How to Prepare and Cook Shark

Images of Jaws may be conjured up when you think about shark. But don’t be afraid to turn the tables and put this sea dweller on the table the next time you want to highlight seafood for dinner! Shark is a versatile cooking meat that lends itself to a number of recipes and cooking techniques.

Selecting Shark

Only purchase shark meat from a reputable fishmonger or supermarket. Shark meat must be cleaned properly, even more so than fish, to have a palatable taste. Why? Sharks urinate through their skin and if not cleaned directly after catching, the taste will be nearly inedible. Additionally, due to the overfishing of shark, strict guidelines are in place for the harvesting of shark for food. Buying from a responsible company helps keep illegal shark poachers from gaining ground.

Shark on the Grill

The most popular way to cook shark involves firing up the grill. You can barbecue nice, thick shark steaks just as you would swordfish or salmon. Shark is a lean meat without a lot of fat, so you may want to marinate the meat for an hour or two before putting it on the fire to help it stay moist and tender. You can also par-cook it in a little warm milk, wine, water or broth for three to four minutes before grilling to help it along.

To grill the perfect shark steak, place the meat on the hottest part of the grill and sear each side for two minutes, creating nice grill marks and good color. Move the steaks to a cooler part of the grill and cook for another four to five minutes on each side. Keep seasonings simple by using citrus, fresh herbs, minced garlic, or ginger.

Cook Shark in a Pan

If it’s not the season for grilling, you can pan-fry your shark steaks in the same fashion. Oil a sturdy skillet, heat the pan until the oil slides easily around the surface, and sear the steaks on either side. You can place seasoning in the pan before searing or rub the shark steaks with salt, pepper and other spices before cooking.

Cook the steaks for 10 to 12 minutes depending on the thickness of the meat, turning once in the middle of the cooking process. After the steaks have cooked, let them rest on a plate. Deglaze the pan by pouring in 1/4 cup of white wine or broth and cook it down for three to five minutes. Pour the sauce over the shark steaks just before serving.

Skewered Shark Kabobs

Cut shark steaks into thick cubes and skewer them with small potatoes, cherry tomatoes, red peppers, pineapple or any other kabob-vegetable or meat you can think of. These are great for the grill, but can also be oven-baked – they turn out just as tasty. Slather your kabobs with a citrus marinade or serve with a sweet and tangy salsa.

Try one of these cooking techniques and let us know how it turns out!