Shark isn’t terribly common in modern American cuisine. However, it’s much more common in Australia, where it can often be found fried up for fish & chips. Now, don’t think Jaws. The breed of shark most often found on the menu is known as wobbegong, and the flesh used for consumption is called flake.
And of course, I had to try it.
I wasn’t really surprised when my trusty fishmonger Dominic told me he didn’t have any shark. In 30 years I’d never seen this particular fish on ice in the display case. Fortunately, since I asked nicely, he picked some up at the docks and I had two thick shark steaks for the next day.
The first thing to strike me about shark was its strong smell. It wasn’t particularly fishy like a cod, rather, salty and pungent. I’d call it more oceany than anything else. This was promising. It also had tough skin I had to cut off — not quite bone, but not far off. It was flexible but it was so dense, I could barely pierce it with the tip of my knife.
Hoping to save me the inevitable mess that comes with deep frying, Dominic suggested I grill the steaks after marinating them for just a few minutes.
Tip: Shark cooks really fast and you definitely don’t want to overcook it. It will get tough and rubbery. Sear on a high heat for just a few minutes.
I set the grill to 400 degrees and in a mere five minutes my steaks were done.
When I first put my fork into it, I was immediately reminded of swordfish. It had a very similar consistency. Shark is a hearty fish, not delicate like a haddock. I had real concerns about the strong sodium smell coupled with the soy marinade before putting it on the grill. However, Dominic has never steered me wrong.
Surely enough, he was right. Whatever saltiness had been in the flesh had burned off to reveal a bold, meaty taste with a hint of nuttiness that gave it great flavor. As I usually do with marlin, I squirted some lemon juice on top but otherwise let the fish flavor speak for itself.
Some baked asparagus and boiled new potatoes capped off this basic meal with its Aussie twist.
