Mako sharks are on top of the marine food chain. Their name translates to man-eater in the Maori language. Yet somehow, man has managed to subdue this beast of nature and transform it into some form of culinary art.
Mako sharks are a large species of shark with a growth rate that doubles that of other sharks. Huge and vicious, but we can still eat them.
Humans have been eating shark meat for centuries, this just proves that our dominance over every other lifeform is still there. Shark meat is regarded as a delicacy in many cooking circles. It is that kind of seafood that you cannot eat every day because they are not readily available.
What does mako shark taste like? Mako shark tastes quite like meat, it is softer than alligator or chicken and is a bit chewy. It has a mild flavor that can be boosted with food items of your choice. When you think about the taste of a mako shark think about an alligator: which is regarded as the chicken of the swamp or chicken itself.
Sharks urinate through their skin so, you need to soak it to get all of the urine out. Their urine contains urea and that is in no way healthy for the body. But, mako shark meat still has its benefits.
Nutritional Benefits of Mako Shark
Mako shark plays host to nutrients that can prove to be beneficial to the body. The major nutrients you have in the mako shark are selenium, lysine, isoleucine, tryptophan, and vitamin B-12. Mako shark is also a good source of niacin, phosphorus, and very high amounts of protein.
Mako shark has a low-calorie count that would not have you worrying about your waistline, it is also low in fat and saturated fats that could be harmful to the body in large amounts.
Mako shark has a good supply of omega-3 acids that are found to be beneficial for brain health, heart health and could help reduce diabetes. There is the belief that sharks do not get cancerous cells but it turns out that sharks do get cancer but not just as frequently as human beings. For this reason, many believe that mako shark meat might have anti-cancer properties, but these claims are not medically proven.
Shark meat is also believed to be able to extend one’s lifespan and increase virility. It is even believed that shark meat has medicinal benefits. These claims are not proven but there is one fact that is very well known; because of the predatory nature of mako sharks, they have high levels of mercury that is poisonous to the human system.
Aside from mercury, mako shark meat contains other heavy metals and heavy chemicals that could result in serious health complications.
Yes, mako shark meat is dangerous, but one would not drop dead from having just one dish. But, exercising caution when consuming shark meat is the best way to ensure that a number of years are not taken away from one’s lifespan.
Culinary Uses of Mako Shark
Mako shark can be prepared in the same way you would cook any other meat. You can boil, deep-fry, pan-fry or sear it. It can be marinated or rubbed with spices, seasoning, pepper, and salt before you cook it.
Mako shark’s blood contains urea, even their meat contains urea because they urinate through their skin and their urine contains urea. After mako has been killed, it needs to be bled out immediately and put on ice. If this is not done, the urea present can give the mako meat an ammonia taste or smell.
Mako shark is the best-tasting species out of all the known shark species in the world. It can serve as an alternative to swordfish because they seem so similar. They are even mislabeled as swordfishes after they have been cooked. Mako shark meat can be cubed, to be used in soups and stews. It can be chunked for kebabs too.
Bloodlines in mako shark meat can impart a bitter taste due to the whole process of urea turning into ammonia and all of that. When taking cuts of mako shark for the kitchen, trimming away the red meat can before cooking it makes it way better. Wrapping mako shark meat during the cooking process also helps to keep the meat from drying out.
What is the Origin of Mako Shark? How to Procure It?
Mako sharks can be found offshore in temperate and tropical seas. Mako sharks are part of the Lamnidae family, the same family great white sharks and the porbeagle come from. There are several extinct species of the mako shark. They have been dated to be millions of years old, with the help of fossils found in the ocean.
The global supply of mako sharks is present in Chile, Australia, United States, New Zealand, and Mexico. You can find it frozen, fresh, or smoked.
Is it Legal to Eat Mako Shark?
In the United States, it is legal to eat mako sharks. But, they are not so popular for consumption because most of the species that can be found in American stores are endangered species.
Facts You Don’t Know About Mako Shark
- Mako sharks are capable of swimming speeds of up to 20 miles per hour.
- The scientific name of the 2 types of mako sharks is; Shortfin mako shark (Isurus oxyrinchus) and longfin mako shark (Isurus paucus).