A quick reference for knowing when your fish or shellfish is properly cooked, by type, with Health Canada's official safe temperatures.
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Different types of seafood show doneness differently, and unlike meat, there's no single universal cue that works across fish, shellfish, and crustaceans. This is a quick reference for what to look for, and the official safe temperature to cook to.
The official safe minimums (Health Canada)
- Fish (salmon, halibut, trout, black cod, and similar): 70°C (158°F)
- Shellfish and crustaceans (shrimp, lobster, scallops, and similar): 74°C (165°F)
An instant-read thermometer inserted at the thickest part is the only fully reliable way to confirm these temperatures. Visual cues below are useful guides but not a substitute for checking.
Salmon and trout
Properly cooked salmon and steelhead trout turn from translucent red or pink to opaque, and flake easily with light pressure from a fork. The flesh should look consistently opaque throughout, not glassy or translucent at the center.
Halibut and other lean whitefish
Lean white fish like halibut turns fully opaque and flakes easily when pressed, once it reaches the official 70°C (158°F) minimum. Because it has very little natural fat, overcooked halibut dries out fast, so timing and a thermometer matter more here than with fattier fish.
Black cod (sablefish)
Because of its high fat content, black cod stays moist even once fully cooked, unlike leaner fish it won't look dry at proper doneness. It's done when it turns opaque and flakes easily.
Scallops
Properly seared scallops develop a golden crust with a center that's turned from translucent to opaque, firm but still yielding, not hard. Scallops move quickly from underdone to overcooked, so timing and a hot pan matter more here than almost anywhere else in seafood cooking.
Shrimp
Raw shrimp turn from grey or translucent to pink and opaque, and the flesh curls into a loose "C" shape when properly cooked. A shrimp curled into a tight "O" shape is a common sign of overcooking.
Lobster
Lobster meat turns from translucent grey to opaque white, and the shell turns bright red. Overcooked lobster turns rubbery, once the meat is opaque throughout, it's done, there's no benefit to cooking it further.
The one tool worth having
An inexpensive instant-read thermometer removes almost all of the guesswork above. It's the single best upgrade for cooking any seafood confidently, especially for lean fish and shellfish where the gap between "perfect" and "overcooked" is measured in a minute or two, not a wide margin.
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