Like any other type of food, seafood tastes better when it’s fresh. Unfortunately, the way most people go about buying items at the seafood market—looking into a glass case and pointing to the item they want—isn’t going to help them know for sure that what they’re getting is truly high-quality.

To confirm that you’re buying fresh seafood, you need to handle it up close, looking for these signs:

• The Scent Of The Ocean: Seafood that’s fresh from the water should still smell like the ocean. If it gives off a distinctively “fishy” odor, that means it’s probably old.
• Shiny Skin: When buying a fish whole, the skin should be shiny and have no discolorations. The eyes should also appear clear and bright.
• Resilient Flesh: If the staff at your local seafood market lets you touch the fish, take the opportunity to do so. You want the flesh to be resilient; if you press your finger into the skin and the indent doesn’t go away, the fish is probably too old.
• Tight Shells On Live Shellfish: When buying live shellfish, the shells themselves should be tightly closed. Should you spot one that’s ajar, tap it and see if it closes. If it doesn’t, that usually means the animal has died. This will happen from time to time when purchasing live shellfish, but more than a couple of dead shellfish in your batch likely means the entire bounty is close to death.
• Frozen Shrimp & Scallops: If you live close to a popular shrimping area, you may be able to get fresh scallops and shrimp. Most of the time, though, they're frozen right on the boat. When stores try to make shrimp look fresh, they’ve probably already thawed the seafood out and, as such, the quality is already dissipating. It’s better to buy frozen shrimp. If you’re interested in purchasing frozen scallops, always look for a “dry packed” label on the package. Scallops that are wet packed contain chemical additives that affect the taste and texture of the meat.

Selling only the best seafood in the area, Billy’s Seafood in Bon Secour, AL, is the go-to spot for delicious fish. Contact them online to learn more about what they offer, or call (251) 949-6288.