mackerel and herring remain in good
condition on ice for only five days, cod and
salmon for eight, trout for 15, carp and tilapia
(a freshwater African native) for 20 days.
The Sensitivity and Fragility
of Fish in the Pan
Most fish pose a double challenge in the
kitchen. They are more easily overcooked to a
dry fibrousness than ordinary meats. And even
when they’re perfectly done, their flesh is
very fragile and tends to fall apart when
moved from pan or grill to plate. The
sensitivity of fish to heat is related to their
perishability: muscle fibers that are
specialized to work well in the cold not only
spoil at lower temperatures, they become
cooked at lower temperatures. The muscle
proteins of ocean fish begin to unfold and
coagulate at room temperature!
Though overcooked fish gets dry, it never