How to choose the right herring?

Fresh herring can be sold chilled or frozen. The choice of this fish implies compliance with some rules, depending on the form in which it is purchased. It is not difficult to assess its quality, but you will have to spend some time on a thorough inspection of the option available on the market.

Fresh herring can be sold:

• whole and chilled (gutted or with entrails);
• in packages (most often such fish has already been gutted);
• frozen whole or cut into pieces.

How to choose a herring

If the belly of the herring is voluminous, then this is a sign of the presence of caviar. Buying such fish can turn into purchasing two products at the same time. It is important that a well-fed herring does not have blotches or spots on the belly. Such signs often characterize fish affected by disease.

What kind of herring can you buy:

• when choosing a chilled herring, it is imperative to check its elasticity (this is checked by simply pressing a finger on the skin, if no dents remain, then the fish is fresh);
• when buying herring, it is better to give preference to the largest individuals (small fish not only have less pronounced taste characteristics, but also create a lot of difficulties when cutting it due to the large number of bones);
• it is recommended to buy fresh herring uncut (the process of gutting it will take a lot of time, but such fish will be the tastiest and highest quality);
• it is better to buy frozen herring only if absolutely necessary (the fish must be packed at least in cling film);
• when choosing a herring, it is better to give preference to more meaty and well-fed individuals (such a herring is always tastier);
• there should not be even the slightest defects (spots, damage, plaque or dirt) on the skin of the herring;
• the eyes of the herring should be light, clean and without a cloudy film;
• there should be no mucus on the surface of the herring (a dry surface should also be a reason for refusing to buy, fresh fish is always slightly wet);
• the back area of ​​the herring is always darker than the abdomen (at the same time, characteristic spots are clearly visible, the color of which should not differ from the dorsal part);
• the skin of a fresh herring always shines (a dull shade indicates its long-term and improper storage);
• scales, tail and fins of high-quality herring are always intact (if the fins and tail are missing or torn, then the fish was transported and stored incorrectly);
• the aroma of the herring is specific, but it should not be suspicious (if there are suspicions about the staleness of the fish, then it should not be bought in any case).

If the herring is bought frozen, then it is necessary to carefully examine the available ice or snow (there should be a minimum amount of ice and snow, and there should be no streaks on their surface). Frozen fish should be free of debris, and its appearance should also not raise suspicions of staleness.

What herring is not worth buying:

• if, when pressing on the skin of a cooled herring, a dent remains, then the fish is not fresh;
• the presence of a sour or unpleasant odor is a sign of spoilage of the fish;
• mucus or plaque on the skin of the fish should be a reason to refuse to buy it;
• any blotches or spots on the skin of the herring that differ from its traditional color are signs of diseases;
• frozen herring must be intact (if “broken” specimens are noticeable, then in no case should you buy them);
• you should not buy frozen herring without packaging (labels with the date of packaging must be required);
• yellow bloom always indicates staleness of the fish (when freezing, it indicates repeated defrosting, and on fresh fish it is a sign of the beginning of the rotting process).

If the herring is bought in salted form, then the degree of its salinity can be determined by the eyes. The redder the area around the pupils, the less salt the fish will contain.