Bluefish

The bluefish is a voracious and aggressive fish that moves through the water in enormous schools in the wake of other schools of fish, including mackerel and herring, on which it feeds. It’s found primarily in the North and South Atlantic, as well as in the Pacific. It’s closely related to the horse mackerel, and its flesh is much sought after, especially in North America and Australia.

The bluefish has an elongated body, a forked tail, and a large head and mouth. Covered with small scales, its skin is bluish green on the back and silvery on the underside. The bluefish can grow to a length of approximately 43" and can weigh as much as 50 pounds, but usually it’s between 16–24" long and weighs 10–15 pounds.

Bluefish is lean and very flavorful. It is also sometimes described as being a bit oily, though it is a lean fish.

Bluefish is widely available in fish stores and may be sold as either steaks or fillets.

Bluefish should be refrigerated immediately and eaten as soon as possible, because the flesh is extremely perishable. It should not be frozen for longer than 3 months.

Bluefish caught while fishing should be bled right away to ensure that the flesh remains firm and flavorful. The fish should then be scaled and gutted. You can also fillet it if you wish.

Bluefish is often grilled, braised, or poached. It can replace mackerel in most recipes. Only very small bluefish should be fried, as larger ones tend to absorb too much fat.