Grilled, baked, or fried, you cannot go wrong with striped Bass, and you will be sure to be back for more! A squeeze of lemon or lime will bring this sweet and briny fish to its full glory and is great for sharing with friends alongside a nice glass of chilled white wine. But what does Striped Bass taste like?
Striped Bass tastes sweet and buttery and isn’t too oily or fishy. It has flaky white flesh, is easy to cook, and can complement a variety of different meals.
Extremely sought after, delicious, and healthy, Striped Bass can be prepared in many different ways that are all delicious. Want to learn more about what Striped Bass tastes like and some popular recipes? Keep Reading!
What is Striped Bass?
Striped Bass is a very popular fish that can be found wild along the East Coast of North America. It is also called striper or rockfish. Striped Bass can be found in saltwater as well as freshwater; they migrate upriver each year at springtime to spawn and then head back down to the coastal areas to feed and can grow to over 70 pounds!
Author Note: There are several different types of striped Bass that are farmed in freshwater lakes across the country, with the commercial season lasting from the end of June until the middle of December.
They have also become popular along the West Coast. This fish is extremely versatile, healthy, and tasty, and there are many simple recipes for cooking it. Striped bass usually tastes much better than freshwater bass. Fishermen have also described Mangrove Snapper and Barramundi as tasting similar.
How Many Varieties of Striped Bass Are There?
There are three main types of Bass that are quite different from each other and can be found at different types of the year according to the season.
Native to the East Coast, wild Striped Bass, when fresh, are hard to beat! They are not always available and definitely something to look forward to when the season is approaching!
Wild striped Bass have a well-balanced large flaky texture that combines delicacy and density. This full-bodied fish is mild and sweet and can be prepared quite simply with a squeeze of lemon.
Some fish farmers are farming a type of striped Bass on the West Coast that has the same genetic identity as the wild Bass. They are a bit smaller, have a slightly less pronounced flavor with firmer flesh. The plus side is that they can be found throughout the year.
The most common variety is farmed in freshwater and is a natural cross between striped Bass and White Bass. They are found all year round, and although they are smaller and milder, they have a nice firm texture and are not as expensive as the wild version.
What Do Striped Bass Eat?
The Striped Bass is a voracious ferocious hunting fish that feeds off a great variety of smaller fish and crustaceans like anchovy, alewife, croakers, rock eels, mullet, shad, menhaden herring, lobsters, crabs, shrimp, squid, soft clams, and small mussels, just to name a few!
Interestingly, their eating habits are that they choose one ‘Food of the Day,’ for example if they started eating crayfish, that’s all they will eat for that day, the same if they started feeding on anchovies, they will only feed on anchovies that day.
A fish’s diet indicates what kind of flavor to expect as “you are what you eat,” and that is what makes the Striped Bass such an exceptional tasting fish! So if you are going to try and catch one for yourself, you will have to try a few different baits and be sure to keep a keen eye on your surroundings, see what they are feeding on, and land one on the boat.
How to Store Striped Bass
Stripers, like most fish, are best eaten fresh to appreciate them at their best. They can also be filleted, securely wrapped in plastic wrap, and stored in the freezer for 6 to 9 months.
Author Note: It’s a good idea to take the fish out of the freezer and store it in the fridge a day before you intend to cook it so that it can thaw out gradually. Once thawed, it should be cooked and enjoyed as soon as possible. The flesh should be translucent and firm without any sign of dryness or dullness.
If you purchase fillets at a fish market or in a shop, they should be stored in the fridge and consumed within two days. The sooner, the better.
How to Cook Striped Bass
A lot of people are unsure of how to cook fish. Fish is almost pure protein and should not cook longer than you would cook an egg of that size, whether submerged in the ‘sous vide’ machine or frying on a skillet.
Striped Bass is a versatile fish and can be cooked in many different kinds of ways. Whether it is baked, pan-seared, deep-fried, cured, or steamed, you will always have a great tasting fish. It tastes similar to Kahawai.
Recipe of Choice
There is an effortless way to prepare Striped Bass. It’s also a great way to see what Striped Bass truly taste like. Take a skillet, add a tablespoon of butter, and fry. Turn after a few minutes, leave it to fry a few minutes more, and ENJOY!
But there are a few other ways as well. Try this easy Baked Striped Bass.
Ingredients
- 1 lb. of Striped Bass (cleaned and scaled)
- 3 Garlic cloves (minced or crushed)
- 2 Tablespoons of parsley
- 1 t of salt
- 1 Tablespoon of Extra Virgin Olive oil
- 2 t ground black pepper
- 2 Lemon wedges
- 1/3 of a cup of White wine
Directions
- Preheat oven to 450 F
- Mix the olive oil, pepper, salt, and garlic in a cup.
- Place the Striped Bass in a shallow ceramic or glass baking dish.
- Using the oil mixture, rub it all over the fish and the wine.
- Place in the oven and bake it for about 15min until you add the parsley over the fish. Bake it a bit more until the thickest part of the fish is flaking (about 5 min).
- Take it out of the oven and serve over a bed of rice or grains, remembering to pour the juices from the dish over the fish.
Add a small salad, and you have a healthy, delicious meal! Don’t forget to add the lemon wedges.
Nutrition and Benefits of Striped Bass
Striped Bass is a good source of potassium (about 5% of the daily value) and iron (about 5% DV). A 100-gram portion of striped Bass contains 97 calories (2.33 grams fat | 17.73 grams protein), which works out to about 73% protein and 22% fat.
Omega Fatty Acids
Most of the Striped Bass’s fats are healthy unsaturated fats and very low levels of unhealthy saturated fats. Omega 3 fatty acids, which are good for the heart, are also present. A 3-Oz piece of Striped Bass contains more than 640mg of Omega-3 fatty acids.
250mg Of Omega3 fatty acids daily is what the US Department of Agriculture Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010 recommends the reduction of cardiovascular disease.
Vitamins
Striped Bass is also high in Vitamin-B12, one of the essential vitamins our body needs daily. The recommended daily uptake of Vitamin-B12 is 2,4mg. Vitamin B-12 deficiency is associated with anemia, weakness, dementia, depression, fatigue, and nervous system problems. A 3-Oz piece of Striped Bass will contain 3.2 mg of Vitamin-B12.
Iron is a mineral that is present in Striped Bass. A 3-Oz piece of fish will contain 0.7 milligrams of iron, which is 18% of your recommended daily intake for men and 8% of the recommended intake for women. Iron activates enzymes for energy production and activates the metabolism.
Author Note: Iron and Vitamin-B12 both help you make functional hemoglobin. The iron in Striped Bass is predominantly heme iron, which is easily absorbed by the digestive system and used by the body.
Protein is the most abundant nutrient, with a 3-Oz piece containing 15g of protein, which is 38% of your recommended daily intake.
Selenium is another trace mineral that your body needs. Striped Bass is high in Selenium and provides more than 50% of your recommended daily uptake. A 3-Oz piece will contain 31 mcg of Selenium. The recommended amount is 55 mcg.
Be Aware of Mercury
However, there is a consumption advisory warning on wild-caught Striped Bass due to contamination from mercury, PCBs, dioxin, and other chemicals, and should not be consumed any more than four times a year to the University of Maine.
Pregnant women, women that are breastfeeding, women who are trying to get pregnant, and children under eight should refrain from eating it at all, they recommend.
Conclusion
The deliciously tasting, veracious hunting, versatile Striped Bass is a sought after favorite among chefs, restaurateurs, fishermen, fisherwomen, and all who enjoy the bounties of the waters. Whether it is farmed or wild-caught, the Striped Bass will always deliver great-tasting, white flaky fish.
Adding seafood like Striped Bass to your diet is highly recommended. The US Department of Agriculture Dietary Guidelines 2010 recommends you consume 8-Oz of seafood a week. The average American diet contains only 3 ½ Oz of seafood and shellfish per week.
With the great variety of food, this fish eats – from lobster to anchovies, mussels, shrimp, shad, and crab! – It is not hard to believe the taste is exceptional!
Top tip: Have good fishing set with a selection of different bait types and lures to be sure you are equipped and ready for their choice of ‘Food of the Day’ and to be prepared for a good fight! Check out our articles on Striped Bass surf fishing and the best time to fish for Striped Bass for more info.
The nutritional value of Striped Bass is very beneficial to your wellbeing, but don’t eat wild-caught ones too often. Instead, savor the moment when you do. With its high levels of Omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals, it is good for your heart if you don’t cook it in some kind of saturated fat.
We hope you enjoyed this article on what does Stripe Bass taste like.
Happy Hunting!
