Products | Fresh and Frozen | Black Cod

Black Cod, Sablefish

(Anoplopoma fimbria)

Physical characteristics:

Seasonality: March-November

Major catch areas: Alaska

Harvest method:

Product forms:

• Fresh: Most commonly sold product forms are fresh fillets, either skin-on or skin-off, and either bone-in or boneless. Fresh fillets are "candled" or scrutinized on a light table before packing to detect any worms that need to be removed. Other fresh product forms include dressed headless and round (not dressed). Further, fresh roe and milt, cheeks and tongues are sold in some export and specialty markets.
• Frozen: Most common product forms are fillets, either boneless or bone-in, grade 4-8 ounce, 8-16 ounce, 16-32 ounce and 32/+ ounce. Fillets can be packed either IQF, shatter-pack or layer pack. Other product forms include frozen round or frozen dressed cod, size grade -/2#, 2/3#, 3/4#, 4/5#, 5/7# and 7#/+ sizes. Cod blocks (frozen blocks of fillets and fillet pieces) are also sold for further processing, as is cod mince (fine pieces or flakes of flesh removed from the carcasses after filleting). Both block and mince are re-processed into breaded products.
• Value-added: IQF boneless loins and tail portions, packed in 2 ounce through 8 ounce increments, breaded cod portions, fish sticks, and salted products, lutefisk.

Flavor/texture profile: Black cod has a sweet, delicate, buttery flavor and texture. It is comparable to sea bass and contains high amounts of the long chain omega-3 fatty acids found in salmon.

Notes: