry to all, my apologies.....<br />Nonetheless, let me take the opportunity to remind everyone that IMO, it's best to remove SCALES and entrails from your salmon as soon as is legally possible after catching (consult your current sport fishing regulations). <br />Your palate will thank you!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17422713.post-51192971127505130772016-04-17T15:56:09.050-04:002016-04-17T15:56:09.050-04:00Not to be too snobbish, but IMO, anyone who buys f...Not to be too snobbish, but IMO, anyone who buys fish at whole foods either enjoys throwing their money away foolishly, or Does Not Know What They are Doing.<br /><br />Whole Foods DOES NOT sell fresh fish. Get it?<br /><br />Furthermore, anyone who buys packaged filets at ANY Supermarket, you pick yur favorite, DOES NOT Know what they're doing. It doesn't take a PhD in Rocket Science to understand, if you buy a piece of processed or cut up fish shrouded and sealed in plastic, You have no idea about the freshness of the fish someone put in there.<br /><br />Use a little Common Sense People. Learn the fundamentals of cooking. Do it Yourself. You'll live longer, healthier and more productive lives.ergo_erativehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15827899243558493293noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17422713.post-35856986978133073532016-03-24T09:05:29.984-04:002016-03-24T09:05:29.984-04:00(PART 2 of 2)
Now, I am not a supermarket or a ret...(PART 2 of 2)<br />Now, I am not a supermarket or a retail outlet that handles fish to sell to the public by the truckload....I am just one guy who learned what I know from ancestors who passed down tried-and true knowledge and sage wisdom about (what has generally been considered) the RIGHT WAY to do things where fishing (and the proper techniques of handling one's catch, etc.) was concerned. Perhaps big stores (and maybe even some smaller ones) that sell on a commercial basis have a different reality than I do about whether or not it's appropriate and/or desirable to scale salmon and other fish--or maybe, as someone else noted here, they're just too lazy to do it, or consider it too messy/too big of a job, or an unnecessary detail which can be overlooked. Wiser minds know better. To me, it's sad that they take this attitude--or lack enough common sense to take the way that they process and treat fish and other seafood (and then in turn, US, their customers who buy the stuff--often at inflated retail prices, no less) with better care and concern for QUALITY--but I guess the industry standards are what they are. Those standards DO NOT favor delivering a superior product, generally speaking. <br />I don't find it hard to believe that commercial operations would neglect to do what's best in terms of bringing to the public the highest quality product available when it comes to seafood. The fact is, they most often DON'T live up to very high standards in that department. (These are the same chains that are willing to label fish FRESH when in many cases it has clearly and evidently been PREVIOUSLY FROZEN--and even when it hasn't, all too often the flavor and overall quality reveals just how fresh IT ISN'T upon inserting said product into one's mouth).<br />The quality of supermarket chain salmon is pretty abysmal in general to someone who actually demands the highest quality and won't settle for anything less. Such people will seldom--if ever--buy salmon from their local Safeway, Albertson's, Save-Mart etc. (insert the name of your favorite supermarket HERE:_________), becuase--well, what would be the point? To get hugely disappointed and annoyed? Yes, I am a fish snob (PARTICULARLY where salmon are concerned), and I and others like me would only actually ever consider SHOPPING for fish and paying good money for it from WELL-KNOWN and RELIABLE suppliers who understand what we understand about freshness and what is entailed in preserving it--and unfortunately, there are very few such suppliers out there.<br />Where I come from, no one worth his salt (and frankly, to state it more accurately, no one who knows what the hell he/she is doing) would do something as idiotic as NOT scale and clean a freshly-caught salmon--if not on the boat itself, then certainly, AS SOON AS IS HUMANLY POSSIBLE once on dry land--and anyone who doesn't do it, and who lets the fish sit around for days without being scaled is either seen as a woe-begotten Greenhorn who's got a lot to learn, or (to put it bluntly), a complete imbecile.<br />Not much more to be said about that, really. Don't know what I can add that will further stress the point!<br />In regards to those who actually DESIRE scales left on their salmon because they "taste good", or because they provide a "shield" that protects the meat when barbecuing, or for whatever other innocuouis reason that makes absolutely no good sense--I submit that it's possible that your palate has been so tainted all of your life by fish that actually is so vastly inferior in quality in ways that you have not yet even discerned that you have been rendered incompetent and unable to comprehend the folly of your preferences. <br />Don't believe it?.....<br /> Come to Humboldt County, and let me prepare some FRESH salmon for you (caught THAT DAY), and then tell me if you think it would taste better if I left the scales on it for you....<br />Happy dining!!....Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17422713.post-74435988761922394602016-03-24T09:03:44.028-04:002016-03-24T09:03:44.028-04:00(PART 1 of 2)
Wow!!....
The people who WANT their ...(PART 1 of 2)<br />Wow!!....<br />The people who WANT their salmon with scales on it are blowing my mind!!.....<br />Okay, I guess I'm learning a few things here about what a great big, diverse world it is out there that I DIDN'T know about before I read this post....like the fact that ANYBODY in their right mind(s) would actually WANT salmon with scales left on it (because the scales are supposedly TASTY, or are otherwise somehow beneficial)!!<br />I'm 55 years old, and I grew up in Humboldt County, Ca.--i.e., salmon country. Many people routinely go out and catch their own salmon around here during the season, and for several months a year, catching and having fresh salmon--and I mean REALLY FRESH salmon--is something that's on a lot of people's minds. Knowing a lot about what there is to know about doing that is something that was ingrained in me from a young age. <br />While it's true that I've noticed that some people neglect to scale their salmon right away after catching the fish--even around here--it has largely been assumed by myself and other long-time fishermen who I know that the failure to do so is usually done strictly out of foolhardiness and ignorance. Why? Because (to my knowledge, up till now) in no way do scales left on (any variety of) salmon benefit or enhance the fish in any way, shape, or form; in fact, quite the opposite is true, and it's just that simple.....Remember, I've been catching salmon since before I could spell my father's name--so in that time, I've picked up on a few things, and gleaned a little bit about what works and what doesn't when it comes to doing what's best with your catch. <br />A VERY FUNDAMENTAL FACT which anyone who has THE MOST RUDIMENTARY KNOWLEDGE in my neck of the woods about catching and processing fresh salmon is that for the purpose of getting the utmost in freshness, and the highest quality end product the VERY FIRST THING that you want to do with your fish--IMMEDIATELY, AS SOON AS YOU PULL IT OUT OF THE OCEAN, IF POSSIBLE is REMOVE ALL OF THE SCALES AND ANYTHING RESEMBLING SLIME from the body of the fish, then GUT IT AND REMOVE THE GILLS AND HEAD, and then PACK IT IN "MUSH" ICE (the crushed ice that butcher shops use), covering the body COMPLETELY in said ice BOTH INSIDE (the gut cavity) AND OUT. Ideally, there is someone skilled at doing all of this ON BOARD--and ideally, that person(s) is kept busy when you're on your outing to pull down a couple of fat ones.....Sometimes, filleting the salmon is even done ON BOARD, before rigor has had a chance to set in--and I always love to see someone who is skilled at processing the fish as much as it can possibly BE processed in as early a time-frame as is humanly possible to ensure the absolute most outstandingly fresh, most superior end product that one can get.<br />At any rate, what most people understand where I come from is that the SOONER you process your fish as I just described after catching and killing it (which you should do as soon as you catch it), the fresher, more superior, more exquisite your catch will be in terms of quality when it's plated and sitting in front of you--if such things matter to you, that is.....<br />What I am describing here is treated as an ART--and not just a fishing trip--by many people who I know--and with good reason(s).(If you're paying attention to what I've said here, then hopefully the reasons are becoming apparent). Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17422713.post-67463899265525373442015-11-23T19:57:32.493-05:002015-11-23T19:57:32.493-05:00Came upon this blog by chance. What irritates me a...Came upon this blog by chance. What irritates me about this, is Helen's continual harping about, "Any decent restaurant that serves salmon with skin is serving it scaled.".<br /><br />That's because they take the time to scale it in the kitchen before they cook it. I can scale a fillet in under 2 mins. So, I don't see what the problem is there. You don't want a mess? Scale it under a few sheets of clear plastic wrap to keep the scales from flying all over the place.<br /><br />If you're not willing to to either or both. But, the pre-packaged, vacuum sealed stuff that is guaranteed "ready to cook (once unfrozen)".<br />Keithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08641062682425098991noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17422713.post-87763393799839046282015-09-20T23:43:45.152-04:002015-09-20T23:43:45.152-04:00Salmon doesn't need to be scaled, the scales a...Salmon doesn't need to be scaled, the scales are very thin. It is common practicing in the seafood industry not to scale salmon, it's just not necessary. Also as they cook they tend to cook away too so salmon scales shouldn't really be an issue. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14989784616556724263noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17422713.post-18896943264036854982014-03-29T18:45:08.357-04:002014-03-29T18:45:08.357-04:00I'm having the same problem at Harris Teeter a...I'm having the same problem at Harris Teeter and even a small market around here. They all sell fish fillets and when I get them home, I have to spend a lot of time scaling those. This never used to happen. HT told me just to ask if I wanted them to scale the fillet, but the last time I asked the woman behind the counter, she said "we don't do that." What? That's like saying "we don't pluck our chickens, we sell them with the feather on!"<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17422713.post-21875796960329816182013-10-28T20:28:57.488-04:002013-10-28T20:28:57.488-04:00I am so glad I'm not alone with his issue. I h...I am so glad I'm not alone with his issue. I have been buying filets all my life and I think this is a lazy trend that just happened to me today! I do not want to scale a small fillet as it ended up tearing the fish and scales were all over my kitchen! I searched the web and found this post and now I feel somewhat better although my frustration has not subsided.Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17422713.post-38190553774822795732013-08-17T18:26:05.065-04:002013-08-17T18:26:05.065-04:00Unlike most of the commenters, I purchased my fill...Unlike most of the commenters, I purchased my fillet of Salmon from Shop Rite Market in Philadelphia. I like eating the skin and was offended by the scales being left on the fish. I bake it in the oven with spices, lemon juice, and butter and it wasn't until the fish was cooked that I realized, it was covered with scales. My piece of fish was cut from a larger fillet that I feel should have been scaled prior to filleting it. The scales are thin enough to get between the teeth and gums and cause an abcess like the husk from popcorn which by the way happened to me lately. The person behind the counter should let you know. When I buy whole fish they ask. <br /> Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17422713.post-11704680993132715002013-07-29T22:01:54.839-04:002013-07-29T22:01:54.839-04:00The comparison of unscaled fish to cuts of meat he...The comparison of unscaled fish to cuts of meat here, like a ribeye or filet is ridiculous. Those cuts do not come right off the cow that way and in butchering almost any cut of meat, you remove grisle, membrane and silver skin. Much in the same manner as you would fabricate a fish by gutting it, DE SCALING it, and removing belly fat before you cut it into ready to fire portions. As a chef I have NEVER seen served or seen another chef serve fish with the scales still on it. And with the work involved yeilding and portioning individual filets to sell to the general public, it only makes sense to descale a fish within that process. Proper scaling takes place while the whole side of a fish is intact. it is easier and also safer and less messy. I am very disappointed to hear that Whole Foods disregards this simple step especially here in the states and with fish they sell to the general public, most of who lack the culinary prowess to butcher their own proteins. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17422713.post-46237165825328987852013-05-26T18:02:29.410-04:002013-05-26T18:02:29.410-04:00Thomas you are absolutely correct. A filet mignon ...Thomas you are absolutely correct. A filet mignon requires no tools (specialized or primitive) to get it ready to cook. I think fish markets that do not want to scale a fish is just plain lazy or seeing the little things as money in the register. Fish scales are light but they still weigh in and at $12 + per pound it can add up. Scaling a filet is messy and difficult to do a good job. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17422713.post-23784306735763222842013-03-09T08:37:40.619-05:002013-03-09T08:37:40.619-05:00It's not so hard, even with a small fillet, wh...It's not so hard, even with a small fillet, which is what I descaled the other day. I do have a fish scaling tool now, but before I used to use a fruit or steak knife with a serrated edge. The only slightly trickier part is at the edges of the fillet, but you just need to support the flesh with your hand/a chopping board so that it provides enough resistance to push against. It does make a mess though! <br /><br />I always take the scales off, but I have eaten the scales in the context of fish fried/barbecued by others, which seemed to make the scales more brittle and crunchy rather than the plasticky "I have to spit this out" feel you'd get from microwaving/steaming. Martinnoreply@blogger.com