Although it is a protected animal, in fact sharks are still one of the culinary treasures that are popular in various countries. Sea fox sharks, black fin sharks, mako sharks, and bonito sharks are some of the shark species that are commonly marketed as fillets (boneless cuts of meat) or steaks. Interested in processing it? First, soak the fresh fish meat in a bowl of milk to remove the unpleasant aroma. After that, shark meat can be processed in various ways, such as by grilling it, frying it, or serving it raw as ceviche.
Ingredients
Grilled Shark Steak
For: 2 servings
- 1/2 kg shark meat
- 120 ml orange juice
- 30 ml soy sauce
- 15 ml lemon juice
- 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
- 1/4 tsp. pepper
- 15 ml olive oil
Shark Steak with Pan-Seared Technique
For: 4 servings
- 1 kg shark meat
- 30 ml olive oil
- 2 tbsp. butter
- 4 tbsp. Cajun seasoning
- 2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
- 1 lemon, sliced
- 60 ml white wine or broth
Ceviche from Shark
For: 4-8 servings
- 1 kg shark meat
- 120 ml of lime juice
- 120 ml lemon juice
- 75 grams of red onion, diced
- 200 grams of tomatoes, cut into small pieces
- 1 serrano chili, chopped
- 2 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. oregano
- 1 tsp. cayenne pepper
- Salt
- Pepper
- Avocado
- Tortillas
Step
Method 1 of 4: Cleaning and Cutting Shark Flesh
Step 1. Choose good quality shark meat
Remember, shark is very perishable and prone to damage if not treated properly. Therefore, always choose shark meat that is soft and transparent in color; make sure the meat is also chewy, firm, and doesn't tear easily when pressed.
Buy shark meat at a supermarket or fish seller who has a good reputation so that the quality is guaranteed
Step 2. Soak the fish in milk for 4 hours
Put the fish in a container, and pour the milk until the fish is submerged. Soaking fish in milk is mandatory to remove the ammonia smell and fishy taste inherent in fresh shark meat. Generally, a reputable fish seller or supermarket has cleaned the fish meat before selling it. Therefore, there is no need to soak it in milk if the fish flesh does not give off an unpleasant aroma, although you can still do this to maximize the quality of the fish when it is processed.
- Fresh shark meat should be soaked immediately after cleaning. Otherwise, the meat will not be fit to eat.
- Use whatever type of milk is available in your home. Most people choose cow's milk or buttermilk, but you can also use soy milk or even a squeeze of lemon. Compared to buttermilk and lemon juice, plain cow's milk has a lower acidity, making it suitable for processing into various recipes other than ceviche.
Step 3. Remove the fish skin and dark flesh with a sharp knife
The dark flesh is located around the skin of the shark. In addition to containing blood vessels, the meat also emits a very sharp and unpleasant aroma that must be discarded. Most recipes also don't require fish skin, so you can throw it away. If you bought it at the supermarket, chances are that both parts have already been removed by the seller, so you can skip this step.
Fish skin can also be removed after the fish is cooked. Cooking fish with the skin on can make the texture of the fish meat more moist and tender
Step 4. Cut the meat to a thickness of 2.5 to 5 cm
Using a sharp knife, cut the fish meat horizontally to the recommended thickness. Remember, shark meat does not contain a lot of fat so the texture is very easy to dry when cooked.
- To prevent the fish from drying out too much during cooking, try soaking it in the marinade after cutting.
- Although shark is most commonly processed into steaks, actually fish meat can also be cut into small pieces and then processed into kebabs or ceviche.
Method 2 of 4: Making the Grilled Shark
Step 1. Prepare the marinade to season the fish
Don't worry, the options you have for seasoning grilled shark are endless! If you prefer to eat your steak with simple but still delicious spices, try mixing 120 ml of orange juice with 30 ml of soy sauce and 15 ml of lemon juice. After that, add finely chopped 1 clove of garlic, 1/4 tsp. pepper, and 15 ml of olive oil into it.
- Use a bowl large enough for the marinade. If you want, you can also put the pieces of fish meat in a plastic clip, then pour the marinade into it.
- Other seasoning options include paprika, ginger, chili powder, garlic powder, and rice vinegar.
- The ingredients you have are limited? Do not worry! You can still make delicious steaks even if you just coat the fish with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Thus, the fish does not need to be soaked and can be grilled immediately after being coated with spices. To enrich the taste, try serving the steak with a sauce like mango salsa.
Step 2. Put the fish and marinade in the refrigerator, let it rest for at least 30 minutes
Place the fish pieces in a bowl or plastic clip containing the marinade, and make sure the whole fish is coated with the spices. After that, put the bowl in the refrigerator. For best results, turn the fish pieces over every 15 minutes.
At least, soak the fish for 30 minutes. If you don't have time, it's a good idea to soak the fish for 1 to 2 hours to allow the flavors to sink in
Step 3. Heat the greased toaster to medium heat
First, remove the grill bars, then brush or spray them with olive oil. After that, preheat the grill to medium heat (about 180°C). To check the correct temperature, place your hand about 10 cm above the grill. If the heat that comes out only lasts 3-4 seconds, the grill is hot enough to work with.
If the grill is too hot, the fish may burn or become too dry when cooked. If you decide to grill the fish at a different temperature, always keep an eye on the doneness of the fish while it is grilling
Step 4. Bake each side of the fish for 4 to 6 minutes
Don't flip the fish if the grilled side isn't fully cooked, and always use tongs or a spatula to flip the fish. Ripe fish meat will be white and easy to shred. To check for doneness, try chopping or tearing it with a fork.
The length of time the fish is grilled will depend on the conditions of the grill and the thickness of the steak. In general, steaks that are 2.5 cm thick need to bake for 5 minutes on each side
Step 5. Store leftover grilled fish in the refrigerator
Cooked fish meat can last in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. If the grilled fish is not finished eating, immediately transfer it to a plastic clip or special container up to 2 hours after baking. Immediately discard any leftover grilled fish that looks slimy or smells rancid.
Leftover grilled fish can also be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. Don't forget to label the plastic clip or fish storage container with the date when the meat was stored so you know how old it is
Method 3 of 4: Making Shark Steak with the Pan-Seared Technique
Step 1. Put the fish pieces and lemon in the refrigerator; let stand for 30 minutes
First, put the fish pieces and lemon slices in a plastic clip. After that, put the plastic in the refrigerator for 30 minutes so that the lemon juice can be absorbed into the fish.
The age of the fish when caught will affect its taste. Generally, aged shark meat has a more fishy taste, and mixing it with lemon is effective in neutralizing the taste of the fish so it is more delicious when processed
Step 2. Heat olive oil and butter in a skillet over medium heat
Pour 30 ml of olive oil into the skillet, then add 2 tbsp. butter. Heat until the butter is melted and the oil is glossy, and the texture is lighter so that it flows easily all over the bottom of the pan.
- If you want, fish meat can also be baked in the oven. First, preheat the oven to 204°C, then bake the fish for 10 to 12 minutes.
- If the fish is going to be fried, coat it with flour first, then fry it in hot vegetable oil or shortening.
Step 3. Season the meat with salt, pepper and various spices
Place the fish pieces on a flat surface, then coat both sides with the seasoning mixture. If available, add 1 tbsp. cajun seasoning and minced 2 cloves of garlic all over the sides of the fish.
If you don't have cajun seasoning, mix in salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, cayenne pepper, oregano, thyme, and chili powder for a cajun-like flavor
Step 4. Cook each side of the steak for 6 minutes
Place a few pieces of fish in the pan and don't turn them over until the sides of the cooked fish are white and crumbly, a sign that the meat is starting to cook. Once the fish has turned brown, flip the fish over and cook the other side until it reaches the same level of doneness.
- Check for doneness by tearing it with a knife or fork. Make sure the inside of the meat is also well cooked before serving!
- Cooking time really depends on the quality of the oven and the temperature setting you choose.
Step 5. Pour 60 ml of white wine or stock into the pan, stir well to "clean" the remaining crust used to fry the spices and fry the fish
Keep stirring until the liquid has thickened into a sauce and can be poured over the top of the steak.
- Another option you can try: melt 1 tbsp. butter; mix with 250 ml of seasoned rum and squeeze 1 lime.
- If the fish is undercooked but you have limited cooking time, pour in the liquid while the fish is still in the pan.
Step 6. If the fish doesn't finish in one meal, you can store it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days
Previously, put the leftover fish in a plastic clip bag or special container, and label the container if desired. Make sure you also remove any fish residue that looks stale, is slimy, or has a rancid smell.
Fish can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months
Method 4 of 4: Making Ceviche from Shark
Step 1. Cut the fish into 1.5 cm thickness
After the fish is cleaned and cut to the recommended thickness, take a sharp knife and dice the fish to an equivalent size.
Although each piece of fish doesn't have to be exactly the same size, at least don't make pieces that are too big and thick to make the fish cook more easily
Step 2. Coat each piece of fish with orange juice and other seasonings to taste
After that, put all the pieces of fish into a glass or ceramic container. For a classic ceviche, pour 120 ml of the lime and lemon juice mixture into the fish bowl. After that, add 75 grams of red onion pieces and 200 grams of tomato pieces. To season the fish, also add chopped 1 serrano chili, 2 tsp. salt, 1 tsp. oregano, and 1 tsp. cayenne pepper.
- Actually, you can reduce or eliminate the spices recommended in the recipe, and add other spices according to taste. For example, try adding cilantro and cilantro to enhance the taste of the ceviche and skip cayenne pepper if you don't like spicy food.
- The acid content of lime and lemon juice is able to make fish cooked even if it is not cooked at a hot temperature. Don't practice this recipe if you don't like eating raw food.
Step 3. Cover the container with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator
Make sure the container is completely closed so that the flavors of all the spices in it can be combined well. If you cover it with plastic wrap, you will also know the process of cooking the fish, right? Since the fish and the marinade must be stirred periodically, you can also use aluminum foil to make it more practical.
Make sure the fish is well coated with all the spices and lime juice before putting it in the refrigerator
Step 4. Marinate the fish for four hours while continuing to stir periodically
Every hour, remove the plastic wrap and stir the fish to ensure it is cooked through and tastes evenly distributed. Over time, the flesh of the fish will look white and the texture will be crumbly. If you see these signs, it means that the fish can be removed from the refrigerator.
Even though it has not been 4 hours, the fish can be removed from the refrigerator if the color of the meat has turned white
Step 5. Serve the fish pieces with tortillas and other accompaniments
To make ceviche tacos, you can first warm a few tortillas. Other delicious accompaniments paired with ceviche are chopped cilantro and chopped fresh avocado. Make sure you also season the fish with salt and pepper so it doesn't taste bland.
Step 6. Store leftover fish in the refrigerator for up to 1 day
If you want to set aside some of the fish to eat the following days, transfer the portion you want to set aside to another container. Previously, wash each piece of fish to remove the marinade from the surface and stop the fish from cooking. After that, immediately put all the pieces of fish into a plastic clip or other container. If made from fresh shark, ceviche can last up to 3 days in the refrigerator. If your fish looks slimy, stale, or smells bad, throw it away!
Unfortunately, ceviche cannot be frozen because even though it can still be eaten, the taste and quality of the texture will change
Tips
- The taste and texture of shark meat tends to be sweet and tender, almost like swordfish.
- Shark meat should always be cleaned while it is still fresh to remove any traces of the inherent ammonia taste and aroma.
- Marinating shark meat is a very effective way to prevent the texture from drying out when cooked.
- Shark steak can be frozen for up to 2 to 3 months in. Before storing in the freezer, wrap the meat tightly using at least 2 layers of plastic wrap. Before cooking, thaw the meat first by storing it overnight in the refrigerator.
Warning
- The sale of shark fin soup is opposed by many animal rights groups. In some areas, possession of shark fin is even considered illegal. Therefore, understand the applicable laws in the area where you live before buying!
- Because shark meat is prone to very high levels of mercury, it's best to limit its consumption to once or twice a month.
- Most species of shark are endangered. Therefore, make sure you only buy raw materials from sustainable sources.
- Since ceviche contains raw fish, make sure you only use fresh, good-quality shark meat. If you're not used to eating raw fish or are worried about the side effects, you shouldn't need to try the recipe above.
