Mullet

Scientific name:  Mugil cephalus 
Market name:  Mullet
Common names: Striped mullet, black mullet, gray mullet

The Mullet Story

More than 100 species of mullet are found worldwide in estuaries and the open ocean. In the United States, particularly in Southeast regional cuisine, the striped mullet is the species of choice, prized as much for its roe as for its flesh. The red roe is a valuable export product for markets in Japan and Taiwan. Striped mullet are found from North Carolina to Texas. Florida accounts for most of the U.S. commercial harvest, which has been decimated by net bans. Despite its popularity in the Southeast, striped mullet remains fairly unknown in the rest of the country. Quality is dependent on freshness, so most mullet is consumed in the region where it’s landed. Don’t confuse striped mullet with the renowned red mullet, or rouget, of French cuisine; the red mullet (Mullus surmeletus) is a member of the goatfish family Mullidae, while the striped mullet is in the Mugilidae family.

Product Profile

Mullet has a rich, nutty taste. Its high oil content and flavor have earned it the nickname “Biloxi bacon.” The raw flesh is white and cooks up white, firm and juicy. A dark, lateral line of fatty flesh runs through the meat and can impart a stronger flavor. To prevent this, skin the fish and remove the line.

Because mullet is oily, careful handling and fast turnover are necessary; even frozen, the shelf life is just 90 days.

You Should Know...

Mullet is best purchased in the fall, just before the offshore spawning migration, when the meat is at its fattest and fish are full of ripe roe.

Nutrition Facts

Serving size: 100g/3.5 oz. (raw)
Amount per serving
Calories 117
Fat Calories 34
Total Fat 3.8 g
Saturated Fat 1.1 g
Cholesterol 49 mg
Sodium 65 mg
Protein 19.4 g
Omega-3 0.4 g

Cooking Tips

The high oil content of mullet makes it a good candidate for charcoal grilling and hot smoking. Floridians and Cajuns split mullet and roast it over hickory fires. It can also be stuffed and baked or pan-fried. For a milder flavor, skin fillets before cooking. In European-style recipes that specify mullet, don’t use the domestic species; substitute ocean perch, unless you have access to true European red mullet.

Substitutions: Mackerel, Pompano

Cooking Methods

Bake, Fry, Grill, Sauté, Smoke

Primary Product Forms

Fresh

• Whole
• H&G
• Fillets

Frozen

• Whole
• H&G
• Fillets

Value-added

• Smoked
• Roe

---

Put this information and more at your fingertips with the Seafood Handbook

If you buy, source, process, study, sell, prepare, handle or work with seafood, you need the Seafood Handbook. The only professional seafood reference book available anywhere.

Visit Wiley.com to save 15% on The Seafood Handbook and more! Your discount will be applied automatically upon checkout. If you do you not see the discount being applied, please enter code aff15 in the Promotion Code field and click the Apply Discount button.

Order the Seafood Handbook Today!