Native Americans used the iridescent shells of abalone for decoration.
Abalone is a large marine snail with a single shell and a muscular foot. It clings to rocks
and grazes on seaweed. Fossils show abalone existed 100 million years ago. Native Americans
used their flesh for meat and their iridescent shells for decoration. Divers have overfished
abalone off the California coast, but abalone are now being farmed in the waters off
California and Hawaii, increasing the supply.
Varieties
Fresh California red abalone is the variety most generally available, along with the
smaller green, pink, and black abalone. Abalone is sold live or frozen in the shell, as
ready-to eat fresh or frozen pounded steaks, or canned.
Buying and storing tips
The freshest abalone is stored on ice, still in the shell; abalone should not smell fishy.
Keep abalone cool on the trip from the market to your house. Store in the coldest part of your
refrigerator in a bowl covered with a wet towel, and use within 24 hours.
To freeze fresh abalone, clean the muscle and cut it into steaks. Wrap steaks individually
in freezer wrap and over-wrap with a heavy plastic bag. Freeze no longer than two months.
Store purchased frozen abalone in its original wrapping in the freezer, and use it within
two months. Before use, defrost abalone overnight in the refrigerator. Never defrost at room
temperature.
To quick-thaw, run cold water over abalone that is enclosed in a watertight wrapper,
allowing 30 minutes per pound (454 grams). For faster thawing, use the defrost cycle of your
microwave, allowing 2 to 5 minutes per pound (454g), with equal standing time in between zaps
(as one minute defrost to one minute resting).
Availability
Abalone is available in fish markets and Asian specialty markets.
Preparation, uses, and tips
To shuck abalone from the shell, cut the connector muscle, then pry out the flesh. Trim and
discard the viscera, remove dark skin from the foot, and scrub the meat to remove the black
coating. Cut steaks against the grain of the meat, and pound each slice.
To fry abalone, dip the pounded slices in seasoned flour, then shake off excess flour.
Quick cooking is essential to keeping abalone tender. Heat a frying pan until very hot; add
vegetable oil; and cook the abalone about 30 seconds on each side.
Nutritional Highlights
Abalone (raw), 3 oz. (84.9g)
Calories: 89
Protein: 14.5g
Carbohydrate: 5.1g
Total Fat: 0.65g
Fiber: 0.0g
*Excellent source of: Selenium (38mcg)
*Good source of: Magnesium (40mg), Vitamin B12 (0.6mcg), and
Vitamin E (3.4 IU)
*Foods that are an “excellent source” of a particular
nutrient provide 20% or more of the Recommended Daily Value. Foods that are a “good
source” of a particular nutrient provide between 10 and 20% of the Recommended Daily
Value.
When cooked (fried), abalone provides 0.149 grams of omega-3 fatty acids derived from
eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) (0.054g) and alpha lipoic acid (ALA) (0.095g), per each 100 grams
of abalone.
Copyright © 2004 Healthnotes, Inc. All rights reserved.
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Foodnotes.
The information presented in Foodnotes is for informational
purposes only and was created by a team of U.S. registered dietitians and food experts.
Consult your doctor, practitioner, and/or pharmacist for any health problem and before using
any supplements, making dietary changes, or before making any changes in prescribed
medications. Information expires March 2005.
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