Why You Should Always Ask Your Fishmonger To Descale Your Fish

If you aren't already acquainted with your local fishmonger, you owe it to yourself to find a good one in your area. It's perfectly fine to buy fish at a grocery store, but if you have the option, a fishmonger will likely provide you with a better product. Buying locally ensures that your fish is fresh, and there's even a chance that it was caught not far from where you live. You'll also probably find a greater variety of fish at a dedicated fishmonger than you will at the average grocery store. But the best part of all is that a fishmonger can provide additional services to help prepare your fish, and the most important one to take advantage of is descaling.

Joe Gurrera knows a thing or two about descaling fish. The owner of East Coast fish market Citarella, Gurrera was raised in the seafood industry, and with four decades of experience under his belt, he knows everything a fishmonger has to offer. Chowhound spoke to Gurrera about the ins and outs of descaling, and he stressed that it is an essential step for anyone who enjoys some crispy skin on their fish. "If you're going to eat the skin, make sure your fishmonger scales the fish". According to Gurrera, all you need to do is ask a fishmonger to clean the fish. They can take it from there, and you'll be left with clean, descaled fish skin to cook with.

The reason descaling is so essential is that it exposes the fish's skin so you can cook and eat it entirely. Fish skin is often overlooked in the culinary world, but it has an enthusiastic fanbase. For one, legendary chef José Andrés thinks it's the best part of grilled fish. Skin also plays an important role in cooking fish. Removing the skin entirely is the biggest mistake people make with salmon because you need it to control the cooking and keep the fish from falling apart.

On top of that, fish skin is packed with important nutrients. As Joe Gurrera explains, "It happens to be rich in omega-3 fatty acids, making it good for your heart". He uses high heat to get the ideal texture on his fish skin. "I broil my Norwegian salmon fillet with the skin side up so it gets nice and crispy," he notes.

It is technically possible to descale fish at home, but it's a lot of extra effort. The pros have special tools for the job, including descaling instruments that make quick work of any fish. Unless you happen to have one of these on hand, you'll be left using a regular kitchen knife or trying to descale your fish with a spoon, which is much slower and can also rip up the fish's flesh, making it difficult to cook and eat. Leave this task for the pros, and ask your fishmonger to clean the catch instead.