Market Name: American shad
Scientific Name: Alosa sapidissima
Common Name: Atlantic shad, Potomac shad, northern silver shad
Flavor: Moderate/Full
Texture: Delicate/Medium
Description:
American shad, the largest member of the herring family, is widely con-sidered the tastiest of the world’s 31 shad species; the species name (sapidissima) means “most delicious.” Shad is a seasonal novelty on restaurant menus, and shad bakes are a rite of spring in many Mid-Atlantic communi-ties. John McPhee’s 2002 book The Founding Fish, which recounts a wealth of shad lore and eulogizes the fish’s role in America’s history, fueled a surge in the fish’s popularity with anglers and diners. Shad roe, the ripe eggs of the female fish, has been lauded as the “foie gras” of seafood.
Product Profile:
The raw flesh of American shad appears grayish. Cooked, it varies in color from pinkish beige to deep brown, with the darker flesh the most richly fla-vored. The large roe sacs are bright orange.
Shad meat is sweet, rich and tender, with high oil content. Fans refer to the flavor as “poor man’s salmon.”
You Should Know:
American shad is strictly a seasonal fish (late Febuary through early June) and is best before spawning, when heavy feeding makes the meat rich and flavorful.
Cooking Tips:
The bony shad was described by one Native American tribe as “a porcupine turned inside out,” which can make whole shad a challenge to eat. However, slow cooking (steaming or baking at low temperatures) dissolves the small bones. Fillets, broiled or baked, are a more popular choice. For an update on traditional “planked shad,” boned fillets are nailed to an oak or hickory board, along with bacon slices, and slow cooked before a charcoal fire. Shad roe can be sautéed in butter or braised in white wine.
Cooking Methods: Bake,Broil,Grill,Poach,Saute',Smoke,Steam
Substitutions: Mackerel, Salmon, Bluefish
Primary Product Forms:
Fresh: Whole, Fillets, Roe
Frozen:
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