Frozen Whole Golden Yellow Croaker

A slender, silver-gold fish with a fine, flaky grain and a clean sweetness that stays mild even when the flesh is cooked hard. The skin crisps beautifully in a hot pan, and the frame holds together long enough to survive a braise without collapsing.

What It Is

Golden croaker (Larimichthys crocea), sold as a whole cleaned fish with head and tail intact. Gutted and scaled before freezing, so the only work left in your kitchen is a rinse and a pat dry.

Where It Comes From

Caught in the coastal waters of the western Pacific and landed into a shore plant, where the fish are graded, cleaned and blast-frozen within hours rather than shipped on ice. That short window is what keeps the flesh tight instead of soft.

Specifications

• Cut: whole, cleaned, scaled, head and tail on
• Net weight: 2 kg per box
• Grading: sorted for even length before freezing
• Skin: glossy gold, no freezer burn or patchy discolouration
• Bones: fine pin bones present along the frame

Condition on Arrival

Raw and frozen solid, individually frozen so the fish do not clump. Each box is sealed and packed with gel ice inside an insulated liner, and should reach you hard frozen with no soft spots at the centre.

Storage

Keep at -18 C or colder and cook within the date printed on the box. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, never on the bench, and pat the cavity dry before cooking so the skin can colour instead of steam.

Shelf Life and Cold Chain

Best before 18 months from the production date on the box. Once fully thawed, cook the same day and do not refreeze. Cold chain is unbroken from the plant to your door.

How to Cook It

Score the thickest part of the body twice on each side, season inside and out, then steam for eight to ten minutes over high heat and finish with hot oil, ginger and spring onion. To pan-fry, dry the skin thoroughly and lay it away from you in a hot pan until it releases on its own. It also takes well to a soy and rock sugar braise, or to deep-frying at 180 C until the fins turn crisp.

Allergens and Compliance

Contains fish. Packed in a facility that also handles crustaceans and molluscs. Not suitable for anyone with a fish allergy. This is a food product and no health, medical or nutritional claim is made for it.