The Premium Fish That Isn't Worth The Price

All cod is not created equal. In fact, some types of cod aren't even cod at all. One such offering is the famously luxurious black cod, which took the sea-foodie world by storm when Nobu dropped its now-iconic, miso-marinated black cod. The internet is filled with copycat recipes. But, while the dish might be a trendy fan favorite, not every professional is echoing the fish's praises. Kristin Donovan — co-founder of sustainable seafood market Hooked Inc. in Toronto — sat down with Tasting Table to let us in on the expensive types of fish that actually aren't worth the splurge. According to Donovan, it's best to skip the black cod.

Black cod (aka sablefish) is a flaky white fish revered for its silky texture and buttery taste. Its naturally high oil content gives the fish an especially rich mouthfeel. Compared to true cod, this "dark" counterpart comes with a significantly higher price tag; yet regardless of its unique profile, it isn't a consistently reliable ingredient in the kitchen. "When it comes to 1/100 or 1/200 of the [black cod we process] they actually melt as soon as they hit the heat out of the water," Donovan tells us. "I think it has something to do with the pressure in which they travel." A filet that's prone to breaking apart isn't an ideal choice when cooking, and as per Donovan, isn't worth the price. Black cod breakage happens so often, in fact, that the pro says, "We trim the ends off to ensure that they hadn't broken apart prior to selling."

It's worth noting that true cod and black cod belong to two different families of fish (Gadidae and Anoplopomatidae, respectively). Still, despite the fact that these are two distinct types of fish, true cod offers a comparable subtly sweet flavor and a versatile, firm-yet-flaky texture. There's a reason why it's the star of our crave-worthy cod recipes. Both are bottom-dwelling species of whitefish, but at longstanding New York institution Fulton Fish Market, a 5- to 7-ounce portion of Wild Alaska Black Cod currently runs for $19.99. By comparison, the same-sized portion of regular Wild Atlantic Cod costs $13.25.

Instead of black cod, Donovan recommends discerning seafood lovers opt for other popular types of fish that share aspects of the filet's taste and texture profile, but have a lower price point and more of a consistent structural integrity. "Silver bass, white perch, [and] other lake fish are very affordable and taste great," she says, "Rockfish, lingcod are also great options." Incidentally, like black cod, "lingcod" isn't a type of true cod, either. It resembles both the ling and the cod fish species — aptly named to ride the marketable coattails of these already-popular varieties — but lingcod is actually a type of greenling. All of which is to say, true cod (or lingcod, or rockfish, or perch) can all capture black cod's tasty character without breaking your budget, which are advantages not shared by pricey, trendy fish.