Hawaiian Seafood - Seafood Purchasing Terminology

Sizing

Forms

Whole Fish

Cut Fish

Skin On or Skin Off

A cut fish can be orderd with all of its skin on, or with the skin already removed

Top Back Loin

Taken from larger fish like Tuna, Swordfish, etc, this is the back loin without the belly portion. No bones.

Loin

This is the prime part of a fillet from a large round fish. It is the part of the fillet which is above the spine, sometimes called the top back loin. Loins are typically cut from fish like Tuna, Swordfish, and Marlin. where a rounder fish is split into four sides (ie. tuna, swordfish)

Fillet

A fillet is an entire side of a fish with the backbone out. Round fish yield two fillets (one from each side). Flat fish yield 4 fillets (2 from each side). Fillets from larger fish can be further portioned into supremes or escalopes. They may be skin-on or skin-off.

Fletch

A Fletch is part of a large Fillet from a large flatfish. It can be half, quarter, or less of the full fillet.

Steak or Darne

Is a thick, cross-section cut from a round fish, perpendicular to the spine. Steaks often retain part of the backbone.

Wheel - the fish is cut through the middle including all 4 loins and the spine

CC (Center Cut) - a choice of the center portion of the fish

Tail cut - making a steak from the narrower tail portion of the fish, which usually yields thicker steaks with a potential of more sinew

Saku Block - A special part of the tuna

Supreme

A supreme is a prime boneless cut from a fillet or loin which is cut either as a block-cut or bias-cut, and is considered the best and choicest cut of fish. Also called a pavé, a supreme cut removes all bones in the filet.

Tronçon

This is a steak-cut (bone-in) from a flatfish such as flounder, halibut, sole, or turbot. In the US these are called a Steak cut.

Paupiette

A paupiette is a fillet that is stuffed and rolled.

Cravatte

A cravatte is a fillet tied into a knot.

Delice

Delice is a fillet that is neatly stuffed and folded.

Goujons

Strips 2″ x ¼” from the fillets of small fish such as sole or plaice.

En Tresse

A braided or platted fillet.

Butterfly Fillets

Used with small fish like trout, sardines, mackerel or herring, this cut is made by leaving the two fillets attached by the skin. Thus you get the whole fish minus the head and rib bones.