What is Skate (Raja spp.)?

Skate Skate

Common names for Skate

Big skate, clearnose skate, little skate, rosetta skate, California skate, barndoor skate, winter skate, spreadfin skate, thorny skate, longnose skate, smooth skate, spinytail skate

Other languages for Skate

  • French name: Raie
  • Italian name: Razza
  • German name: Rochen

Introduction to Skate

The kite-shaped bottom-dwelling skate is found globally in temperate and cold seas, as well as deep, tropical oceans. Longlines and gillnets are used to capture skates, both as a targeted fishery and as bycatch. The greatest skate is regarded to be one that has just landed in the winter. Only the skate’s wings are consumed. Skate wings were long thought to be chopped up and sold as scallops. However, scientists remark that the procedure would be commercially unfeasible due to the skate’s cartilage. Skates, like sharks, lack bones in favor of a cartilage structure. The majority of skates are brown or grey in color. Commercial harvesting of skates occurs on both coastlines of North America. The clearnose skate (R. eglanteria), the barndoor skate (R. laevis), the tiny skate (R. erinacea), the winter skate (R. ocellata), and the prickly skate are all found on the East Coast (R. radiata). Among the Pacific Coast skates are the large skate (Rhina binoculata), the California skate (Rhina inornata), and the longnose skate (Rhina rhina).

Product profile for Skate

Skate has a moderately strong scallop-like taste. The meat is mushy at first, but after cold, it hardens up. Raw meat is slightly off-white, occasionally reddish, and cooks to a slightly off-white hue. The only edible portion of the wings is the flesh, which is striated and open-fan shaped. Skate has a stringy texture because to the wing structure. Each wing generates two fillets, one on the top and one on the bottom side.

Cooking tips for Skate

The wings are made up of flesh strands, a layer of cartilage, and finally additional flesh strands. Although heating softens the cartilage, the meat may be separated from it once it has been cooked. Before cooking, the skin should be removed. Skate should be poached in a mixture of water, wine vinegar, a thinly sliced small onion, a bay leaf, parsley, and thyme. Serve with browned butter that has been spiked with capers.

Nutrition facts for Skate

Calories: 95 Fat Calories: 9 Total Fat: 1 g Saturated Fat: N/A Cholesterol: N/A Sodium: 90 mg Protein: 21 g Omega 3: N/A

Primary product forms for Skate

Fresh: Whole, Wings (skin-on), Fillets (skin-off) Frozen: Wings (skin-on), Fillets (skin-off)

Global supply for Skate

Canada, United States, Iran