in the Pacific Northwest. In California, it is known most often as “butterfish.” The reason is simple: Few fish are as silky rich in omega-3 fats as the sablefish or black cod.
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Don’t Judge a Fish by Its Skin Color
This deep-dwelling predator is one of only two fish in its genus. The other is sailfish. Sablefish, or black cod, live on the ocean floor and have been found at depths of more than a mile below the surface. The skin of a sablefish is charcoal gray, and the fish itself doesn’t look like much, but this fish is like a diamond ring in a plain brown wrapper.
Sablefish live only in the Northern Pacific, and most are caught in the Bering Sea. Thankfully, they are abundant and because sablefish’s taste and appearance—if not texture—are similar to Chilean sea bass, sable is an environmentally superior choice to sea bass, which is threatened in some fisheries.
In the kitchen, sablefish, or black cod, if you prefer, offers a striking yin-yang appearance—creamy white flesh juxtaposed against black skin.
A Very Forgiving Fish
Sable is versatile, and its high-fat content makes it forgiving to the novice cook because the fat acts as a buffer against overcooking. Its fat content also makes it a prime candidate for smoking.
Beware; this fish has large pin bones, which are curved little bones that run along the fish’s centerline. They need to be removed before you go any further with your preparation. Do this with a pair of needle-nosed pliers.
Sablefish Shines in Preparations and Recipes
As for Sushi or Crude: Do you like the fatty Toro tuna or salmon belly at sushi restaurants? Then you will love sablefish raw. It is also luxurious dressed at the table with a splash of Meyer lemon and sea salt. Don’t use sablefish fillets for crevice, however; that dish goes best with lean fish.On the Grill: Again, the fat is a savior here. It lets you slap a sable fillet on a hot grill without worrying too much about it turning into fish jerky if you look away for too long. But it’s fine texture means you should use a cage or at least have the grill well oiled.
Pan-Roasted: Just a simple sauté lets you savor the depth of sablefish, which offers a richer mouth feel and longer finish than a lean fish does.
Confits: Poach sablefish slowly in olive or some other kind of oil. Think you like slow, oil-poached tuna? Then you will love the same treatment with sablefish.
BUY BLACK COD (SABLEFISH)
Fish can be hard to get exactly right. Luckily for us, there’s an easy option: sablefish. But what is sablefish, and how do I know where to buy sablefish? You’ve already found the answer to the second question here but let me explain more about this fascinating delicacy.
Also known as black cod or black cod sablefish, the sablefish is a predatory dweller of North Pacific Ocean beds. They’re one of two members of the exclusive Anoplopoma Tid family (try saying that three times fast), and when caught from Alaska, are rated Best Choice by the MSC.
