Alaska pollock as food

Alaska pollock (''Gadus chalcogrammus''), a species of cod (''Gadus'') found in the North Pacific ocean, is used as food globally. Compared with common pollock, Alaska pollock is milder in taste, whiter in color, and lower in oil content.

Alaska pollock fillets are commonly packaged into block molds that are deep frozen and used throughout Europe and North America as raw material for high quality breaded and battered fish products. Portions cut from frozen Alaska pollock fillet blocks are the most common choice for fast food restaurant fish sandwiches, for example in the McDonald's Filet-O-Fish.

Alaska pollock is also a common raw material used in the manufacture of surimi. Alaska pollock is widely regarded as one of the best proteins for the manufacture of high quality surimi because of the high gel strength of Alaska pollock flesh.

History

Pollock has been consumed in Korea since the Joseon era (1392–1897). One of its earliest mentions is in the 1652 '' Diary of the Royal Secretariat'', which states that "the management administration should be strictly interrogated for bringing in pollock roe instead of cod roe."

In 1940, Alaska pollock was the most commonly caught fish in Korea, with more than 270,000 tonnes brought in from the Sea of Japan. However, the consumption of Alaska pollock in South Korea dropped to an estimated 260,000 tonnes per year by 2016, Much of is imported from Russia due to changes in sea water temperatures.

Alaska Pollock is a sizeable resource of fish and makes up 32% of the total US landings and 58% of Alaska's. Pollock is the target of many of the world's fisheries and represents about 5% of the world's harvest. In the United States water's alone over 1.5 million mt have been caught, giving an estimated value of 600- 900 million dollars in profit, between the years 1992–1996.

Processing

Alaska pollock fillets are layered into a block mold and deep-frozen for distribution. For high-quality products, high-grade fillets are frozen only once between catch and consumer. For lower quality, low-cost breaded and battered fish sticks, double-frozen or minced trim pieces are used instead.

Use in fast food

Alaska pollock is commonly used in the fast food industry; in products such as McDonald's Filet-O-Fish sandwich Arby's Classic Fish sandwich, Long John Silver's Baja Fish Taco, and Birds Eye's Fish Fingers in Crispy Batter. Trident Seafoods and Chuck Bundrant were instrumental in popularizing the fish in the US in the 1980s; prior to then it had been most popularly consumed in Asia.

In Korea

Alaska pollock is considered the national fish of Korea. Its Korean name, ''myeongtae'' (), has also spread to some neighbouring countries: It is called () in Russia, and the roe is referred to as ''mentai-ko'' () in Japan, although the Japanese name for the fish itself is ''suketōdara'' ().

In Korea, ''myeongtae'' has more than 30 alternative names, including:
* ''saengtae'' () – fresh Alaska pollock
* ''dongtae'' () – frozen Alaska pollock
* ''bugeo'' () – dried Alaska pollock
* ''hwangtae'' () – "yellow" Alaska pollock
* ''nogari'' () – dried young Alaska pollock
* ''kodari'' () – "nosed" young Alaska pollock
Every part of a ''myeongtae'', including the intestines and the roe, is used in Korean cuisine.
* ''changnan'' () – Alaska pollock intestines
* '' myeongnan'' () – Alaska pollock roe

''Saengtae''

''Saengtae'' (), which is fresh Alaska pollock, is most often boiled with radish in a kelp-anchovy broth to create a clear soup, ''saengtae-tang''. Another common preparation is ''myeongate- jeon''; pan-fried Alaska pollock patty. ''Saengseon- gaseu'', the fish cutlet, is often made with filleted ''myeongtae''. Fresh ''myeongtae'' can also be served raw as '' hoe'', which is usually marinated and sometimes used as a topping for cold noodles.

Fermented products such as ''sikhae'' and ''jeotgal'' can subsequently be made with ''saengtae.'' Production of ''myeongtae-sikhae'' involves a fermentation process using the entire fish along with malt and rice, while ''changnan'' () (the intestines) and '' myeongnan'' () (the roe) are salted to make ''jeotgal'', called ''changnan-jeot'' and ''myeongnan-jeot'' respectively.
File:Myeongtae jorim (stewed pollock).jpg, ''Myeongtae-jorim'' (simmered Alaska pollock)
File:Myeongtaejeon (pan-fried pollock).jpg, ''Myeongtae- jeon'' (pan-fried Alaska pollock)
File:Saengseon-gaseu.jpg, ''Saengseon- gaseu'' (Alaska pollock cutlet)
File:Changnan-jeot.jpg, ''Changnan-jeot'' (salted Alaska pollock intestines)
File:Myeongnanjeot (pollock roe).jpg, ''Myeongnan-jeot'' (salted Alaska pollock roe)

''Dongtae''

''Dongtae'' (), which is frozen Alaska pollock, is typically eaten in a spicy stew, ''dongtae- jigae''. It can also gutted and stuffed with vegetables to make a'' sundae'', called ''dongtae-sundae''.
File:Dongtae-jjigae.jpg, ''Dongtae-jjigae'' (frozen Alaska pollock stew)
File:Dongtae-jeon.jpg, ''Dongtae- jeon'' (pan-fried frozen Alaska pollock)

''Bugeo''

''Bugeo'' (), which is dried Alaska pollock, is often boiled in '' tteumul'' (water from the final rinsing of rice) to make a clear soup, ''bugeo-guk''. Dried Alaska pollock head, referred to as ''bugeo-daegari'', is a common broth ingredient in Korean cuisine. Other dishes made from ''bugeo'' include ''bugeo-jeok'' (skewered), ''bugeo-jangajji'' (pickled), ''bugeo- jeon'' (pan-fried), and ''bugeo-jorim'' (simmered). A dish called ''bugeo-bopuragi'', literally "bugeo lint", is made by grating well-dried Alaska pollock into "lint" and seasoning it.

''Bugeo'' can be thinly sliced, seasoned and dried to make fish jerky, called ''bugeo- po'', which can be eaten plain or used as an ingredient in other side dishes.
File:Bugeo-po.jpg, ''Bugeo- po'' (Alaska pollock jerky)
File:Bugeo-po-jorim.jpg, ''Bugeo-po-jorim'' (simmered Alaska pollock jerkey)
File:Bugeotguk (dried pollock soup).jpg, ''Bugeo-guk'' (dried Alaska pollock soup)

''Hwangtae''

''Hwangtae'' (), which is yellow Alaska pollock, is made by drying the fish during winter and allowing it to undergo natural freeze-thaw cycles. It is often boiled into a soup called ''hwangtae-haejang-guk'' (hangover soup). Rehydrated ''hwangtae'' can be grilled (usually with a gochujang-based marinade) as ''hwangtae-gui'', simmered ''hwangtae- jjim'' or ''jorim'', or added to ''hwangtae- juk'' (rice porridge). Jerky made from yellow Alaska pollock is called ''hwangtae- po''.

File:Hwangtae-gui.jpg, ''Hwangtae-gui'' (grilled yellow-dried Alaska pollock)
File:Hwangtae-haejang-guk.jpg, ''Hwangtae-haejang-guk'' (yellow-dried Alaska pollock hangover soup)

''Nogari''

''Nogari'' (), which is dried young Alaska pollock, is often served with a variety of dipping sauces as '' anju''.
File:Korean.cuisine-Anju-nogari.and.nuts.jpg, ''Nogari'' served as '' anju''

''Kodari''

''Kodari'' (), which is the "nosed" variant, is made by gutting young Alaska pollock and half-drying them on ropes that are tied through their noses. It is often simmered with radish to make ''kodari-jorim''.

File:Kodari-jorim.jpg, ''Kodari-jorim'' (simmered 'nosed' Alaska pollock)

Roe

Alaska pollock roe, generally referred to simply as ''pollock roe'', is a popular culinary ingredient in Japan, Korea, and Russia. In Korea, the roe is traditionally called '' myeongnan'' () and the salted roe is called ''myeongnan-jeot'' (). The roe was introduced to Japan after World War II, and is called ''mentaiko'' () in Japanese. The milder, less spicy version is called ''tarako'' () in Japanese. In Russia, Alaska pollock roe is sold as a canned product suspended in oil, which gives it a soft paste-like consistency.

References

{{Reflist

Korean seafood
Fish as food
Seafood
Cod dishes