Seafood may be one of the most polarizing foods out there. Some enjoy it, while others dislike it.
Some people have always loved fish; perhaps you fall into this category if you grew up in an area where fresh seafood was available all year.
Many of us grow up disliking oysters, only to learn one day that we enjoy them despite purposefully avoiding them our entire lives.
Others, however, can never get over their dislike for the fishy, salty delicacy that seafood lovers go great distances for.
However, if you’re like most people, you probably prefer certain types of seafood over others. We took it upon ourselves to rate some of the most popular types of seafood.
We began with the ones we didn’t particularly enjoy and worked our way up to our favorites. Of course, this is a personal ranking; you know better what type of seafood you prefer.
However, our ranking may prompt you to reconsider your fish supper options. Let’s get started.
What is Seafood?
The term “seafood” is part of the gastronomic terminology and it refers to all edible marine species with various features, rather than just one sort of seafood.
Types of Seafood
1. Anchovies
This may be an extremely hot viewpoint, but we must tell the truth. Anchovies are considered the pinnacle of seafood for several reasons.
First and foremost, wild-caught anchovies are a relatively sustainable fish choice, according to NOAA Fisheries.
They are not overfished and do not produce a large amount of bycatch. However, it is not solely about sustainability concerns. Anchovies also pack a lot of flavor in a small container.
They can be eaten on their own or with crackers or chips for a blast of rich umami taste, or they can be boiled down and used in almost any savory meal.
If you truly want to raise your seafood game, have a can in your cupboard at all times and add it to anything you’re cooking for a taste boost. If you’re not used to cooking with them, you might be surprised at how wonderful the results are.
2. Sea urchin
The late Anthony Bourdain, in one of his interviews, said that on his first or second date with a woman, he would take her to a great sushi restaurant and have uni, often known as sea urchin roe.
Why? According to Bourdain’s interview, “If she’s immune to the charms of sea urchin roe or unwilling to try it, there’s no hope.” It appears that we are not Bourdain’s type.
Sea urchin roe is stunning: shining orange heaps of soft eggs, just screaming to be pulled out of their spiny black cages.
Scoop some out with a spoon and taste it, and you’ll get a wet, seawater-y lump on your tongue.
Fortunately, you don’t have to chew much before swallowing it, although the few seconds the uni rolls around in your mouth aren’t really pleasant, if you ask us.
3. Catfish
Is catfish our favorite seafood? Not. As bottom feeders, saltwater catfish are very fishy and salty, which is not to everyone’s liking.
There are far milder white fish out there that are far more adaptable than catfish. When cooked properly (i.e., breaded and fried to perfection), it can be quite tasty.
After all, if you enjoy fish, you’re unlikely to turn down a fish-and-chips offer. However, catfish is generally poorly prepared, which is why it ranks low on our list.
If you know how to prepare catfish well, don’t let our ranking discourage you from frying some at home. Because hardly everyone enjoys catfish, it is frequently available at a low cost.
4. Crab
Crab meat can be tasty, even a delicacy—which is why so many of us spend hours at the dinner table debating how to extract those few precious morsels of meat from a crab’s hard shell.
If you ask us, it’s simply not worth the effort. Do you want to eat food that requires a tool to access?
It can be difficult to crack open crab legs and once done, you obtain very little flesh for your efforts.
Furthermore, many crab dishes lack flavor. It’s slightly salty, so we have to soak the meat in butter or season it with herbs and spices to make it more appealing. Unless we’re talking about flawlessly fried soft-shell crab, it’s simply not worth the effort.
5. Tilapia
Doesn’t everyone enjoy tilapia? Yes, this is the problem. Tilapia is almost always available in restaurants and frozen food groceries, thanks to its mild flavor.
It’s just simple white fish, but the other items it’s served with provide a lot of flavor. As a result, we just cannot rank it that high.
However, the most appealing aspect of tilapia is its versatility. Whether you fry or poach your tilapia, it will probably taste wonderful.
If you want to incorporate more fish into your diet but don’t enjoy seafood, tilapia may be the way to go. However, if you enjoy eating fish, tilapia may appear bland if consumed regularly.
6. Lobster
Back then, lobster was regarded as so unappealing that it was fed to prisoners. Several of the detainees thought it was cruel and unusual punishment to be forced to eat so much.
Of course, circumstances have evolved and lobster is now regarded as a delicacy.
However, this is more of an economic issue than a personal preference. Lobster is pricey, so it represents prestige.
However, if you eat some lobster and pay attention, you will realize that it does not taste like anything at all.
Sure, lobster can be tasty, but only when it’s smeared in mayonnaise or topped with butter. And when you consider the price, you have to wonder if it’s even worth it.
We wouldn’t reject a lobster if someone offered it to us, but we wouldn’t go out of our way to spend a lot of money on it.
7. Shrimp
Shrimp is the most popular seafood in the United States, which surprised us. That’s because shrimp has a distinctive touch that doesn’t appeal to everyone.
It’s meaty, and biting into cooked shrimp requires diners to confront the bouncy texture head-on.
For some of us, the texture is very appealing, and it complements the shrimp’s mild flavor. Shrimp haters, on the other hand, despise the texture and prefer the less-hard flesh of other fish.
Because shrimp has such a mild flavor, the enjoyment primarily stems from the other ingredients.
Shrimp with chili sauce and aromatics is a dream come true, but what about fried shrimp? We could take or leave it. Because of its adaptability and general popularity, shrimp rank near the center of our list.
8. Caviar
Caviar is one of the world’s most well-known luxury food products, so you may have anticipated it to be near the top of our ranking.
However, price is not always associated with value, which is why caviar is in the middle of our list.
Sturgeon fish eggs have a salty and fishy flavor, which we enjoy but not everyone does. The true thrill of caviar, however, may just be the texture: the small balls roll about on your tongue, creating an undoubtedly pleasurable dining experience.
However, we cannot put caviar higher on our list in good conscience because it is so expensive.
If you can sample caviar without spending a lot of money, you should—it’s fantastic. However, most of the time, we don’t believe it’s worth the exorbitant price.
9. Sardines
It’s no secret that fish isn’t the most sustainable food option on the market. If you still want to consume seafood but want to find more sustainable options, consider sardines.
Smaller fish, such as sardines, are substantially more sustainable than larger fish, such as tuna and salmon, making them an excellent choice if you’re concerned about the environmental impact of your diet.
But we adore sardines for more than simply their sustainability. Their extremely salty flavor can enhance almost any cuisine.
Add some sardines to your spaghetti for a quick pantry meal or break them up and spread them on toast with tomato and garlic for a painfully simple (but unexpectedly elegant) lunch.
10. Oysters
There are few things better than slurping down oysters with a glass of sparkling champagne in hand, especially if you’re sitting somewhere, viewing the ocean.
Some people are put off by the sight of raw oysters, but once you taste the super-salty juice and the slippery texture, you’ll understand why they’re such a popular delicacy.
Few dishes deliver so much flavor in a single bite. Yes, you can serve raw oysters with accompaniments, but they aren’t necessary; raw oysters are delicious on their own.
Of course, you don’t have to eat oysters raw to enjoy all of their benefits. Grilled or baked oysters, topped with cheese and chives, can be just as wonderful as raw oysters.
Conclusion
In conclusion, seafood is a healthy food category with different flavor options. This is a food for everyone that has several health benefits, including elements that improve the brain, heart and overall wellness of the body.
However, the different types of seafood mentioned in this article have their own health benefits so when selecting the type of seafood to eat, it’s important to consider sustainability in order to safeguard marine ecosystems.
