Halibut is a favorite fish for chefs to work with, whether it’s from the East coast halibut or from the wild Alaskan waters. We make sure to have fisheries on both sides of the coin, so chefs that work with us have a choice in the matter and almost never run out of halibut options year-round. Whether you’re looking for a good price or sustainability, you must ensure that your fish meets the needs and desires you’re pushing as a chef. Maine Halibut is the largest of all flatfish, weighing in around 25-30 lbs, and can weigh up to 600lbs! 

Halibut from the East Coast is just as delicious as Alaskan, but if it’s from larger fish, you can expect a lot of differences. Most notably, in the price. Ultimately, it will all depend on what your needs are as a chef, to help you decide which you will be ordering.

Halibut Taste

Overall, it’s a draw between the flavor of both types of Halibut. After all, it’s the same species. Halibut is firm and meat-y, with cuts that can be quite steak-y. The lean, white flesh of this fish cooks up to a large flake and firm, but tender texture.

Culinary Uses for Maine Halibut

As long as you don’t overcook this fish, it won’t taste bland and dry. You might even find that it’s easier to overcook them, if previously frozen, as that will sap some of the moisture content from the fish. 

Your best bet is to find fresh fillets that you can have in your kitchen as soon as possible. This fish lends itself well to grilling and sautéing, but is also excellent for the ever popular fish and chips! Many chefs also choose to use this for crudo or sushi dishes, so this is quite a flexible fish to use in restaurants.

Sustainability of Halibut

We use Seafood Watch as our guide, for all things fishy. While Alaskan Halibut routinely hits all the marks of sustainability, Maine or East Coast halibut delves into the grey areas. While SeafoodWatch claims all bottom trawled fish should be avoided, Atlantic halibut should be specifically avoided if not in season. If you’re looking for a more sustainable option, definitely focus on Alaskan Halibut for your needs.

Maine Halibut Season

When Maine halibut is in season from Mid-March to Mid-November, our fishery is catching this fish and processing it fresh off the boat, daily. This means that our chefs receive fish as fresh as possible from the dock, and shipped directly into kitchens across the country.

To learn more about what we do as a company, read our About page and consider giving us a try, for your seafood program, or for specialty meats and beyond!

Resources:
https://www.chefs-resources.com/seafood/finfish/halibut-culinary-information/
https://seagrant.umaine.edu/maine-seafood-guide/halibut/