A whole grouper with the thick, close-grained flesh that makes it the fish cooks reach for when the table matters, frozen from a live fish so nothing is lost between the boat and the pan.

What It Is

A whole grouper of the giant and pearl strains, about 800 g to 1.5 kg, head on and gutted, with the characteristic brown-black spotting across a sturdy body. The flesh sets into large firm flakes and holds its shape through long, wet cooking.

Where It Comes From

Line-caught in deep water off the southern Chinese coast and processed from live fish at the shore plant, then frozen whole so the frame stays intact. The skin is left on to protect the flesh during freezing and transport.

Specifications

State on Arrival

Raw and frozen, whole and uncleaned beyond gutting. The frame is rigid and the eyes are clear rather than sunken.

Storage and Thawing

Hold at -18 C or colder. Thaw in the refrigerator for 10 to 12 hours, then rinse the cavity under cold running water and dry it. Score the thickest part before cooking so the heat reaches the bone.

Shelf Life and Delivery

Best within 9 months of the production date on the box. Ships frozen with dry ice in insulated liners and arrives hard; keep it frozen until the morning you plan to cook it.

How to Cook It

The frame is heavy, so give it more time than a flat fish, and check at the bone before you take it off the heat.

• Steamed score the shoulders, lay ginger and scallion over and inside, steam for 10 to 12 minutes until the flesh at the bone turns opaque, then finish with hot oil and soy.
• Clay pot line a clay pot with onion and ginger, set the fish on top, add rice wine and stock, cover and cook for 15 minutes.
• Braised cut into thick chunks, sear them golden, then simmer with stock, soy and rock sugar for 20 minutes until the sauce clings.
• Congee slice the raw flesh thin and stir it through rice congee at the very end, off the heat.

Allergen Information

Contains fish. Packed in a facility that also handles crustaceans and molluscs.