Pacific Dover Sole Flavor Profile
Flavor | |||||||
![]() |
|||||||
Oil | |||||||
![]() |
|||||||
Texture |
Pacific Dover Sole is actually a Flounder and not a Sole. It is also not related to True Dover Sole which is a European fish of much higher quality. More Pacific Dover is sold on the US West Coast than any other flounder, however, the Petrale sole is the most highly regarded of the flounders from this region.
Like other Flounders, Pacific Dover Sole has a mildly sweet flavor with tender, small flakes.
Typical Cooking Methods
- Bake
- Broil
- Deep-Fry
- Grill
- Poach
- Saute
- Smoke
- Steam
- Sushi
Alternate Names
None
Pacific Dover Sole Description (Microstomus pacificus)
Pacific Dover Sole are actually a Flounder, not a Sole, but are called “Sole” because the term is more marketable. They can reach sizes up to 2 1/2 feet and 10 pounds, but average commercial catch weight is 1 to 1 1/2 pounds. Pacific Dover’s have a muted, drab coloration which lends itself well to camouflage. They also excrete a type of mucous onto their skin which has earned them the names “slippery sole” and “slime sole” by fishermen.
Fresh Pacific Dover Sole Availability
Fresh seafood availability chart: green areas show peak availability, light green show limited availability, gray indicates not available fresh.
Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | June | July | Aug | Sept | Oct | Nov | Dec | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Pacific Sole Butchering Yield Percentage
Item | To Skin/On Fillets | To Skin/Off Fillets | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Whole Round | — | — | to Dressed Head/On 86% (+/- 4) |
Whole Round | — | — | to Dressed Head/Off 65% (+/- 10) |
Whole Round | — | — | to Skin/Off Fillets 29% (+/- 3) |
Head/On gutted | — | 34% | — |
Head/Off gutted | — | 45% | — |
Yield % varies according to a number of factors including: size of fish, season, sex, and the skill of your fishmonger. |

Range & Habitat
Pacific Dover Sole range from Baja California to the Bering Sea and dwell on sandy or muddy bottoms at depths between 7 – 4,500 feet deep.
Typical Wholesale Products
Whole, Dressed, H&G, Fillets (2 – 4 oz)
Nutritional Informationbased upon a 6 oz (171 grams) raw edible serving.
|
Pacific Dover Sole Sustainability Info
Name | Alternate Names | Catch Method | Catch Region |
Seafood Watch |
Ocean Wise |
Sea Choice |
Mercury Concerns |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pacific Dover Sole | Dover Sole, Flounder | Wild – Bottom Longline, Bottom Trawl | US West Coast, Alaska, British Columbia | ![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
Low |
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 August 2013 |
Suggested Reading