Halibut fish

Among all commercial fish, the most interesting and unusual are flounder and their relative, halibut. This is an inhabitant of the northern seas with a remarkable appearance and tasty, nutritious meat.

Class	Ray-finned fish
Squad	Flounders
Family	Flatfish
Genus	Whitetail, Arrowtooth and Black Halibut
View	Atlantic whitethorn, Pacific whitethorn, Asian arrowtooth, American arrowtooth, blue halibut
Security status	The Atlantic whitetail is listed in the Red Book
Size	Reaches a size of up to 1.5 meters, weighing up to 45 kg
Lifespan	Up to 30 years old
What does it eat?	Fish, shellfish, crustaceans
Optimal feeding time	You can fish from June to October at any time
Enemies	Large marine predators
What do they bite on?	For live bait, silicone fish, fillet pieces

Appearance

Even lovers of fish dishes do not always know what halibut fish looks like. After all, it is most often sold in cut form, as it is large in size. This is the largest representative of flounder. It is sometimes called the giant flounder. And on Sakhalin - a guinea pig.

Like all members of the flounder family, they have a flat, large body. Its peculiarity is that its body is shifted to the right, and on its left side it lies at the bottom. Its abdomen is light silver in color. The right side or back can be olive to dark brown in color. The color depends on the habitat and the color of the bottom.

The size and weight of halibuts depend on the variety. Individuals up to 3 kg are usually found on sale, but in nature they can reach a huge size. All varieties have common features. What does this fish look like:

Halibut family: description, habitats

The halibut family is part of the large order of flounders and includes 3 genera, consisting of 5 species of fish. They all live in the northern seas of Russia and have common external features, so the description of halibut fish is largely similar:

flat elongated diamond-shaped body;
asymmetrical skull;
the upper, so-called ocular or sighted side, covered with small dense scales;
close-set eyes and a wide mouth, located with a noticeable shift to the right;
the lower or “blind” side is whitish-gray to pink, rough to the touch;
just above the pectoral fins, on the lateral line, a sharp bend;
short spine near the anus;
a small caudal fin, near which there is a shallow notch.

The photo clearly shows the characteristic features of halibut.

Halibut fish

The only species of flounder, similar in appearance to halibut, but much smaller in size, lives off the coast of Sakhalin and Kamchatka. The fish is called halibut flounder. It grows up to 60 cm, weighs from 1 to 2 kg.

Varieties

There are only 3 genera of halibuts belonging to the flounder family. Halibut-shaped flounders are also similar to them, but they are separated into a separate genus and are not classified as halibuts. Each of these genera contains several species.

There are 5 varieties of halibut in total.

The Atlantic whitetail lives in the Barents and White Seas. This variety is listed in the International Red Book. Prefers to stay at a depth of at least 2 km. The back is painted dark gray or brown. It got its name for its bright white belly and light spots throughout the body. This species is grown in Scotland and Norway.
The Pacific whitetail is the largest representative of the halibut, it can grow up to 4.5 m. The back is spotted, greenish-brown. It lives at a depth of more than a kilometer. It lives off the coast of Kamchatka, Sakhalin, Japan, and North America.
The Asian arrowtooth halibut lives only in the north of the Pacific coast of Asia. Leads a sedentary lifestyle, but often rises to shallow waters. It is not very large and has a gray-brown color. The photo shows its features: two rows of sharp teeth and spiked scales that protect it from predators. There are two nostrils on each side, one of them has a long valve at the bottom.
The American arrowtooth is the smallest representative of halibuts, rarely reaching sizes larger than 50 cm. It lives off the coast of North America. It has a dark brown back and a lilac belly.
Blue-skinned halibut lives in the Sea of Okhotsk and Bering Sea. Well adapted to unfavorable conditions and temperature changes, it can live in very cold water below 00. A photo of blue-skinned halibut shows how it differs from the rest. Its body is not only dark gray on one side. The abdomen is also black and has a blue tint.

What products does it combine with?

Halibut can be served as a separate dish or complemented with other foods.
It goes well with many spices and marinades. Compatibility table with other products

Fine	Ghee, whey, greens, cabbage, carrots, beets, pickles, green vegetables
Acceptable	Rice, buckwheat, lemon, quinoa, tomatoes, butter, vegetable oil, pumpkin, eggplant, zucchini
Badly	Meat, poultry, eggs, mushrooms, cream, sour cream, lard, nuts, seeds, potatoes, dairy products, cheeses, feta cheese, wheat, rye, oats, bread, peas, chickpeas, mung beans, beans, beans, lentils,

Features of behavior and nutrition

All seas where halibut fish are found are located in the north in the waters of the Arctic, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Most often found in the Bering, Okhotsk, Japan and Barents seas. Prefers clean, cold water from 1.5 to 4.50.

Spawning

Halibuts spawn from October to May. They rise to a shallow depth of up to 50 m, where the water temperature does not drop below 20. Fish reproduce from 7-8 years old, females reach sexual maturity later, by 10 years. After spawning, they immediately sink to the bottom and begin to feed heavily.

The female lays more than a million eggs. A photo of halibut fish eggs shows that the eggs are quite large, have a diameter of 3-4 mm, and are light beige in color. They are light, so they gradually rise up and are carried out into shallow water. The fry appear under favorable conditions after 2-6 weeks. They stay in the water until they reach a size of 4 cm, then sink to the bottom. At first they feed on benthos, and as they grow they switch to crustaceans and mollusks.

Reproduction and offspring

Atlantic and other halibuts are predatory fish that reproduce by spawning . Males of this species reach full sexual maturity at seven to eight years of age, and females become sexually mature at about ten years of age. Atlantic halibut spawns at a depth of 300-700 meters at an average temperature of 5-7°C. The spawning period occurs in December-May. Spawning occurs in deep holes located along the coast, or in the so-called fjords.

Atlantic halibut eggs are kept in the thickness of sea waters until the larvae emerge, and one female spawns from 1.3 to 3.5 million eggs, the average diameter of which is 3.5-4.3 mm. The larvae hatch from the eggs after two or three weeks, but at first they try to stay in the water column. Having reached a length of 40 mm, the larvae of Atlantic halibut settle to the bottom.

Females of the Asian arrowtooth halibut reach sexual maturity at 7-10 years of age, and males of this species become sexually mature at 7-9 years of age. Adults spawn in the waters of the Bering Sea from November to February. In the waters of the Sea of Okhotsk, spawning occurs from August to December. Pelagic eggs are laid at a depth of 120-1200 m. Average fertility rates are 220-1385 thousand eggs. The larvae are relatively large in size, thin and long, with spines in the area above the eyes and on the surface of the gill cover.

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How to catch

The fishery is developed only off the coast of Norway. In other places, recreational sport fishing is common. It is best to fish from a boat using special gear. Usually this is a powerful spinning rod with a multiplier reel. The bait must be moving. That's why spinners are used. But the hook is baited with edible bait, most often live bait.

There are certain fishing rules. After all, halibut is a cautious and cunning predator. Therefore, the bait is lowered to the bottom, and then raised a little and slowly moved along it. You need to avoid sudden movements that can scare away the fish. The halibut bites sharply and tugs strongly. Therefore, instead of fishing line, a strong cord with a diameter of 1 mm is used. It is better to take a spare one with you, as breaks are common. It is difficult to pull out even caught fish; long-term fishing is required.

You can also fish with a bottom rod using live bait or a piece of fish. They place the donka in places with a moderate current at a depth of 30-50 m. Fishing for halibut may seem boring to some, as it requires a lot of patience and perseverance.

Attention!
From November to May, during the spawning season, there is a limit on the size and number of fish caught.

Interesting Facts

Halibut fish is very unusual not only in its appearance and behavior. Over many years of observing her, many interesting facts have emerged:

the fry do not differ from ordinary fish, but as they grow, the eyes and mouth move to the right half of the head;
some believe that halibut and sole are the same thing, but they are different fish, differing even in appearance;
Halibut caviar in appearance resembles sturgeon caviar, but is light beige in color, so sometimes it is dyed to pass it off as black;
the Atlantic whitebark species can reach a length of more than 4 m and a weight of 350 kg;
it is one of the most prolific fish;
There are practically no bones in halibut meat.

Halibut is not flounder

There is a common belief that this creature is a flounder of gigantic size. But that's not true. Halibut truly belongs to the order Flounder. Only flounder is more of a distant relative of this marine inhabitant. After all, he is also a representative of the halibut family. This fish is also called sole. This is a more correct name, but it applies to only one species of the entire family - the Dover halibut. This is a small fish that is very rare and is considered a real delicacy. It has nothing to do with the seafood that can often be found on store shelves. A common resident of freshwater rivers, pangasius, is sold under this name.

Nutritional value

The meat of this fish is of valuable commercial value. But on an industrial scale it is caught only off the coast of Norway. Valuable nutritional properties, pleasant delicate taste and almost complete absence of bones make it a delicacy.

Halibut is a fairly high-calorie fish - 196 kcal. It contains a lot of easily digestible protein and unsaturated fatty acids. The peculiarity of meat is that it contains up to 70% water.

But it contains almost all the vitamins and minerals necessary for health. Just 200-300 g of meat will provide the body with the daily norm of useful microelements. It is especially rich in potassium, vitamin D, and A.

The benefits of halibut are due to the fact that it contains a lot of Omega 3 fatty acids, which reduce the amount of cholesterol and are necessary for the normal functioning of the brain and blood vessels. Eating its meat is recommended for children and the elderly. It is useful for Alzheimer's disease, hypertension, angina pectoris, memory loss, and osteoporosis. But due to its high fat content, it is not recommended to eat halibut for people with liver disease or exacerbation of gastrointestinal diseases.

Benefits and harm to the body

The benefits of halibut for the human body are very great. Like other types of fish, it is a source of amino acids and vitamins that improve human health.

People suffering from diseases of the cardiovascular system will benefit from regular consumption of halibut, because it reduces the risk of atherosclerotic plaques and prevents the formation of blood clots.

Halibut is also good for the digestive system: it speeds up the digestion process and removes toxins and waste from the body. This fish belongs to dietary varieties, so in case of many gastrointestinal diseases, for example, chronic pancreatitis, it can be eaten without harm to health.

Halibut significantly improves the functioning of the nervous system, affects thinking processes and mood. In addition, it is believed that fish reduces the likelihood of developing Alzheimer's disease, which is especially important for older people.

This fish contains a high amount of vitamin A, which affects vision, prevents the development of macular degeneration and eliminates the manifestations of dry conjunctivitis.

In some cases, halibut can be harmful. These include:

individual intolerance to the product or components of its composition;
exacerbation of chronic gastrointestinal diseases;
hepatitis;
hypertension;
kidney diseases.

Salted and smoked fish are not recommended for use by young children and the elderly.

Women

For women, the property of halibut to prevent the development of breast cancer is especially useful. In addition, it prevents the development of blood clots, inflammatory diseases, and strengthens the nervous system.

Based on the fat of this fish, creams are created that are used to reduce the likelihood of developing allergic reactions. Such creams improve skin tone, make it firm and elastic. Some of them fight wrinkles and skin rashes.

Regarding the question of whether halibut is suitable for pregnant women and nursing mothers, it should be remembered that this fish is capable of accumulating mercury. And, although halibut contains this element in small quantities, it is recommended to limit the consumption of this fish to women who are carrying a child and those who are breastfeeding. The permissible amount of halibut in the diet is 1 serving per week.

Men

In addition to the listed beneficial properties, halibut will also be useful for men because it:

strengthens the musculoskeletal system;
has a positive effect on potency;
prevents prostate diseases.

Eating

It is best to buy halibut as a whole carcass or in cut pieces, but not fillets. During its processing, many valuable nutritional qualities are lost. Its price is usually about 500 rubles per kg. When buying fresh fish, you need to pay attention to the absence of mucus, the density of the meat, the cleanliness of the gills and the absence of an unpleasant odor. If the fish is frozen, there should not be a lot of ice on it; this indicates repeated freezing.

Cooking methods

There are many ways to cook halibut. The fish is baked in the oven, fried in a pan, boiled or stewed with vegetables. When relaxing in the fresh air, you can cook halibut on the grill or on the fire, and pickle lovers will appreciate the taste of salted fish.

How to bake the whole thing in the oven?

Cooking delicious and juicy oven-baked halibut begins with marinating. To do this, mix 50 g of soy sauce with 1 tbsp in a deep plate. l. honey and add chili paste to taste. Dip the fish into the marinade and leave for 20-30 minutes, turning over every 5 minutes.

While the fish is being prepared, preheat the oven to 200°C. Place the halibut on a baking sheet and decorate it with sprigs of rosemary on top.

The dish takes only 10-15 minutes to prepare. There is no need to cook longer, as the fish may lose the desired softness and juiciness.

How to fry in a frying pan?

In order to fry halibut in a frying pan, the fish is first cut into 8 equal-sized pieces and boned. After each piece, salt, pepper, sprinkle with finely chopped onion, add a couple of drops of vinegar and put in the refrigerator for 2 hours.

The marinated fish is sprinkled with flour on all sides and placed in a frying pan heated with vegetable oil. Cook the halibut for a couple of minutes (until golden brown).

To prevent the halibut from falling apart during frying and turning into mush, you need to cook the fish over low heat and do not cover the pan with a lid.

How to stew in a slow cooker?

You can please your loved ones with delicious halibut stewed with vegetables in a slow cooker. The recipe is as follows:

2 medium onions and 1 large carrot are peeled, after which the onion is cut into large rings and the carrots are grated.
Pour a little vegetable oil into the bottom of the multicooker bowl, add onions and, setting the “Fry” mode, cook until golden brown.
Add carrots to the onions and fry the vegetables for another 7 minutes.
Remove the skin from 2 large tomatoes and cut the pulp into small cubes.
2-3 bell peppers cut into slices.
Chopped vegetables are poured into a slow cooker and fried for a couple of minutes.
Add 50 g of tomato paste and half a glass of water to the bowl. All ingredients are salted, peppered, spices are added to taste and continue to fry for another 5 minutes.
While the first part of the products is being prepared, prepare the remaining components of the dish: peel and cut 4 large potatoes into rings, cut the halibut into steaks, salt and pepper it.
Several heads of garlic, potatoes and pieces of fish, crushed into a pulp, are placed in layers on the fried vegetables.
Set the “Stew” mode and cook the dish for half an hour.

How to steam?

You can steam halibut in a double boiler or multicooker that has the appropriate mode. To do this, take the desired amount of fish, salt, pepper and coat with your favorite spices.

Pieces of fish are placed on the mesh of a steamer or multicooker, lightly sprinkled with lemon juice and, setting the “Steam” mode, cooked for 15-20 minutes.

How to cook?

It will take no more than 15 minutes to cook halibut. Preparing boiled fish is very simple: pour water into a saucepan and bring to a boil over low heat. Add a pinch of salt to boiling water and drop pieces of halibut along with the skin into it. After just 10 minutes, you can turn off the heat and enjoy the boiled fish.

To give halibut a special, refined taste, you can cook it with onions, carrots, celery or parsley.

How to pickle?

Salted fish lovers can salt halibut at home. To properly salt halibut, you will need 600 g of fish, 2 tbsp. l. salt and 1 tbsp. l. Sahara. The fish is cut into pieces, placed in a deep container and sprinkled on all sides with a mixture of salt and sugar. Cover the container with a lid and leave for 24 hours at room temperature, remembering to turn the fish frequently. The next day, the container is placed in the refrigerator, where it is kept for another 2 days, still turning the pieces of halibut frequently. After the specified time, the fish is taken out of the refrigerator, the brine is drained and the dish is served.

How to smoke?

Smoked halibut is another popular recipe in modern cooking.

Hot way

The hot method of smoking halibut requires a small smokehouse at home, where the cooking will take place.

First of all, take the fish, which is thoroughly washed and dried, and then cut into large pieces. Rub the halibut with a mixture of salt and pepper and place it in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours. At this time, the smokehouse is prepared: a handful of alder chips is placed on the bottom, and a fat tray is placed on top.

The fat that will drain from the fish may catch fire under the influence of high temperature. To prevent this from happening, pour some water into the tray in advance.

After a couple of hours, the halibut is taken out of the refrigerator, placed on foil and placed on the smokehouse grate. The smokehouse is closed and the slave is cooked for half an hour.

Cold way

To prepare halibut using the cold method, take a 3-kilogram fish. It is washed, dried and cut into portions. Then each piece is rubbed with salt and spices to taste. Place the fish in any container and place it in the refrigerator overnight.

The next day, the halibut is cleared of salt, washed, dried and begins direct smoking:

place the fish in the smokehouse and cook for 4 hours;
take out the halibut and blot each piece of fish with a napkin soaked in vodka or white wine;
again sent to the smokehouse for 18 hours;
After smoking is complete, hang the halibut steaks in a well-ventilated area for 12 hours.

The smoke temperature in the smokehouse should be maintained at 25-30 °C. When the temperature decreases, the cooking time is extended by another 3 hours.

How to cook on the grill?

When you go out into nature, you can pamper yourself and your loved ones with halibut cooked on the grill. To cook aromatic fish on the grill, take several pieces of halibut fillet or a whole fish.

Start cooking by preparing the sauce: 2 tbsp. l. butter mixed with 2 tbsp. l. sugar, a few grated cloves of garlic, a tablespoon of lemon juice and 2 tsp. soy sauce. The sauce is put on fire and cooked until the sugar is completely dissolved.

When the sauce is ready, pieces of fish are dipped into it and placed on the grill. Fry the halibut for 5 minutes on each side, and then serve.

In a similar way, halibut is cooked on a grill in foil: the fish is prepared by dipping it in sauce, or simply coated with spices, and then wrapped in foil and sent to the coals. Cooking time increases slightly - 10 minutes on each side.

How to cook over a fire?

The recipe for halibut on the fire is similar to cooking fish on the grill:

halibut steaks are dipped in sauce or rubbed with salt and spices;
put on wire racks;
Place grates over the fire and fry the fish for about 5 minutes.