What factor often outweighs the size differential between a 10-pound and 20-pound fish from the same stock?
Answer
Rapid chilling on ice immediately stops enzymatic breakdown.
While size often dictates the conversation surrounding snapper quality, immediate post-catch handling is frequently cited as having an even greater impact on the final eating experience. If a fish, regardless of whether it weighs ten pounds or twenty pounds from the same healthy stock, is not rapidly chilled on ice immediately after landing, enzymatic processes begin to degrade the flesh quality and flavor profile. This swift chilling halts that degradation, effectively locking in the desirable sweet flavor, meaning superior handling can render the weight difference between two fish almost negligible in terms of final taste.
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