Need Advice - I just bought 2lbs of cod from local supermarket chain, should it smell fishy...

H

hallie-in-fla

Well-known member
It doesn't smell "bad" just fishy. Living in Florida, we usually eat fresh caught or freshly caught and then frozen fish and I've always heard that fish bought at the market should not have a smell, just a faint ocean-y salty smell... but is this true... does cod in particular smell fishier than stuff like tilapia or example. It wasn't cheap.. it was something like $12/lb so I will return if it's gone off, but I didn't want to go up to customer service to return the fish I bought hours ago, to be told that this is they way it's SUPPOSED to smell.

Thanks for your help - I feel like a doorknob!

 
It should not

smell too fishy. If you want to decrease the fishy smell, (and it is not rancid, of course) soak it in milk for 15 mins or so.

 
Hmmm... It's not bad like bait, just fishy... and certainly not a faint briny smell like the

articles always say.. but I think I'll just return it... of course I phone Whole Foods to see if they had any cod... Sure! and it's $3 more a pound.. we may be having chicken for dinner instead!!!

Thanks guys for the quick replies!
Much appreciated -
hallie

 
The local asian market sells certain species live. Not cod, of course.

Having grown up in San Diego for many years, I do know what fresh fish should smell like.

Michael

 
More exactly, "fresh" fish should have no odor.

If you have ever pulled a trout from the water, you know there is no smell.

 
Also, I remember when living in AZ

eating very very fresh shrimp cocktail right out of the sea. Do you ever go down?

 
One person's "fishy" could be different for someone else...

cod is a big sweet hunk of fish. In my experience it is not totally smell-free, but has it's own (not unpleasant)faint aroma. Perhaps "sweeter or richer" than some? Some fish smell like fresh cukes or the ocean (as I read they are supposed to) and some are a bit different. I am willing to bet this cod was maybe OK. Hard to know when your own nose isn't in it. But it should not be a strong bad-fishy odor at all. Or even sort of strong.

 
Well - I returned it - the store manager was horrified when I brought it to the counter - she could

smell it through the bag and apologized profusely. I went to Whole Foods, asked the fish guy if I could smell the cod and he happily obliged... it smelled very fresh... so off i went with 2lbs of fresh cod. It was my first experience cooking with that kind of fish. But I wanted a meaty fish to roast at high temp on a bed of roasted tomatoes corn and onion. I liked the texture, but the fish itself was a little bland. I will need to season the heck out if it next time.

Thanks again for all the feedback.

 
Our seafood counters give a double your money back

if the fish isn't fresh. I have returned a LOT of mussels, unfortunately. I have asked them to PLEASE empty themm out of the bag to see that most (at least) are alive. Sometimes they will and sometimes not. When I say, they are coming back if they aren't alive, they are sometimes convinced.
As for cod, it is very mild. Maybe a Provencal tomato sauce woould be good. Does make good fish tacos.

 
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