Atlantic Pollock Flavor and Culinary Profile
Flavor | |||||||
![]() |
|||||||
Oil | |||||||
![]() |
|||||||
Texture |
Atlantic Pollock are members of the Cod family and although similar to Pacific Pollock, they are distinctly different in that they are larger, have a slightly higher oil content and slightly darker flesh than their Pacific cousins. Atlantic Pollock have a mild, delicate taste with white flesh, large flakes, a firm texture and a low oil content. They have a similar but somewhat milder flavor as haddock or cod.
Due to it’s mild flavor and inexpensive price Pollock is a very versatile option for restaurants. Pollock is also commonly used to make Surimi
Typical Cooking Methods
- Bake
- Broil
- Deep-Fry
- Grill
- Poach
- Saute
- Smoke
- Steam
- Sushi
Buying Guidelines and Imperfections
Avoid fillets with the following defects:
- freezer burnt product – fillets it will have a white cottony appearance
- fillets w/ gray colored flesh
- pieces of skin still on the fillets
- blood spots – indicates bruised flesh as the result of mishandling
- parasites (worms)
- bones
Alternate Names
Green Cod, Boston Bluefish, Saithe, Coley, Blue Cod, Coalfish, Blue Snapper
Description (Pollachius virens)
Atlantic Pollock are members of the Cod family, but are identifiable from Cod by their brownish-green back, greenish hue, paler belly, and darker flesh. Atlantic Pollock are generally larger than their Pacific cousins. They grow quickly and although the average commercial catch size is between 3 – 6 pounds, they can reach sizes of about 3 1/2 feet or 35 pounds.
Typical Wholesale Products
Fresh:
- Whole
- Boneless/Skinless Fillets
Frozen:
- H&G Loins
- Boneless/Skinless Fillets graded sizes 1/2, 2/4, 4/6, 6/8 oz.
- IQF
- Shatterpack
- Block
- Surimi
Fresh Wild Availability
Fresh seafood availability chart: green areas show peak availability, light green show limited availability, gray indicates not available fresh. Frozen product is available all year long.
Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | June | July | Aug | Sept | Oct | Nov | Dec | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Average Butchering Yield Percentage and Recovery
Alaskan Pollock | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Item | To H&G |
To Skin/On Fillets | To Skin/Off Fillets | Notes |
Whole Head/On Ungutted |
62% | 40% | 34% | If you have additional yield info on this fish please comment below. |
Head/Off, gutted (H&G) | % | % | ||
Skin/On Fillets | — | 34% | ||
Yield % varies according to a number of factors including: size of fish, season, sex, and the skill of your fishmonger. |
Range & Habitat
Atlantic Pollock are found throughout the shallow and deep waters of the North Atlantic. In the Western Atlantic from North Carolina through the Hudson Strait to Greenland. In the Eastern Atlantic from Barents Sea, Spitsbergen to the Bay of Biscay and over to Iceland. They are found at depths up to 1,200 feet.
Pollock usually swim together in large schools, migrating to shallow waters in the spring to feed & breed, and then move to deeper warmer waters in the winter months.
Alaskan Pollock Sustainability Info
Name | Alternate Names | Catch Region |
Catch Method | Seafood Watch |
Ocean Wise |
Sea Choice |
MSC Cert? | Mercury Concerns |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Atlantic Pollock | Green Cod, Boston Bluefish, Saithe, Coley, Blue Cod, Coalfish, Blue Snapper | U.S. Georges Bank | Wild, Bottom Trawl | ![]() |
![]() |
Low | ||
Wild, Bottom Gillnet | ![]() |
![]() |
||||||
Canadian Maritimes | Wild, Longline | ![]() |
![]() |
|||||
Wild, Bottom Giilnet | ![]() |
![]() |
||||||
Wild, Bottom Trawl | ![]() |
![]() |
||||||
U.S. Gulf of Maine | Wild, Bottom Trawl | ![]() |
![]() |
|||||
Wild, Bottom Gillnet | ![]() |
![]() |
||||||
Disclaimer: The sustainability info above is accurate to the best of our knowledge. However, each program randomly updates their information without our knowledge. We therefore recommend that you verify the current accuracy of this information. | ||||||||
![]() ![]() ![]() |
Updated Jan 2017 |
The Alaskan Pollock fishery is very well managed and has a low incidence of by catch, lower than 1%.
Nutritional Informationbased upon a 6 oz (171 grams) raw edible serving.
|
Suggested Reading