Halibut…. The Real Chicken of the Sea!

Most people that I know that DON’T like halibut, me included, is because it doesn’t taste enough like fish.  However, for the many out there that are not fond of fish, this is the perfect flavor profile for you.  It is a white meat, very mild, and if it isn’t overcooked it will be moist.  My youngest son who doesn’t like fish, at all.  I once told him to try these “chicken nuggets” that I had fried up.  He liked it a lot.  Not sure I ever told him it was really halibut. 

Halibut season in Alaska traditionally opens March 15.  Just like salmon, the halibut fishery is strictly managed. It is really cool how they have managed this since 1993. The opening of the fishery is determined by fish counts by NOAA, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, who then in turn will issue IFQ, Individual Fishing Quotas, to eligible fisherman. Those to whom IFQ permits are issued may harvest their annual allocation at any time during the 8 months of the season.  There is no rush for first of the season catch anymore.

The good news is that the Alaska Halibut season opened early this year, March 6^th.  That is a sign that the number of harvestable halibut is up this year.  That’s always good to hear.  They have also loosened a couple of tight restrictions to encourage more fishing.  This does not happen often at all. 

Halibut are a part of the flounder family, cousins to Dover Sole and Petrale Sole, fish popular here in the Pacific Northwest.  Popular on the east coast is flounder, another cousin.  Halibut is also known as turbot.  They are all a flatfish, with different flavor profiles and textures, but the main difference is size.  The Atlantic halibut is one of the largest of the flatfish, often getting to 15 feet in length.   The highest recorded weight was over 600 lbs.!  In Alaska anything over 100 lbs. is called a barn door.

Our local New Seasons Market has a whole halibut sale in the spring. Most of them are in the 10-15 lb. range.  The best thing about it is they will cut and wrap for the freezer for you just the way you like, whether it is fillets or even steaks for the grill.  Some people even keep their bones and boil it for a delicious fish bone broth.

A very unique thing about Halibut, is that their eyes “migrate” across their face until both eyes are on the same side.  They are born looking like any other fish, but as they mature the eyes move to one side and Halibut are usually right-facing.  Halibut are bottom fish, spending much of their time on the bottom of the ocean floor, hiding from predators in the sandy bottom.  Occasionally though, halibut are known to leave the bottom of the ocean and feed on higher swimming fish, such as salmon and herring. 

Halibut is a wonderful protein source, low in calories and high in nutrients.  While not quite as high in Omega 3’s as salmon, mackerel, or sardines, it is one of the top 8 fish for this nutrient.  A 4 oz portion of Alaskan halibut is a mere 125 calories and offers 19 grams of protein. Halibut is also high in potassium with 435 milligrams per serving.

Commercial halibut fishing is done by longline, a commercial fishing technique used by commercial fishermen in which a long line is baited with multiple hooks and placed at the bottom of the ocean where the halibut are.  I did watch a YouTube video; it is a lot of work!!  They did mention at the end of the video about their quota for the season, and there are heavy fines if you go over your quota by more than 10%.

The Marine Stewardship council has certified the Alaskan Halibut fisheries scoring them against the three principles of the MSC Fisheries Standard:

• Principle 1 Sustainability of the stock: fisheries must operate in a way that allows fishing to continue indefinitely, without overexploiting the resource
• Principle 2 Ecosystem impacts: Fishing operations need to be managed to maintain the structure, productivity, function and diversity of the ecosystem upon which the fishery depends, including other species and habitats
• Principle 3 Effective management: All fisheries need to meet all local, national and international laws and have an effective management system in place
• This I copied from the MSV website.  www.msc.org

Also remember to check the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch, www.seafoodwatch.org.  There are some species of halibut and flounder that are ranked red, probably because of the catch method.  It is important to know what you are buying and find a trusted seafood counter to buy your seafood from. If you have a favorite place, feel free to share it in the comments below. 

And then there is the price! I had customers in the past say “it would be cheaper to go to Alaska and fish for it myself”. I did the math, not true, lol.  Halibut is in high demand, which always brings a higher price.  Also, the IFQ program mentioned before keeps the price steady throughout the season.  The other day I bought a 4 oz piece of fresh Halibut, $35/lb.  OUCH!   But what I did with it, WOW!

Now I know I did say I didn’t care for halibut, and it is true compared to other fish with a bolder flavor. So if I am going to eat halibut, I just cook it with a recipe with bold flavors added, like the Blue Cheese and Bacon Stuffed Halibut I cooked last night.  I had it once in a restaurant and it is now my favorite way to prepare halibut. BTW, Cod is a very good substitute for hallibut if your pockbook is objecting to the halbut price tag!

Blue Cheese and Bacon Stuffed Halibut

Ingredients:

4 4oz fillets of fresh Alaskan Halibut **

4 slices of bacon. Cooked and crumbled

1 cube butter softened

4 oz of blue Cheese

2 tbs. chopped chives

Pepper to taste

• Cut a pocket in the top, or side if you prefer, of each of the halibut fillets.
• Mix together the softened butter, bacon, blue cheese and chives until through blended together.
• Use ¼ portion of the stuffing and fill the pocket of the fillet, and a good portion topping the fillet
• I garnished it with some more chives.
• I cooked it in the air fryer, 390 degrees, 8 minutes.  It was perfect.
• To bake I recommend 375 degrees for  15 minutes. 

** I usually recommend fresh fish, not all fish freezes well.  However, my experience has been Halibut freezes very well, and looses no flavor.  So if you find a good deal on frozen fillets, or choose to buy one whole and freeze the portions, it works.

Halibut Steaks on the Gril

Halibut is not a bony fish like others with the pin bones. A halibut steak only has 1 bone going through it, so it holds together well for grilling. 

Ingredients:

3 Tbs. lemon juice

3 Tbs. Extra virgin olive oil

3 Tbs. Balsamic vinegar

1 Tbs. Fresh Rosemary

4 halibut steaks approx. 6-8 oz each about an inch thick

Salt and pepper to taste

Lemon wedges

• Combine first 4 ingredients and mix well in a shallow dish (I use an 8×8 glass dish). Add Halibut, coat and marinate 30 minutes on each side.
• Heat grill to high. Salt and pepper steak just before placing on grill. Cook 4 minutes per side. Flip it once only.
• Serve with lemon or lime wedges.

Halibut Fish Tacos

Air frying the halibut pieces is easy, but the kicker to this is a recipe I have taken from Bobby Flay.  Load the air fryed halibut pieces into a tortilla, (my preference is corn) and then top with this Cole Slaw, WOW.  It is a family favorite.

1 lb halibut fill, cut into 1 inch squares

Butter flavored cooking spray to coat halibut

3 tbs taco seasoning

• Mix all 3 ingredients together in a bowl, coating the halibut pieces
• Place coated halibut in air fryer single layer. 
• Cook at 390 degrees 6 minutes, turning after 3 minutes.
• Steam or fry corn tortillas.
• Fill tortillas with halibut, top with Bobby’s Cole Slaw!!  Yummy!

SMOKED CHILE COLE SLAW

Provided by Bobby Flay

Time 30m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 10

• Ingredients

1/2 cup Hellmann’s® or Best Foods® Real Mayonnaise
2 Tbsp. chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
2 tsp. honey
1 tsp. ground cumin
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 medium head green cabbage, finely shredded
2 large carrots, finely shredded
1 small onion, halved and thinly sliced
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Steps:

• Combine Hellmann’s® or Best Foods® Real Mayonnaise, chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, lime juice, honey and cumin in large bowl. Season, if desired, with salt and black pepper. Stir in remaining ingredients. Cover and refrigerate at least 20 minutes before serving.

Please let me know if you try and enjoy any of these recipes!  Please comment below “just for the Halibut”  Thanks