Some of us may eat by the season without effort or much thought; we enjoy our peaches and cherries in the summer, squash and pumpkin seem everywhere during the fall, and oranges are a winter must-have for many. But our fruits and vegetables aren't the only food that has seasons. Fish and seafood do as well, although their seasonality revolves around natural breeding, migratory patterns, or human regulations.
During the summer, especially in July, you'll find several species of fish and seafood in the West and East Coast seasons. Today, we'd love to share seafood in season for July and the most delicious meals to cook some of these delectable seafood options.
West Coast Seafood In Season During July and Summer
- Farmed Abalone
- Troll and Pole Albacore Tuna
- Dungeness Crab
- AK, Pole, Troll, King Salmon
- Oregon Pink Shrimp
- Pacific Cod (Hook and Line, Longline and Trapped)
- Pacific Halibut
- Farmed Rainbow Trout
- Sablefish, also known as Black Cod or Butterfish
- Alaska Wild Salmon
- Pacific and US wild-caught Sardines
- Farmed Muscles, Oysters, and Clams
- Striped Bass, also known as Rockfish, hook and line, or farm
- White Seabass
East Coast Seafood in Season During July and Summer
- Mahi Mahi
- Farmed mussels, oysters, and clams
- Yellowtail Snapper
- Stone Crab
- Striped Bass, also known as Rockfish, farmed or hook-and-line caught
- Swordfish
- Troll or pole-caught Yellowfin Tuna
Why Eat Seasonal Seafood?
It's easy to forget that seafood is seasonal, as we go to supermarkets and many types of fish are available year-round. Grocery-store seafood and seasonal are not created equal. Here are some exceptional reasons to consider eating seasonal seafood all the time, not just in July.
- Eating seasonal seafood means supporting locals: from the fisheries or fishermen to the markets and stores you purchase the seafood from. That also means that your seafood has spent less time in transit, meaning the seafood is fresher and healthier for you.
- Diversifying the fish and seafood species targeted by fisheries helps to mitigate the inherent risks involved with specialized fishing, allowing fisheries to better cope with fluctuations of specific stocks.
- In general, seasonal seafood will have more affordable prices. Traveling and refrigeration expenses for long flights or transport are not required, reducing the production costs of seasonal seafood.
The Best Ways to Cook Mussels, Oysters, and Clams
Mussels
What we love about mussels is that the best way to cook them is also the most straightforward and satisfying! A big pot of steamed mussels makes for an easy, festive dinner any night of the week or a for a special treat.
Mix two tablespoons of olive oil, 2-4 minced garlic cloves, and a pinch of crushed red pepper in a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot for delicious flavoring. Place the pot over medium-high heat and cook the spices and olive oil until just sizzling, roughly 30 seconds—then add your mussels, and stir to coat them with the garlic and spice mixture. Next, increase the heat to high, and then add either ¼ cup of white wine or water and put the lid on the pot for two minutes. After 2 minutes, stir everything, replace the cover, and continue cooking until the mussels have opened about 3-6 minutes. You can garnish your steamed mussels with fresh parsley, ladle them into bowls and serve.
Oysters
If you don't like eating raw oysters, broiling them in the oven is the best way to cook these delicious seafood morsels. Why? When left in their shells, it takes no longer than 4 minutes to cook tender, juicy oysters this way. The hardest part of oysters, honestly, is shucking them!
After shucking, heat your broiler in the oven, then mix butter, breadcrumbs, lemon zest, and chopped herbs (such as chervil, parsley, and tarragon) and drizzle evenly over the half-shell. Broil on a baking sheet for no more than 4 minutes (to avoid overcooking) and serve with lemon wedges.
Clams
You may have noticed a theme for our mussels and oysters: the best means of cooking them is to steam them, and steaming is also the best way to cook clams. All you need for perfectly steamed clams in a large saucepan is 4 cloves of garlic, 1 large chopped onion, 1 cup of white wine and 2 cups of clam juice or the water the clams came in, salt, pepper, ½ cup of melted butter and chopped parsley for garnish.
Make sure to wash the clams thoroughly. Then heat your preferred oil in a large saucepan with a cover over medium heat and cook the garlic and onion until translucent. Next, add your cup of wine and cook for 2-3 minutes to combine flavors. Add your clams and the 2 cups of clam juice or water and cover the pan and cook for 10 minutes until the clams open. Discard any clams that don't open, and remove the clams, place them in a serving bowl. Season the clam juice left in the pan with salt and pepper to make a sauce, then pour the sauce and butter over the clams and enjoy!
The Best Way to Cook Striped Bass
Simplistic recipes are one of the easiest ways to get you cooking food you may not have tried before, and it's also an excellent means to make quick, delicious, nutritious meals you'll love. One of the best ways to cook Striped Bass is by grilling and using lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, and fresh herbs.
Striped Bass filets are delicious and white-fleshed and cooked simply on the grill. You can choose fresh oregano, thyme, or both to bring out this fish's delicate yet delectable flavors. Striped Bass tastes buttery all on its own and stays tender and juicy during cooking while being firm enough to stand up to grilling.
Combine oil, lemon juice, thyme or oregano, garlic, and pepper in a large shallow bowl. Add your fish to this, turn to coat, and cover to marinate for at least 30 minutes. Heat your grill or pan over medium-high heat after marinating the Bass, then remove the fish from the marinade. Place on the grill, skin-side down (if there is any), and season with salt. Grill until the skin is lightly browned and starting to crisp, then turn the fillets and cook until well browned and cooked through—roughly 5 to 6 minutes.
You can garnish the grilled Striped Bass with chives and lemon wedges and serve if you wish to.
Of course, there are many other ways to cook seasonal seafood this July, but we're all about helping you fall in love with cooking and food again! We kept it simple in steps but big in flavor. We hope you'll enjoy these, and don't forget to get your seasonal seafood delivered fresh right to your door, thanks to Wholey!