Brand New Ways to Enjoy Halibut at Home

Ah, that moment of elation when you open your WAC box to find a brand new offering tucked inside! The novelty of a new cut or new species. The promise of a more elevated or simplified or convenient experience in the kitchen. The anticipation of all the yet-to-be-tapped culinary possibilities. 

With all of that as a prelude, I’m thrilled to introduce WAC’s two brand new-est offerings: Pacific Halibut Captain Cuts and Skin-On Pacific Halibut Portions, available now on the WAC Seafood Market. Both of these innovative cuts reimagine this beloved species of white fish, bringing you a bit more ease and inspiration when cooking with wild-caught seafood. 

These new halibut offerings also are yet another opportunity for us as a company to champion a supply-driven food system by exploring more ways to utilize more of the fish — and share it in all of its delicious glory with you, dear members.

Starting with the Pacific Halibut Captain Cuts, I have to give this offering a big shoutout for sustainability. Captain Cuts are an innovative way for us to offer members all of the bits of premium halibut that don’t conform to the size and weight of the classic portions. In other words, they’re cut for delectability and sustainability. Think bigger than bite-sized but smaller than the conventional fillet — you can expect to find a few pieces of fish in every 5 to 7 ounce pack of Captain Cuts.

As a bonus for you, Pacific Halibut Captain Cuts are a notably affordable cut of this coveted species of white fish. The same, beautiful halibut in a different format, at a more affordable price point? That’s a win-win-win in my books. I anticipate that this will give many of you more flexibility to build a WAC box that fits your budget and culinary needs.

From a chef’s perspective, Captain Cuts are especially well-suited for the kinds of meals that don’t require a full fillet. Fish tacos, sandwiches, fish and chips, or something brothy and comforting like a curry or soup — this format invites a little more flexibility, a little less formality, the kind of cooking where you can follow a craving. 

As for the Skin-On Pacific Halibut Portions, they might be my new favorite hack for cooking halibut perfectly every time. It can be a little tricky to dial in the doneness with fish as lean as halibut, so here’s the hack: skin-on portions have a built-in buffer that protects the fish from intense sources of heat. That means it’s less likely to dry out, no matter the cooking method. 

I have enjoyed cooking these new cuts in place of the skinless portions, simply making minor adjustments in time or technique to account for the skin. (When pan-frying, you’ll start flesh-side down; baking skin-on vs skinless halibut portions is essentially the same, but requires a few extra minutes.) I highly recommend removing the halibut skin once the fish has cooked though — it does its job beautifully during the cooking process, but I personally prefer the texture and flavor of salmon skin. 

Whether you’ve been craving more halibut in your curated box rotation or custom plan, or are looking for a more affordable halibut option, I hope that one (or both!) of these new offerings open up an exciting expanse of culinary possibilities for you and help you get the most out of your WAC membership. Peruse the Seafood Market and start building your next box! And if you’re looking for more halibut recipe inspiration, make sure you check out our new cookbook, Eat Wild: Cooking at Home with the Seafood of Alaska. 

Live Wild,

Monica

Pictured above: A platter of Pacific Halibut Captain Cuts, luxuriously poached in a garlic-infused olive oil — one of the easiest baked halibut dishes that you can make. This recipe happens to work really nicely with this cut of fish, since it’s easy to serve up family style.