Holoholo: Dry Aging Nearshore Fish in Hawaii

BJ Hosaka, who has previously shared about night whipping for Menpachi and Āholehole, recently started “dry aging” the fish he catches. Please read what an amazing difference it makes.

Maximizing fish quality is a goal many fishermen have when preparing their catch. As most know, this begins by properly bleeding and icing down a fish when caught. Yet, another important factor that is often overlooked for improving fish quality is aging. Fresh fish is touted as being superior but can be tough and lack the flavor profile of a properly aged fish. Dry aged fish enhances fish quality by drawing out moisture from the flesh, allowing flavors to intensify. Proper aging gives ample opportunity for muscles, sinew, and tough flesh to become soft and delicate; a reason why most premiere sushi chefs and food connoisseurs choose to age their fish before serving it to customers.

Dry aging fish can seem complex and overwhelming. However, it is not as complex as it seems. I would like to share a simple method that I have used successfully. The first step is to thoroughly clean the fish.

1. Scale and gut fish
2. Remove all blood from belly cavity (Tip: Use your thumb, toothbrush, and strong water
   hose to spray out blood from belly cavity)
3. Pat completely dry with paper towel

Once the fish is thoroughly cleaned, there are two methods that I have used to dry age my fish.
The methods are listed below.

1. Materials needed: (Paper towel and Plastic food wrap). Stuff the belly cavity with a paper
   towel and tightly wrap the paper towel around the fish. After doing this, tightly wrap both
   the fish and paper towel with plastic food wrap and place in the refrigerator. Unwrap and
   change paper towels every 1-2 days. .
2. Materials needed: (Cooling Rack and Baking Pan). Simply put the cleaned fish on the cooling rack with a pan underneath to catch the drippings into the refrigerator. Let the fish dry on the cooling rack for desired aging length.

I personally keep my fish whole with the head and tail on to ensure that outside moisture and bacteria cannot penetrate into the flesh of the fish. This helps to ensure that the fish will not spoil.

Nearshore fish that I have aged: Papio (All Types), Barracuda, Lai, Oio, Moi, Toau, Aholehole, Awa Awa, Mullet, Menpachi, and Aweoweo.

For most of the fish listed above, 5-9 days is best when starting out. Although, I have aged fish for up to 2-3 weeks with very good results. Typically, the bigger and more muscular a fish is, the longer it can benefit from dry aging as it gives ample time for the fish to break down its connective tissue. As a general rule, fish that are oily tend to benefit from shorter aging periods while leaner, tougher fish benefit from longer aging periods. I created a list below of what I believe the ideal amount of time for each fish is for nearshore fish in Hawaii.

White Papio, Oio, Awa Awa, Barracuda, Lai: 7-9 Days
Yellow Spot Papio, Omilu, Menpachi Papio, and Barred Papio: 5-7 Days
Menpachi, Toau, Aholehole, and Aweoweo: 5-7 Days
Moi, Mullet: 5-7 days

When preparing your dry aged fish, simply prepare the fish as you normally would for both raw and cooked dishes. Because dry aging fish reduces moisture and creates a drier exterior, cooking dry aged fish allows for better crusts when searing and a crispier skin when frying. One is able to generate more flavors through the Maillard reaction and decreases the likelihood of a fish steaming. It embodies the same cooking concept of patting something dry but takes it to an exponential degree. With raw dishes, the complexity of flavors and umami become
present, allowing one to taste the unique flavor of each fish.

As noted earlier, it’s important to experiment and find out what works best for you. Dry aging can be an option for those looking to increase the quality of the fish they eat. However, it is not mandatory nor is it essential for enjoying your catch!