Warehou
Seriolella brama (Blue Warehou)
Seriolella punctata (Silver Warehou)
Seriolella caerulea (White Warehou)
Other Names
Black trevally, sea bream, snotgall, snotgall trevally, snotty trevalla, snottynose trevalla, Tasmanian trevally, trevally (Blue); mackerel trevalla, snotty-nose trevally, spotted trevalla, spotted trevally, spotted warehou, trevally (Silver); ranger trevally, white trevalla (White).
Family
Centrolophidae (trevallas).
Description, Location, Habitat and Harvesting Information
Blue Warehou can be distinguished by its silvery blue – greyish green body (White has a similar body shape but is greyish white) and absence of spots (Silver is similar colour, but more slender, with small dark spots along the body). All are bottom-dwelling marine fish available wild-caught. Blue is found around the southeastern coast, including Tasmania, mainly on the continental shelf and upper slope to 300m (though juveniles are found free-swimming and among jellyfish tentacles) and caught mainly off southeastern Australia using gillnets, demersal trawls and Danish seines. Silver, found on the continental slope from 450-650m, are caught mainly by bottom trawlers, sometimes as bycatch of Blue Grenadier, with juveniles sometimes caught in bays and estuaries in haul nets. White are found off the Tasmanian and Victorian coasts (excluding Bass Strait) on the continental slope from 500-800m and caught in small quantities by bottom trawlers as bycatch of Blue Grenadier.
Season
Available year round with peaks from June to September.
Size and Weight
Blue is commonly 1-2kg and 35-45cm, but can grow to 7kg and at least 80cm. Silver is commonly 400g-2.2kg and 35-55cm, but can grow to 5.5kg and over 70cm. White is often up to 2kg and 50cm, but can grow to 6kg and 80cm.
Price
Low-medium priced, with Blue commanding the highest prices.
Relations
Blue-Eye Trevalla, Endeavour Dogfish, Roughskin Dogfish, Rudderfish. Should not be confused with Wahoo, a member of the Mackerel family.
To Buy
Sold whole (gilled and gutted), and as fillets, usually skinned. In whole fish look for lustrous skin with a slippery, mucilaginous coating, firm flesh, and a pleasant, fresh sea smell. In fillets, look for off-white to yellowish, firm, lustrous, moist flesh without any brown markings or oozing water and with a pleasant fresh sea smell. Roe, smoked and fresh, is also available.
To Store
Make sure whole fish is scaled, gilled, gutted and cleaned thoroughly. Wrap whole fish and fillets in plastic wrap or place in an airtight container. Refrigerate for 1-2 days or freeze for up to 3 months below -18ºC. It spoils quickly and easily becomes soft if handled poorly.
To Cook
Average yield is 45% (slightly higher for Blue). Has a medium flavour, low-medium oiliness and slightly dry, medium-textured flesh with good sized flakes and few bones, which are easily removed. Remove dark flesh from along the sides of fillets for a milder flavour. Score whole fish at the thickest part of the flesh and cut thick fillets into serving-size portions to allow even heat penetration.
Cooking Methods
Steam, poach, deep-fry, pan-fry, stir-fry, bake, braise, grill, barbecue, smoke. It is best wrapped in foil or banana leaves if baking or barbecuing, to prevent it drying out.
Goes Well With
Chilli, citrus, cream, curry pastes, garlic, fennel, herbs (such as coriander, dill, oregano, parsley, French tarragon), horseradish, olive oil, tamarind, tomato, vinegar, wine.
Alternatives
Blue-eye Trevalla, Emperor, Pearl Perch, Red Emperor, Silver Trevally, Yellowtail Kingfish.
Imports
Blue Warehou, chilled and frozen, whole and in fillet form, is imported from New Zealand.
Recipes