in
and hand-trimmed. A deep skin-
ning is required (with the exception
of the Kirkland Signature wild
Alaskan sockeye) to remove excess fat
or dark meat. Each variety is cut into
similar, dinner-size boneless portions.
Finished fillets are blast-frozen,
individually vacuum sealed, packed in
reusable freezer storage bags and kept
below zero degrees Fahrenheit. Many
are kosher certified.
z a e ne e
Kirkland Signature Wild
Alaskan Sockeye Salmon
COSTCO’S WILD Alaskan sockeye, with its
deep ruby red flesh, is harvested by
day-boat fishers along Alaska’s
coastal waters.
(3-pound bag)
: Appreciate the
fish; keep preparation simple.
Finish with a squeeze of
lemon or parsley butter.
PREP TIP
IRIDIO PHOTOGRAPH Y
Quality catch
S
K
R
O
W
N
O
I
Scott shares, “Our suppliers know what
we will and, more importantly, will not
accept in fish. Nothing is left to chance.”
The Costco frozen-fish team personally
inspects each supplier’s methods, which can
occur out at sea, on the docks or inside pro-
cessing facilities. Independent third-party
food safety and social audits are required.
T
A
occur out at sea, on the docks or inside pro-s ed
s
R
T
S
U
L
L
I
t
i c
i f
s h
n
e .
Questionable cost-cutting options are
not allowed. This includes such practices as
selling twice-frozen fish that have been
shipped frozen from Alaska to China, then
thawed, processed into portions, refrozen
and shipped back to the U.S.—sans flavor.
o
we will and, more importantly, will not
KirklandSignatureWild
AlaskanCod
COSTCOCHOOSESquota-restricted
Alaskancod.Eachbagcontainsmoist,
slightlysweetcenter-cutloinportions.
(2-poundbag)
ScottO’Brienshares,“Frankly,we
didn’texpectsuchstrongsales,butthe
demandhasbeenswiftandunrelenting.
It’sanaffordablewild-caughtaddition.”
:Codisflakierthanother
fishandbroilssuperbly.
PREPTIP
Putting a line out Trolling Costco’s frozen-fish buying department leads me to catch up with Scott
O’Brien, Costco’s frozen-fish buyer.
I learn Costco’s private-label frozen-fish
program is leagues above many other brands.
The fish must be fresh and top grade. To
ensure optimal freshness, they are maintained at a temperature of less than 40
degrees Fahrenheit prior to freezing.
Once cleaned, each fillet is hand-selected
Kirkland Signature
Wild Alaskan
Halibut
(2-pound bag)
COSTCO CHOOSES
quota-restricted Pacific
Alaskan halibut. This is
why you’ll not find this delicately flavored, finely textured
white fish in all warehouses.
Costco halibut is long line caught,
employing a relatively large hook that
reduces the unwanted capture of smaller
fish and does not damage ocean habitats.
PREP TIP: I prefer to let this fish speak.
Lightly grill with minimal seasoning. Halibut
is firm—perfect for grilling or pan roasting.
Fishing with a conscience
so v
Costco’s ultimate goal is to provide a
consistent supply of quality seafood in a
responsible fashion.
This is why Costco no longer sells seven
wild species of fish that are nearly universally
identified as at great risk: Chilean sea bass,
orange roughy, shark, swordfish, bluefin tuna,
Atlantic halibut and Atlantic cod.
Sales will not resume unless sources are
certified as sustainable by the Marine
Stewardship Council—a leading certification
and eco-labeling program for sustainable
seafood—or a comparable, reputable certifier that assesses the fishery is no longer overfished. (You can see Costco’s
official sustainability statement by visiting Costco.com, entering “investor
relations” in the Search box, then clicking on “corporate governance,” then on
“seafood and sustainability.”)
IRIDIO PHOTOGRAPH Y
Once again I’m sold on Costco—hook,
line and sinker. C
Kirkland Signature Wild Mahi~Mahi
(3-pound bag)
MAHI-MAHI IS a migratory fish, following the
warm-water currents of South America. Costco
goes where the fish are feeding, and uses only
the artisanal fishing fleets to harvest Kirkland
Low in calories, with no carbs and high in
protein, this Costco offering is a deep-sea treasure.
: Top with a dollop of spicy tropical
fruit salsa after cooking.
PREP TIP
More in archives
On Costco.com, enter
“Connection.” At Online Edition,
search “buyingsmart.” For recipes,
search “cookbook.”
New! Kirkland Signature
Farm-Raised Steelhead Trout
(3-pound bag)
STEELHEAD TROUT are rainbow trout that
spend part of their life at sea like salmon.
I tried to compare this Costco offering,
harvested in ocean net pens in Chile, to
others, but Costco is the only one I know
that carries these gorgeous pink-fleshed
and mild-tasting trout.
PREP TIP: A light kosher salt brine flavor
enhancer is added to this product, as well
as to the Kirkland Signature farmed Atlantic
salmon. Use additional salt sparingly.
Kirkland Signature
Farm-Raised Tilapia Loins
( 2.5-pound bag)
ABOUT 80 PERCENT of the frozen tilapia in
the U.S. is now imported from China. One
reason Costco chooses to source its tilapia
from Indonesia and Honduras is that it can
better monitor clean water sources, ensuring
pure white fish with a sweet flavor.
This is why it comes as no surprise to
Scott O’Brien, Costco’s frozen-fish buyer, that
Regal Springs Tilapia, one of Costco’s primary
tilapia suppliers and the largest independent
tilapia aquafarmer in the world, is the first to
have one of its aquafarms pass a new, rigorous
audit needed for full-sustainability certification.
Costco is also the first and continues to
be the only retailer I know to specify tilapia
loins. Each weighs 5 to 6 ounces, and is considered the “premium cut” from the fillet.
PREP TIP: Lightly brush both sides of
the fish with olive, vegetable or sesame oil
before cooking.