Louisiana seafood Species GUIDE

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Shannon Owens
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1 Louisiana seafood Species GUIDE

2 PlENTy TO CELEBRATE All year long, the unique ecology of Louisiana produces an incredible variety and an incredible amount of the highest quality seafood on the market. Located where America s greatest river system finds its way into the Gulf of Mexico, Louisiana is naturally inclined toward biodiversity and its stunningly abundant seafood array is proof. Louisiana is the largest producer of shrimp, crawfish and oysters and one of the leading producers of crab in the country. And catfish, grouper, red snapper, trout, black drum, amberjack and cobia are just a few of the finfish species thriving in the state s nutrient-rich waters. There s always plenty of seafood to go around, and sharing our diverse bounty with the rest of the country just comes naturally. Read on for more about what makes Louisiana Seafood such a premium American product.

3 WHY BUY Louisiana seafood WHERE ECOLOGY MEETS QUALITY The quality of all seafood is directly tied to its environment. Think of it like wine, where landscape and climate dramatically affect the flavor of the final product. The unique ecology and fishery of Louisiana give our seafood a flavor that s undeniably better than what you ll find in other regions. Essentially, Louisiana hit the geography jackpot, and we want to share our bounty with the world. The flavor of Louisiana Seafood is world-renowned, but even more important than flavor is safety. Some imported seafood has been found to have contaminants and antibiotics that you won t find in Louisiana Seafood. The health of Louisiana s ecology ensures that our seafood thrives naturally. So when American businesses offer Louisiana Seafood to their customers, they re making a conscious choice to pass over poorquality imports in favor of an unparalleled American product. YOUR BOTTOM LINE So you know that Louisiana Seafood is prized around the world for its superior flavor, quality and variety. But what does that mean to you? It means you re able to serve higher quality seafood to your customers, and they are willing to pay more for that seafood as a result. And Louisiana s unique ecology delivers both quality and abundance, so your base cost is controlled while your retail cost is justifiable. Louisiana s vibrant fishing industry not only provides jobs, income and tax revenue, but also generates innovations that protect Louisiana s coastlines and help keep our waters pristine so we can continue to provide the world with a premium, sustainable seafood product. So when you choose Louisiana Seafood, you re helping to ensure an uninterrupted supply of these quality products well into the future.

4 OYSTERS - fine brine - SHRIMP - small wonders - LOUISIANA BOUNTY CRAB - sweet eats - CRAWFISH - crowd pleasers - FISH - variety packed - ALLIGATOR - mighty meaty -

5 The flavor of Gulf oysters is unmatched by those found elsewhere in the U.S. The combination of fresh water from the Mississippi River and salt water from the Gulf of Mexico generates the most complex and pleasing flavor of all oysters. GREEN TAG Post-Harvest Treated Oysters must be consumed fully cooked. Oysters BUYING OPTIONS Natural, fresh oysters are available from private and public Louisiana reefs. Pressurized, pasteurized, frozen and irradiated are all options for those who want post-harvest treated oysters. All forms can be purchased in either in-shell containers, shucked in gallon containers or other specialized packaging. In-shell oysters are sold fresh and unopened or frozen on the half shell. Shucked oysters are available in 5-pound frozen blocks, individually quick frozen or refrigerated in their own liquor. Pasteurized oysters are flash-heated and then cooled before shipment. LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF WILDLIFE AND FISHERIES WHOLE OYSTER TAGS * LDWF requires oysters to be tagged properly with certain time and temperature requirements. WHITE TAG Raw Stock Oysters are for raw or cooked consumption. PINK TAG In-State Use Only Oysters must be consumed in Louisiana, either raw or cooked. FLAVOR PROFILE Briny yet sweet taste reflecting the natural flavor of the sea. QUANTITIES Oysters are sold by the gallon. Standard: oysters per gallon Select: oysters per gallon Extra Select: oysters per gallon STORAGE & SHELF LIFE Live in-shell oysters should be stored at degrees and sold for consumption within 14 days of harvest. Shucked oysters should be cooked within 14 days of shuck date. Oysters can be frozen in their shells, on the half shell or fully shucked. (Freeze shucked oysters in their liquor.) IDEAL PREPARATIONS In gumbos and pasta dishes, chargrilled, fried, baked or raw. AVAILABLE: Year Round PEAK SEASON: November - June Featured in these favorite recipes FROM LOUISIANASEAFOOD.COM Chargrilled Oysters With Bacon-Anchovy Butter BBQ Oysters with Blue Cheese Dipping Sauce Spinach Salad with Fried Oysters and Bacon-Blue Cheese Vinaigrette BUY.LOUISIANASEAFOOD.COM

6 FLAVOR PROFILE Sweet, savory and clean, with subtle flavor elements resulting from a healthy marine habitat. QUANTITIES Shrimp are sold by size and measured in count per pound means that there are 16 to 20 of that specific shrimp variety per pound. One pound of head-on shrimp will yield roughly two-thirds of a pound with heads removed. Cooking reduces actual shrimp yield. (For example, 10 pounds of shrimp will yield 6 pounds once heads are removed. Once peeled and either fried or sautéed, those 6 pounds will yield about 4 pounds of cooked shrimp.) SHRIMP While six different species are native to Louisiana, more than 90 percent are either white shrimp or brown shrimp. These varieties are noticeably sweeter than imported shrimp. STORAGE & SHELF LIFE To freeze raw shrimp, remove heads and place shellon shrimp in freezer bags with ice water. Shrimp can be frozen for up to 12 months. Cooked shrimp can be refrigerated for up to four days. WHITE SHRIMP Very tender Easy to peel BROWN SHRIMP Firmest texture Very plentiful IDEAL PREPARATIONS Fried, grilled, stuffed, boiled or steamed. Peeled and Deveined Peeled Undeveined Dried BUYING OPTIONS Head-On (Whole) Shell-On (Headless) Tail-On (Headless) Shrimp are available in either 5-pound frozen blocks or individually quick frozen. AVAILABLE: Year Round PEAK SEASON: May - November Featured in these favorite recipes FROM LOUISIANASEAFOOD.COM Boiled Shrimp Seafood Okra Gumbo Seafood Corn Bisque BUY.LOUISIANASEAFOOD.COM

7 FLAVOR PROFILE Mild, delicate and sweet, owing to nutrient-rich waters and a thriving habitat. QUANTITIES A bushel of medium blue crabs usually contains between 5 and 6 dozen crabs. Eight crabs serves one adult. One pound of crabmeat serves three to four people. CraB Blue crabs thrive and are abundant in the bayous, inlets and shores of Louisiana, and are one of the most popular of the more than 4,500 species of crabs found worldwide. BUYING OPTIONS Whole crabs can be shipped live, frozen or cooked. Whole softshell crabs are most plentiful in the spring and early summer. Picked crabmeat is sold as jumbo lump, regular lump, claw and cocktail fingers. Gumbo crabs (with shells and gills removed) are for use in seafood gumbo and other soups, as well as for making stock. STORAGE & SHELF LIFE Keep fresh, live crabs well-iced. Crabmeat can be frozen for up to two months. Chill the crabmeat, place in small moisture- and vapor-proof containers and expel any air before sealing and freezing. The shelf life of fresh-picked cooked crabmeat is up to 12 days from the packaging date. IDEAL PREPARATIONS Baked, broiled, boiled, fried or sautéed. AVAILABLE: Year Round PEAK SEASON: May October Featured in these favorite recipes FROM LOUISIANASEAFOOD.COM Old Tyme Cajun Cornbread Casserole Louisiana Crab and Shrimp Gumbo Seafood Okra Gumbo BUY.LOUISIANASEAFOOD.COM

8 FLAVOR PROFILE Rich and savory, yet light with a tender texture. Crawfish Wild crawfish are found throughout the Atchafalaya Basin, where they burrow into the saturated soil of the wetlands and shorelines and thrive in Louisiana s subtropical climate. The time they spend maturing in these waters and feasting on local vegetation and proteins gives Louisiana crawfish an incredible flavor. QUANTITIES Crawfish are classified by size. #1: 15 or fewer crawfish to a pound #2: crawfish per pound #3: 21 or more crawfish per pound Ten pounds of whole crawfish yields 1-1/2 pounds of tail meat. A serving size of boiled crawfish is 5 to 7 pounds. STORAGE & SHELF LIFE Live crawfish should be kept in refrigerated coolers and can be stored for up to five days. Cooked, deveined tail meat can be frozen for several months. Place tail meat in small containers and expel all air before sealing and freezing. Use cooked tail meat within a day or two after peeling. IDEAL PREPARATIONS Baked, fried, sautéed or boiled. BUYING OPTIONS Live crawfish are typically packaged in plastic mesh sacks at about 35 pounds each. Tail meat is typically sold cleaned, deveined and flash-frozen in 1-to-5 pound bags. Frozen crawfish are available year-round. Live, fresh crawfish are available during peak season, and there is limited availability of live or boiled crawfish out of season. AVAILABLE: Year Round PEAK SEASON: April June Featured in these favorite recipes FROM LOUISIANASEAFOOD.COM Crawfish Baked Macaroni and Cheese Crawfish Boudin Louisiana Crawfish Pies BUY.LOUISIANASEAFOOD.COM

9 FLAVOR PROFILE Varies widely from species to species. QUANTITIES Generally speaking, 1 pound of fresh fish will serve three to four people. Fish Louisiana s fertile coastal marshes, Gulf of Mexico estuaries and freshwater ponds and rivers generate an array of fish species as wide as the mouth of the mighty Mississippi. More than 100 individual types of fish call Louisiana home, which means there s a year-round bounty of the freshest catches waiting in our waters. STORAGE & SHELF LIFE Use fresh fish within two days of purchase. Fish will keep frozen for three to four months. Thaw fish in refrigerator for a day before using. Cooked fish will keep in the refrigerator for up to four days, and will keep frozen for one month. VARIETIES INCLUDE: Catfish Sheepshead Black Drum Tuna Red Snapper Grouper IDEAL PREPARATIONS Baked, broiled, blackened, grilled or fried. AVAILABLE: Year Round PEAK SEASON: Varies by Species Whole Round (Head-on and not gutted) Whole (Gutted) Headless and Gutless Fillets BUYING OPTIONS Available either fresh or frozen, depending on the season. Featured in these favorite recipes FROM LOUISIANASEAFOOD.COM Smoked Gulf Tuna Niçoise Gulf Fish Lyonnaise Italian Seared Grouper BUY.LOUISIANASEAFOOD.COM

10 FLAVOR PROFILE Succulent, lean and mild, with a versatility that allows for use in a broad range of recipes. QUANTITIES Alligator meat is usually sold in fillets, and you ll want roughly one quarter-pound to one third-pound per person. STORAGE & SHELF LIFE Fresh alligator may be refrigerated in its original packaging for up to 12 days. Alligator While it was once a novelty, alligator is now fairly common in Louisiana kitchens. The flavor is mild, and the texture is similar to chicken or pork, allowing the meat to be used in recipes across all cuisines. Unlike other proteins like beef or pork where the meat is streaked through with fat, the fat of an alligator is independent from the meat. It is high in protein and very low in calories, fat, saturated fat and cholesterol. Alligator meat should have all fat removed before cooking or freezing, and it may be frozen for up to a year. Cooked alligator can be stored in the refrigerator for about three days. IDEAL PREPARATIONS Seared, blackened, grilled or fried. AVAILABLE: Year Round PEAK SEASON: September White meat or dark BUYING OPTIONS Tail and body meat are white to pink in color and more tender in texture, while leg meat is slightly redder and tougher. Available either fresh or frozen, depending on the season. Featured in these favorite recipes FROM LOUISIANASEAFOOD.COM Blackened Louisiana Alligator Sliders Alligator Creole Stew Smothered Louisiana Alligator with Brown Rice BUY.LOUISIANASEAFOOD.COM

12 Visit Buy.LouisianaSeafood.com to find a supplier for your Louisiana Seafood order and to learn how you can take advantage of our co-marketing incentives for your business. For more on our species, our ecology and what makes our seafood so special, visit LouisianaSeafood.com.

13 BUY.LOUISIANASEAFOOD.COM

MULATE S The Original Cajun Restaurant

MULATE S The Original Cajun Restaurant Hors D oeuvres Tray Passed 50 piece minimum per item Priced by the piece Cold Hors D oeuvres Deviled Egg $4 Deviled Egg with Shrimp $5 Jumbo Lump Crabmeat Ravigote on Endive $5 Chicken Salad in Petite