Snoek (Thyrsites atun)

Description
The snoek (Thyrsites atun) is a medium-sized, pelagic (open water) fish that inhabits the coastal waters of the temperate Southern Hemisphere. Snoek has been an important commercial species since the early 1800s, caught initially with handlines but also by trawlers after 1960. It can grow up to 2 m in length and weigh 6 kg.

Origin
Woolworths sources trawl caught snoek from New Zealand due to inconsistencies in the supply of local snoek as well as the high occurrence of post-mortem myoliquefaction (soft flesh) in local snoek which leads to unacceptable levels of post-harvest waste.

Attributes
Snoek is an oily fish, high in omeg-3 fatty acids. It is quite bony, although the bones are large and easily removed from the cooked fish. Snoek has a light pinkish to white flesh, with a firm texture and strong ocean flavour.

Cooking
Snoek is typically braaied over an open grill or wrapped in aluminium foil with butter and herbs. In South African cuisines, snoek is a foundation for many dishes, including smoorsnoek, fish bobotie, and snoek pâtés. It is also an excellent smoked fish.