Fish skin. Delicacy or disgusting?

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Siegal

Sous Chef
Joined
Nov 4, 2011
Messages
545
I never buy fish at my local supermarket (all publix on Miami beach should be ashamed) as it looks like crap and smells. Gave it a shot and asked the fish guy what's fresh. Pointed at cloudy slimey salmon. I made a face and he went in the back and actually brought out a fresh red beautiful piece of fish and cut me a piece (shock!). Story aside he was about to remove my coveted salmon skin when I stopped him. That's the best part! Pan fried a piece in butter for lunch
Tm and my skin was so perfect I gobbled it down not risking it will get soggy in fridge overnight. So
- do you eat your fish skin?? How do you make it perfect?
 
I don't want to be a "Debbie Downer" (SNL...lol), but even though the skin can be crispy and tasty on the grill, the EPA does not considered it to be healthy. According to Dr. Weil, "both the skin and fat of fish collect toxins that accumulate in the waters of rivers, streams and oceans. These contaminants can also be found in the flesh of fish but not always at levels as concentrated as they are in the skin and fat. For that reason, eating the skin of the fish is not considered healthy. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) advises consumers to remove the skin, fat and internal organs before cooking fish that they've caught in the wild." Sardines have the safest skin because they are smaller and haven't had the time to absorb as much mercury or toxins. Krill are also small and best for omega 3 fish oil supplements.
 
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Love the skin! Healthy or not it taste great, I'll even eat the skin on steamed or poached fish lol! Fresh deboned hake (Skin on) cut into strips and covered in a crunchy coating made from breadcrumbs and crushed salt and vinegar potato crisps is delicious baked or fried. Another favorite is smoked salmon with skin or peppered mackeral, yum!!!!
 
We love the skin on fish...especially from the fish and chip shop...battered fish with the skin left on is great :yum:
 
I love fish skin, especially when crispy. Wouldn't be surprised that in a few years time it will be deemed healthy - the health benefits overcoming the downside.

I read somewhere that the thoughts on eggs have now changed and they are good for you:angel:.
 
Wouldn't be surprised that in a few years time it will be deemed healthy - the health benefits overcoming the downside.
Isn't that the truth, acer. Like coconut oil on movie popcorn was taboo and is now a must have for the health nuts. And coffee changes daily it seems. And we used to limit our day to 3 meals a day but now it should be 5. Diet soda was suppose to be good for your diet and now it actually makes you gain weight, destroys DNA, kidney function, etc etc. You just never know for sure.
 
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New convert to crispy skin! Finally took the plunge and tried
making salmon with crispy skin.. Oh boy was that goood!
 
I likes me some crispy skin, too!
Mrs Hoot don't care for the skin, so I get her share as well.

According to Dr. Weil, "both the skin and fat of fish collect toxins that accumulate in the waters of rivers, streams and oceans. These contaminants can also be found in the flesh of fish but not always at levels as concentrated as they are in the skin and fat. For that reason, eating the skin of the fish is not considered healthy. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) advises consumers to remove the skin, fat and internal organs before cooking fish that they've caught in the wild."
I have said this before....It ain't the first time I been told "Hoot, you ought not eat that; it ain't good for you."
 
Skin if it's crispy and "rendered" then it's delicious. Too bad the frequency of that happening outside my kitchen is about as good as the odds of you finding good fish in your supermarket, OP.
 
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Isn't that the truth, acer. Like coconut oil on movie popcorn was taboo and is now a must have for the health nuts. And coffee changes daily it seems. And we used to limit our day to 3 meals a day but now it should be 5. Diet soda was suppose to be good for your diet and now it actually makes you gain weight, destroys DNA, kidney function, etc etc. You just never know for sure.
So, MollyAnne (what a nice name!) are health "nuts" the same as "nazis"? I ask, because my g.d. Sunny, a H.S. senior, is a self professed "food nazi" and would cheerfully demolish your source who claimed that coconut oil is now a "must have". When coconut oil fell into disrepute in the eighties, manufacturers replace it with trans-fats, not knowing that they were equally or more dangerous, but though some of the stigma has been removed from its use, just about all health organizations warn about taking "significant amounts" of the oil. Of course, the problematic word here is "significant". How many movies do you see in a theater per week? DVDs may actually be healthy! :LOL: "Significant amount" also probably applies to the eating of fish skin, too, but I haven't seen any studies suggesting benefits of heavy metals and pesticides!
I suspect that there are two (at least) major problems with evaluating the value of foodstuffs , the tendency of food scientists to study nutrients individually rather than as a part of the food in which they are found, and the public's tendency to parrot the latest guru's claims rather than make an attempt to understand what is being discussed. Everyone, surely, knows the term "omega fatty acids" for the substances derived from fish oil, but most have absolutely no idea what an omega fatty acid is (are there alpha fatty acids, and if not why not and do we really care?), and it is so easy to find out in this age of Professor Google!
Sunny,"The Kid" is a "normal", cute, bouncy teenager, who is currently at a rave in CA. When she gets back, she will regale me with the rave scene, how people liked her new scoodie and hair color, the current status of the proposed medical marijuana clinic shutdown in LA (her card is from AZ, so she doesn't much care), and breaking up with current B.F., but we will also no doubt discuss the current meta analysis("study study") of the health value of fish oils (e.g. Fish Oil No Lifesaver, Study Finds - ABC News, ) and start planning the humongous Thanksgiving dinner that we shall cook for everyone this year.
So yes, a lot of nutritional advice as presented by the popular press is questionable at best, but what we can tell for sure is whether we are healthy or not. I have a fairly large extended family, but the Kid and I are the only two who take sensible care about what we eat, and cook most of our own food, and we are the only two safely within our IBW and without any health issues, so we can use that as a justification for doing what we planned on doing anyway.

Cheers!
 
.. just about all health organizations warn about taking "significant amounts" of the [coconut]oil. Of course, the problematic word here is "significant". How many movies do you see in a theater per week? DVDs may actually be healthy! :LOL: "Significant amount" also probably applies to the eating of fish skin, too, but I haven't seen any studies suggesting benefits of heavy metals and pesticides
Cheers!
haha...you make a good point regarding coconut oil. In fact, I'm enjoying all your posts. Give your g.d. Sunny a high five for me :punk:
 
Skin if it's crispy and "rendered" then it's delicious. Too bad the frequency of that happening outside my kitchen is about as good as the odds of you finding good fish in your supermarket, OP.

I am with you on that one. When the fish is fresh and the skin is crispy I love it. Old fish with rubbery skin is garbage.
 
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