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Tips For Buying Grouper

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By JEFF HOUCK | The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 25, 2007

- Grouper are members of the sea bass family of fish known as Serranidae and are harvested year-round in parts of the Atlantic and Caribbean. Peak Eastern Seaboard and Gulf production occurs during summer and fall, when prices fall and quality increases. During winter and spring, grouper of lesser quality are caught off South America.

- When buying grouper, note the differences in skin tone, texture, flake size, moisture and flavor depending on size and location of harvest. The source of the fish will tell you what type and quality you are buying.

- Black grouper is the most prized among the species because it is the most rare. The firm flesh has a slight sweetness and a high moisture and oil content.

- Always purchase grouper with the skin on. Like any fish, it has distinctive markings that help you identify the species. Be wary when purchasing pre-cut fillets from Mexican or South American suppliers, who often substitute drum of corvina and pass it off as grouper.

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