Atlantic Halibut is the largest flatfish in the world. Despite its size, this giant has a flaky texture and mild sweet flavor that pairs perfectly with a variety of herbs, spices, and seasonings.
History of Halibut
Like most fish, the origin of halibut is unknown. It is, however, native to the Northern Pacific Ocean and is also found in some parts of the Arctic Ocean. Commercial fishing of halibut began in the early 19th century in the United States and Canada. The largest halibut ever caught and recorded by the IGFA was an 8-foot 7-inch behemoth from Norway that weighed in at 515 lbs. Halibut are dark brown on their upward-facing side and white on their under-belly side.
Flavor of Halibut
Halibut has one of the finest raw tastes a fish can have. It has a flaky texture and has a buttery sweet flavor. Even when consumed raw, halibut can stand out on its own flavor-wise. If you want to compare it to another type of seafood, halibut has a taste similar to crab or clam.
Culinary Benefits of Halibut
Halibut can yield four large fillets from both sides and the small round cheeks, which are considered a delicacy, can yield additional meat if required.
There are some mouth-watering recipes that involve halibut. Let’s start with Halibut with Cilantro-Lime Butter – this magnificent recipe is a great main dish. The halibut is prepared with lime, cilantro, couscous, butter, and serrano chile. Served with broccoli raab as a side, this dish can be eaten for lunch or dinner.
Next up we have Miso-Tahini Halibut with Zucchini Salad – it is an easy and fast recipe but is also a very tasty one. Halibut is cooked perfectly and then is topped off with the rich miso-tahini sauce and served with a shredded zucchini salad. This meal is the perfect combination of flaky fish and crunchy zucchini salad.
Blackened Halibut with Broccoli Slaw – What goes best with the sweet and buttery flavor of the Halibut? The spicy blend of paprika, garlic powder, black pepper, thyme, basil, oregano, and cayenne powder. The halibut is topped off with spices and then served with broccoli slaw. This dish is a winning combination of sweet halibut and spicy seasoning and crunchy slaw.
Ways To Store Halibut
Once you buy or catch halibut, put it in the fridge. Fresh halibut will last for 2-3 days if kept in its original packaging on ice in the refrigerator. If you are looking to store the halibut then put it in the freezer, it will stay fresh in your freezer for around 6 months.
