I promised sheetsrep I'd post a how to on cleaning shark and some recipes this weekend. So, here goes.
1st off, shark has to be cleaned right away. If you don't drain the blood right away, the urea just deteriorates into ammonia leaving you with meat that has a pungent odor and a dry taste. You can't just throw shark into the ice chest like you can other fish. I usually make a cut cross ways about two to three inches long right where the head meets the under belly , then I slice him open, being real careful not to rupture any innards or organs. I gut a shark by pulling everything out from the head end first, saving that other end to be cut out after I have everything outside and out of the way of the meat. Once I have it cut out completely I go ahead and dump it overboard (or bury it, if I'm fishing from shore).
After gutting, I dunk the shark in the water washing out every bit of blood that I can. Then I put it on ice. I use lots of ice. Packing it into the cavity as well as surrounding it completely on all sides. If I have more than one shark, I make sure there is ice between them.
Once I get to the dock, I cut all the way around the head and make a cut from head to tail on top and bottom. Taking a pair of pliers, I hold the head and tail, I skin the shark. Then I cut off the head and tail, and cut out any dark meat. Once that is done, it's ready for me to filet or cut into steaks.
Before I cook it or freeze it, I presoak it with lemon juice to neutralize any kind of residual ammonia.
If you freeze shark meat, double wrap the meat and wrap only enough for one serving.
If you want to salt cure your shark meat be sure to use only a non-iodized salt, like kosher salt. Iodized salt will turn it black and/or it will spoil, depending on the amount of iodized salt used. I've found plastic container work best for salting shark meat, that way I don't have to mess with glazing the crock or whatever beforehand...something I'm not very good at doing.
If you're a believer in smoking meat for preserving meat, don't do it with shark. Smoking only enhances the flavor of shark meat and doesn't do anything to preserve it.
Before I forget...before you salt shark, soak it in a salt brine overnight. This will help to remove any blood that is still lingering in the meat. When you take it out of the brine, wash it with clean water, lay it flat and let it drain for an hour or two. When you go to salting, layer of salt, meat, layer of salt, etc and be sure to cover the last piece of shark with at least an inch of salt.
All in all, it sound like a lot of work and it can be. But the rewards are definitely worth it.
1st off, shark has to be cleaned right away. If you don't drain the blood right away, the urea just deteriorates into ammonia leaving you with meat that has a pungent odor and a dry taste. You can't just throw shark into the ice chest like you can other fish. I usually make a cut cross ways about two to three inches long right where the head meets the under belly , then I slice him open, being real careful not to rupture any innards or organs. I gut a shark by pulling everything out from the head end first, saving that other end to be cut out after I have everything outside and out of the way of the meat. Once I have it cut out completely I go ahead and dump it overboard (or bury it, if I'm fishing from shore).
After gutting, I dunk the shark in the water washing out every bit of blood that I can. Then I put it on ice. I use lots of ice. Packing it into the cavity as well as surrounding it completely on all sides. If I have more than one shark, I make sure there is ice between them.
Once I get to the dock, I cut all the way around the head and make a cut from head to tail on top and bottom. Taking a pair of pliers, I hold the head and tail, I skin the shark. Then I cut off the head and tail, and cut out any dark meat. Once that is done, it's ready for me to filet or cut into steaks.
Before I cook it or freeze it, I presoak it with lemon juice to neutralize any kind of residual ammonia.
If you freeze shark meat, double wrap the meat and wrap only enough for one serving.
If you want to salt cure your shark meat be sure to use only a non-iodized salt, like kosher salt. Iodized salt will turn it black and/or it will spoil, depending on the amount of iodized salt used. I've found plastic container work best for salting shark meat, that way I don't have to mess with glazing the crock or whatever beforehand...something I'm not very good at doing.
If you're a believer in smoking meat for preserving meat, don't do it with shark. Smoking only enhances the flavor of shark meat and doesn't do anything to preserve it.
Before I forget...before you salt shark, soak it in a salt brine overnight. This will help to remove any blood that is still lingering in the meat. When you take it out of the brine, wash it with clean water, lay it flat and let it drain for an hour or two. When you go to salting, layer of salt, meat, layer of salt, etc and be sure to cover the last piece of shark with at least an inch of salt.
All in all, it sound like a lot of work and it can be. But the rewards are definitely worth it.