Currents How to Freeze Your Fresh North Carolina Seafood BY VANDA LEWIS AND BARRY NASH Seafood is an excellent source of flavorful, nutritious protein any time of the year. If you’re limiting shopping trips during the COVID-19 pandemic, consider freezing some of your fresh seafood purchases for later enjoyment. “I often use fresh North Carolina seafood immediately to test recipes for our Mariner’s Menu blog, but I also freeze some that same day to test more recipes later,” says North Carolina Sea Grant’s Vanda Lewis. FINFISH Fish have varying amounts of fat content, depending on the species. The leanest fish, such as flounder, have a white- or light-colored flesh, while fattier fish, such as salmon or mackerel, usually have a darker hue. The list below shows the average total fat content in a three-ounce serving of common finfish: High Fat (10 grams or greater) Herring, mackerel, salmon (Atlantic, coho, sockeye, chinook) Medium Fat (5 to 10 grams)
SHELLFISH
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Clams and oysters are best if frozen in their shells, which makes them easier to shuck with no loss of juice. Thoroughly wash the shells and place live shellfish in moisture vapor-resistant bags if you have
