One of my very favorite types of fish is halibut, and I absolutely love grilling or sauteeing thick halibut steaks. It used to be no problem locating them in any of the local grocery stores here in Phoenix, but in the past two years it has become literally impossible to find them. Whenever I ask the produce managers, they all give me this blank stare and say “I don’t know” when I ask what happened to the halibut steaks.
Now I am fully aware that predatory fish (such as halibut) are higher in mercury than prey fish, and that there has been increased concern about this. But I can find frozen halibut “strips” (for want of a better term to describe them), and I assume those are not mercury-free. I want my beloved monster-sized halibut steaks! Anyone have a clue about where they may have gone?
Of course the PRODUCE managers wouldn’t have a clue where the halibut had gone! But I get that deer-in-the-headlights stare from the meat managers! Glad I caught that myself before I was teased mercilessly by other Dopers!
Seriously, there has been no shortage that I know of. The 30 pounds in my freezer was caught from a 16’ boat, so the commercial guys must be doing well. The season is winding down now, though. Not to rub salt in the wound, buy my fish cost me about $2 a pound.
Good to know that the catch is still really good up there. If I didn’t hate cold weather so much, I might be tempted to take a run up there and bring some back. Now if you don’t mind, let me set about picking this salt out of my wound… $2 a pound? I’m crying here!!!
TheLadyLion: My favourite smoked salmon (so far) comes from Brady’s Oysters in Westport, WA. When I looked into having some shipped, the cost was $70 for two pounds. Thirty-five dollars a pound! :eek: I asked my friend who lived in Hoquiam if she could get me some and send it to me, so that I could get a cheaper shipping rate. She found out that the local fish-shipper charged $50 to ship. (Special packaging, Overnight FedEx, etc.) I just checket out Brady’s prices list and the price for two pounds of smoked salmon is down to $47 – still $23.50 per pound.
You’d really have to be jonzing for halibut to pay for the overnight shipping and special packaging!
Do they have Trader Joe’s in Phoenix? They have frozen halibut quite frequently.
Chefguy: My best fiend (the guy I bought the house in Birch Bay, WA from) is a big fan of halibut. He always hates the end of the halibut season, since that means prices will go up. Fortunately he is growing more fond of salmon. He has a Cosalish contact on Vancouver Island who has offered to take him salmon fishing in the traditional First Nations way (with a home-made spear).
Me? I’m looking forward to pulling dungeness crab out of the water.
(singing)
I’m gonna eatcha, little crabbie!
I’m gonna eatcha, little crabbie!
I’m gonna eatcha, little crabbie!
'Cause I
Like
Crab!
BTW, for what’s it’s worth, I still really want to know why our local stores have stopped carrying those halibut steaks. This phenomenon is across the board at all the big chains: Fry’s, Albertson’s, Safeway, the smaller local chain Basha’s, even the Super Wal-Marts… all of them. I will check at Trader Joe’s and at A.J.'s Fine Foods, but I know the prices will be awful if they have what I want. Even if I am able to locate the steaks at a specialty store, I still really want to know “WHY HAVE THEY DISAPPEARED FROM THE REGULAR GROCERY STORES?”
If you’re going to pay those prices, why not get the best?
Atlantic salmon sucks goat testicles, as does farmed salmon (it’s artificially colored and tasteless). This business will also ship halibut, but at $24 a pound I’d go without, I’m afraid.
This place has the best smoked salmon you’ll ever eat. Comes in vacuum sealed jars, with the fish packed in a little olive oil. Try the smoked sockeye. Runs about $13 a jar, shipped, last I looked.
Chefguy: Brady’s salmon is locally caught. You’re right about Atlantic salmon. Wild salmon is much better. If you go to Brady’s it’s about $12.95/lb. (At least it was last year when I was there.)
The stuff you get in L.A. is tasteless. It’s covered in pepper to give it the illusion of taste.
Probably because not enough people were buying them.
The most important decision a grocery store manager makes is deciding which items to put on his limited shelf or cooler space. Choosing the right products, the ones customers want, and will buy frequently enough that there is good ‘turnover’ in the store is critical to making a profit in the grocery business. If you don’t have the products your customers want, they will stop coming to your store.
Haven’t tried Brady’s, but then I don’t have to order fish. The place I linked is located in Cordova, AK and uses Copper River salmon in their smoke. It just doesn’t get any better.
