Winter is a fantastic time to enjoy Australian seafood, for a multitude of reasons.  

Firstly, many species put on fat in response to colder waters, and are therefore juicier and more flavoursome than in other seasons. Secondly, reduced demand (due to many Aussies only consuming seafood in the warmer months) brings the prices of many species right down, meaning you have the chance to score yourself a deal. 

As we enter the cooler months, we asked our Tour Guide and resident seafood expert Alex Stollznow to talk us through the best seafood species to buy in winter.

King Prawn 

We’re kicking off this list with an Aussie favourite, prawns! King Prawns are one of the biggest types of prawn (some can even grow up to 30cm in length!), and are generally wild-caught from estuaries and the ocean all around Australia. Like all seafood, prawns require very little cooking, and it is always best to undercook rather than overcook them, lest they become tough.  

In summer, cooked King Prawns are the perfect specimens for just peeling open and eating them cold. However, in cooler weather, you’ll be more likely to cook them yourself into a cosy dish. Our favourite picks from the Sydney Seafood School recipe archives are either these warm Steamed Prawn Dumplings, or these tasty Stir-fried Ginger and Honey Prawns (add chilli flakes for some extra heat!). 

Tailor 

Tailor (aka Bluefish) is one of the most popular recreational fishing species along the west coast of Australia, named for their ability to cut through fishing nets with their razor-sharp teeth! While there is only a small commercial industry for this fish in Australia, you should still be able to get your hands on it if you ask your fishmonger. 

They live in large schools and feed aggressively on mostly small baitfish, which impart an evenly distributed oil throughout the flesh. This is a species that benefits from proper handling, and as most Tailor are line-caught, this has become standard practice. 

With a rich, strong flavour, Tailor’s high oil content makes it ideal for cooking methods that use high, direct heat (think grilling or barbecuing). Ideal flavours to go with this species include tomato, oregano, basil, thyme, fennel, citrus and balsamic.

Orange Roughy 

Consumers are often concerned about the sustainability of Australian Orange Roughy.   When fishing for this species started in the mid 1980s, little was known about their lifecycle given the depths they live (500- 1000m).  We now know they live for a long time and reproduce when they are around 30 years old.  By the late 1990s, as knowledge about their life cycle improved and catches began to fall, concern grew about their sustainability. As a result, since the early 2000s, fishing for Orange Roughy has been managed under a rebuilding or recovery program, which means strict catch limits , spatial closures to protect spawning, a robust scientific monitoring program and both strong enforcement (and compliance) of management measures.

As a result, customers can be reassured that any Australian Orange Roughy you see in a fishmonger has been caught in a fishery that is managed with the primary objective of ensuring the sustainability of this amazing species.

These fish gain some delicious fat stores in winter, and work beautifully in hearty recipes, such as this Baked Whole Fish with Olive and Walnut Stuffing, or cooked in this Coconut Curry Sauce. 

Australian Salmon  

Not to be confused with Atlantic Salmon, Australian Salmon (Arripis trutta) is actually in a scientific family all its own. This species is not only often confused with other fish of similar names, but also represents one of the strongest examples of the gulf between reputation and actual eating quality.  

This is a fish that responds particularly well to proper handling methods, such as brain spiking, bleeding, and a speedy placement into ice slurry. Good handling methods make for a clean, firm, meaty fillet that is excellent as crumbed fish pieces, minced in fish cakes, barbequed, smoked, or even as sashimi.   

Australian Salmon comes into great form in winter, with especially strong supply coming up to Sydney Fish Market from Tasmania and Southern Victoria. 

Sea Mullet 

Your favourite fish’s favourite fish, Mullet have been loved by those in the know for tens of thousands of years in Australia, everywhere on the East coast. This hardy fish is at home in the freshwater upper reaches of estuaries as it is in the ocean, and will take on a corresponding estuarine or marine flavour.  

Despite these variations in flavour, all Mullet share an uncommonly high levels of omega-3 in their generously distributed fat, and it is the flavour in this fat that is the secret to their appeal. Use cooking methods that are likely to char the skin, and render the fat - barbecuing, roasting or placing skin-side up under the grill for a few minutes.  

Due to Mullet’s wide distribution as well as their schooling nature, Mullet are easy for our fishers to target, and cheap to buy. At the peak of the Autumn/Winter Mullet run on the NSW coast, the price can get as low at $2/kg, though they usually retail for closer to $5 to $8 per kilo for whole fish. 

Grey Mackerel 

Grey Mackerel is our top pick as the next of the Tropical Mackerel family to make a name for themselves. This species lives in the warmer waters of Northern Australia, with four distinct populations spanning territory from WA to Northern NSW, with the bulk caught in QLD and the NT.   

As indicated by their narrow mouth and sharp, fine teeth, this fish predominantly feeds on baitfish. This gives the thick fillets a rich oiliness perfect for winter eating, and allowing for a huge variety of cooking methods. Try marinating cutlets and pan-frying, like in this Moroccan-style recipe, or placing large pieces in a vibrantly-flavoured curry like this one. 

Purple Long Spined Sea Urchin

Winter is the peak season for these spiky delicacies (which are much more popular overseas than they are here - unfortunately!). While the most popular way to eat Urchin is as sashimi (also known as Uni), for winter we recommend using their delicious roe to create a showstopping pasta sauce. Alex shows you how in this video.