The benefits of dry-aging fish
Artisanal fish vendors like those at The Joint in Los Angeles are driving a debate about how to handle freshly caught fish.
“When tasted side by side with raw, fresh fish, dry-aged fish is packed full of flavor with a notable absence of”
For sushi aficionados, improving upon a well-prepared California roll might seem difficult. However, The Joint, the Los Angeles seafood shop run by Liwei Liao, a former fisherman and lifelong seafood enthusiast, has become known for creating a slogan that stands out among fishmongers: "fresh is boring." With it, he challenges the established paradigms of the industry.
While some may be hesitant about eating cured fish, dry-aged fish, when properly processed, can have a richer, more intense flavor and be more tender than fresh fish, according to Wild and Whole Sourced. Compared to raw, fresh fish, dry-aged fish is bursting with flavor and noticeably lacks that fishy aftertaste.
The technique is inspired by the dry-aging of beef cuts and the Japanese practice of aging fish, which has been carried out for hundreds of years. According to Food Beast, more and more chefs, seafood vendors, home cooks, and fish enthusiasts are beginning to understand its advantages.
Chef Ben Steigers of PABU restaurant in Boston also dry-ages his fish before preparing sushi and sashimi. According to Steigers, as reported by The Manual, aging allows the amino acids in the fish to break down, transforming the proteins, glycogen, and fats into more pleasing sweet and umami flavors.
As the chef explained, meaty fish like jack mackerel or snapper benefit especially because their muscle fibers relax during maturation. The result is a much more tender texture that melts in your mouth.
Besides a more flavorful and umami-rich cut, dry-aged fish can help vendors run a zero-waste business. Unlike fresh fish, which deteriorates over time, dry-aged fish typically improves with age, allowing vendors like Liao to sell it before it expires, according to Food & Wine.
For the home cook, starting with an exceptional cut of dry-aged fish means less preparation work and simplifies the routine of weekday fish dinners.