In Florida, there are a few different varieties of porgies; however, the most popular ones on the west coast are Knobbed and Red Porgy. Both are praised for its excellent table value. Knobbed Porgy is common nearshore and normally doesn’t get any bigger than a pound. On the other hand, Red Porgies are found further offshore usually in 100+ feet, and have a stronger commercial value than most other porgies. Both of these fish are great candidates for sushi.

Why Porgy Sushi?

Because they are as sexy as snappers. A diamond in disguise. Porgies don’t get the respect they should. They are a great substitute for snapper, because they share similar characteristics with respect to texture and flavor. In fact, in a blind taste test, I bet the majority of the population wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between porgies from snappers, either cooked or raw. Including myself, and I eat this stuff all the time.

The truth is, if porgies were labeled as snappers in restaurants, they would garner a premium. In fact, this does happen. Many items listed as “Snappers” on the menu are actually in the Porgy family. The most popular example is the New Zealand (Pink) Snapper, which is really a porgy. So why would suppliers switch name tags? The word “Snapper” has a premium built into it, and rings better with consumers’ perception of higher quality. Basically, calling something “Snapper” will just sell better, the name is a recognized brand in itself.

Florida Porgy

The fish above is the same fish in the video. Look at how vibrant the color is when its alive. By the way, porgies are also known as Scups up north.

In the photo above, notice how white the fillets are, it’s almost like Hog Snapper. But keep in mind, this fish was bled, so you might not get the same result if you don’t bleed your fish. Bleeding fish has a couple of benefits: (1) it’ll be easier to fillet your fish for sushi applications, (2) the meat will present better, (3) the fish won’t taste as fishy, and (4) it kills the fish faster which will prevent lactic acid build up.

I like to add lime or lemon slices between white fish nigiris. The slight aroma of the citrus compliments the subtle flavor very well.

Should I Eat the Skin?

Raw fish skin is chewy. In most restaurants, fish sashimi and sushi are often served without the skin. However, some chefs will either sear or semi-boil the skin to reduce the chewiness and also intensify the flavor. I recommend skipping this step and just skin it if you don’t have a torch. Keep in mind that even after the skin is cooked, there will still be a slight chew to it. Its up to you. In the video, I seared the skin for about 30 seconds on each side BEFORE filleting it. If you sear after its filleted, the skin will concave.

Eat More Porgy!

Wild porgies in the US are just grossly underestimated. Hopefully consumers’ taste change over time. Remember, Bluefin tunas were once used for cat food. And abalone was regarded as junk. This all changed when the Japanese discovered them later on. Hmmmm is this a prelude for Florida porgies? Who knows. I’m hopeful that eventually porgies will become popular in sushi restaurants, as it is still a hidden gem.

Watch Video!

Cool Facts:

• Where found: Gulf of Mexico over hard bottoms and around reefs. In the northeast, they are called Scups.
• Scientific Name: Calamus nodosus (Knobbed Porgy)
• IGFA World Record: 5lb 12oz, caught in Texas in 2000
• Sustainable Fishery – Not a heavily targeted fish. No size limit in Gulf. 100 Pound Limit!