PRIDE RUNS DEEP IN OUR LONE STAR WATERS
Commercial Texas fishermen harvest the finest Gulf shrimp, blue crab, oysters and fish with the utmost care for quality control standards and seafood safety practices. Fueled by hard work and the sea, their dedication plays a vital role in getting the premium, wild-caught seafood you love from the Gulf to your plate.
367 MILES OF CLEAN, SUSTAINABLE COASTLINE
When you choose wild-caught seafood from the Lone Star State, you are buying more than a delicious product—you are helping the coastal ecosystem. Texas fisheries, along with state and federal agencies, university systems and industry partners, ensure that this safe, renewable resource remains an abundant part of our waters for decades to come.
TEXAS: HOME TO THE CRÉME DE LA CRAB
FRESH FROM OUR OWN BACKYARD
Shrimp
Gulf shrimp are a true Texas treasure that’s wildly popular with home cooks and renowned chefs alike. With 367 miles of clean, sustainable coastline, their reputation for premium quality is derived from the Gulf’s nutrient-rich waters—yielding a natural, robust flavor.
Blue Crab
Named for their blue-tinted shells and claws, blue crab is caught year-round, right off the Texas coastline. So don’t settle for crab that’s been sitting (and sitting) in a long-haul shipment from the West Coast. Get crackin’ on succulent blue crab fresh out of the Gulf.
Oyster
Bivalves shipped from Vancouver are no match for the gems harvested from our natural oyster reefs here in the Texas Gulf. Less travel time makes our shellfish healthier, fresher and better for our state’s economy.
Finfish
With more than 900 fish species found in the Gulf, you can bet that fish form a vital part of our local ecosystem. From grouper to red snapper to black drum, our Gulf waters are full of interesting, diverse, and delicious fish species.
MOUTHWATERING RECIPES WITH ONE MAIN INGREDIENT: TEXAS
FEATURED GULF SEAFOOD RECIPES
Spicy Vietnamese Shrimp & Rice Noodle Bowl
Featuring grilled shrimp marinated in a bright and spicy sauce, this airy noodle dish is brimming with bold flavors. As a bonus, it’s served with nuoc cham—a sweet, salty and tangy Vietnamese dipping sauce. So don’t forget the chopsticks! Serves four.
Ingredients
- 1 pound large-sized Texas wild caught shrimp, peeled and deveined
- spicy shrimp marinade
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 8 ounces dry vermicelli rice noodles
- 1 cup nuoc cham sauce
- 8 green leaf lettuce leaves, washed and torn
- 1 cup cucumber, sliced
- 3/4 cup carrot, shaved
- 1/2 cup red cabbage, shredded
- 1/2 cup red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup salted peanuts, chopped
- 1/2 cup mint leaves, torn
- 1/2 cup cilantro leaves, torn
- 1 jalapeño, sliced thinly (optional)
Spicy Shrimp Marinade
- 2 tablespoons sambal
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 cloves fresh garlic, peeled and minced
Nuoc Cham Sauce
- 1/2 cup hot water
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 clove fresh garlic, minced
- 1 serrano chile, minced
- 3 tablespoons fish sauce
- 6 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lime juice
Preparation
- Place the shrimp in a medium-sized bowl and toss with the spicy shrimp marinade. Let them sit for about 10 minutes for the flavors to meld.
- Preheat a char broil grill to medium high and brush the grates with a little oil to keep the shrimp from sticking. Grill the shrimp for three minutes on each side or until they turn pink and curl and the center is no longer translucent. Remove the shrimp from the grill and keep warm.
- Cook the rice noodles according to the package directions. After they are cooked, drain the water completely and rinse to cool. Divide the noodles between four serving bowls and drizzle each with a quarter cup of nouc cham sauce.
- Divide the remaining ingredients between each of the four bowls by placing the garnishes on top of the noodles. Finish the bowls by topping with the reserved warm grilled shrimp divided evenly between the bowls.
Spicy Shrimp Marinade
- Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl.
Nuoc Cham Sauce
- Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl.
Fried Oyster Po’ Boy with Remoulade Sauce
This Gulf classic features fresh oysters soaked in buttermilk, rolled in flour and cornmeal, deep-fried and layered on French bread. Dress them with remoulade sauce, lettuce, and tomato and bon appétit! Serves four.
Ingredients
Fried Oysters
- 3 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 24 raw oysters, shucked and rinsed
- canola or vegetable oil, for frying
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup cornmeal
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 3 tablespoons hot sauce
Remoulade Sauce
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons dill pickle relish
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons hot sauce
- 2 teaspoons capers, roughly chopped
- 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon Creole or Dijon mustard
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
Po'Boy Fixins
- 4 (8-inch long) French loaves, split horizontally
- dill pickles for garnish
- shredded iceberg lettuce
- sliced tomatoes
Preparation
Fried Oysters
- Pat the oysters dry with a paper towel.
- Mix the salt, paprika, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, and black pepper together, then divide the spice mixture in half. Season the oysters with half of the spice mixture.
- Mix the flour, cornmeal and the rest of the spice mixture together in a bowl.
- In a separate bowl, mix the buttermilk and hot sauce together. Dip the seasoned oysters in the buttermilk, then coat with flour mixture shaking off any excess. If you like a thicker coating, you can repeat this step.
- Chill the oysters in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
- Pour the oil into a deep, wide pot to the depth of about 2 inches. Heat the oil to 350°F. Working in batches, fry oysters until golden brown, about 3-4 minutes per batch.
- Transfer to paper towels to drain.
Remoulade Sauce
- Mix everything together and chill in the refrigerator until you are finished frying the oysters.
Assemble the Po'Boy
- Build your sandwich on the French bread with mayonnaise or remoulade. Dress your sandwich with lettuce, tomato, and pickles, then pile on the oysters.
Gambas al Ajillo
The traditional preparation for this Spanish-style tapas is served with unpeeled head-on shrimp, but for ease of serving you may certainly peel the shrimp prior to cooking. Or, go bold and follow tradition! A glass of chilled dry Texas rosé alongside wouldn't hurt either. Serves four.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 teaspoons flaky sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 pounds large-sized Texas wild caught shrimp
- 1/2 cup Texas extra virgin olive oil
- 6 cloves fresh garlic, peeled and sliced thinly
- 1 tablespoon fresh-squeezed lemon juice
- 1/4 cup dry sherry wine
- 1 teaspoon Spanish sherry vinegar
- 2 teaspoons flat leaf parsley, minced
- 4 slices garlic toast
Garlic Toast
- 4 thick slices crusty bread, such as a French loaf
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 clove fresh garlic, peeled and lightly crushed
Preparation
- In a medium-sized bowl, toss the shrimp with the sea salt, crushed red pepper and smoked paprika. Allow the shrimp to sit for about ten minutes as the flavors permeate the shrimp.
- Heat a large sauté pan over medium high heat and pour in the olive oil and the sliced garlic. Stir the garlic in the olive oil and allow it to cook briefly until the edges start to brown slightly.
- Add the shrimp to the pan and cook for three to four minutes, or until the shrimp turn pink and start to curl. Immediately add the lemon juice, sherry wine and vinegar to the pan. Cook the shrimp another minute or so, just until the liquid reduces a little bit and the shrimp are cooked all the way through and are no longer translucent in the center.
- Remove from heat and pour the shrimp and juices into four pre-warmed serving plates and sprinkle evenly with the parsley.
- Serve the shrimp hot with freshly-grilled garlic toast for sopping up the juices in the bottom of each serving plate.
Garlic Toast
- Rub each slice of bread with the garlic clove to flavor, then drizzle evenly on each side with the olive oil.
- Place under a broiler or on top of a hot grill and toast until golden brown and heated through. Serve immediately.
Crab Cakes with Citrusy Slaw
A bright, tart, citrusy slaw is the perfect complement to these traditional homemade crab cake patties. You can save on prep time by purchasing packaged lump crabmeat from your local seafood store. Serves four.
Ingredients
Crab Cakes
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1 egg
- 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon sriracha hot sauce
- zest of 1 lemon
- 3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- 1/3 cup Panko breadcrumbs
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 pound lump crab meat
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Slaw
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- zest and juice of ½ orange
- zest and juice of 1 lime
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon honey or sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup shredded cabbage
- 1 cup shredded carrots
Preparation
- In a large bowl, combine the mayo, egg, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, lemon juice, lemon zest, parsley, panko, salt, and pepper. Mix well, then gently fold in the crabmeat. Form the mixture into four patties about ¾ inch thick, then place them on a parchment-lined plate and refrigerate until fully chilled.
- In a large bowl, whisk the garlic, orange juice and zest, lime juice and zest, olive oil, honey and salt. In a separate large bowl, toss together the cabbage and carrots, then add the wet ingredients and toss to combine. Set aside.
- Once crab cakes are chilled, heat the butter and oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Cook the patties until golden brown then flip and cook the other side.
- Serve with a side of slaw and tartar sauce.
Roasted Whole Snapper over Braised Bok Choy
The delicate sweetness of red snapper is front and center in this easy-to-make dinner. You can always ask your local fishmonger to clean and scale the whole fish for you. They’ll know what to do. Serves four.
Ingredients
Fish
- 1 (2- to 3-pound) whole red snapper, cleaned and scaled
- 2-3 scallions
- 4-5 cloves garlic
- 1 1/2 inch chunk of ginger, peeled and chopped
- 1 bunch cilantro
- handful of cherry tomatoes
- juice of ½ lemon
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Bok Choy
- 2 pounds fresh bok choy
- 4-5 garlic cloves
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons mirin rice wine
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- salt and pepper to taste
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Clean and dry the fish with paper towels. Season with salt and pepper.
- Combine scallions, garlic, ginger, cilantro, tomato, lemon juice, pepper flakes, salt, pepper and 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a food processor and pulse a few times to create a salsa-like texture. Do not puree.
- Cut slits in the fish all the way to the bone and 2-2 ½ inches apart. Place the fish on a sheet of foil. Put the sauce into the slits on both sides of the fish first, then spread the remaining bits evenly all over.
- Drizzle the remaining olive oil around the fish. Place another sheet of foil over the fish. Back at 400°F for about 40 minutes or until the fish is done.
- Melt butter in a large deep skillet. Mince garlic into butter and sauté until fragrant. Add the mirin and soy sauce.
- Place the bok choy in a skillet over medium heat and add the salt and pepper. Toss to combine. Cover snugly with a lid and cook, shaking occasionally until the bok choy is wilted and cooked through.
Blackened Drum Fish Tacos
Flaky black drum fish is blackened and pan seared, piled on tortillas, and topped with a sweet-and-spicy mango salsa. You can always swap out the fish with red drum or red snapper to get a similar taste and texture. Serves two.
Ingredients
- 2 (6-ounce) skinless black drum filets
- olive oil
- 2 teaspoons blackened seasoning
- corn tortillas
- 2 cups red cabbage, shredded
- 1 cups red cabbage, shredded
- 1 whole serrano, sliced
- 2 tomatoes, diced
- 1 white onion, diced
- 1 mango, diced
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
Preparation
- Rinse filets and pat dry with paper towels. Season with blackened seasoning and set aside.
- Shred red cabbage into thin slices. Season generously with salt and place in the fridge to chill (wilt).
- In a small bowl, place diced tomatoes, onions, mango and chopped cilantro. Mix together and set aside.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add in olive oil. Once heated, place the drum Filets, seasoned side down, in the pan to get a nice sear. Once golden brown and seared, flip over and continue to cook through. Once the filets are thoroughly cooked, transfer to a plate and break into large chunks.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add in olive oil. Once heated, place the drum Filets, seasoned side down, in the pan to get a nice sear. Once golden brown and seared, flip over and continue to cook through. Once the filets are thoroughly cooked, transfer to a plate and break into large chunks.
Shrimp Ramen Bowl
Shichimi togarashi is a blend of spices used to flavor Japanese noodle bowls and adds a bit of spicy heat as well as citrus notes. If you are unable to find it, and still want some spice, try adding a little sriracha sauce and lemon pepper to the broth prior to serving. Serves four.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger root, peeled and minced
- 1 clove fresh garlic, peeled and minced
- 1 cup fresh shiitake, straw or button mushrooms, sliced
- 6 cups rich shrimp or chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon white miso paste
- 2 whole soft-boiled eggs, peeled
- 1 pound medium-sized Texas wild caught shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 2 baby bok choy, cleaned and cut in half lengthwise
- 8 ounces dry ramen noodles
- 2 scallions, sliced thinly
- shichimi togarashi (Japanese spice mix)
Preparation
- Start by making the broth. Heat a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat and add the oil, ginger, garlic and mushrooms. Sauté these items for a minute or until fragrant, but do not allow them to brown.
- Turn the heat to high and add the stock, soy sauce, sesame oil and miso paste; bring the mixture to a boil and then immediately reduce to a low simmer. Allow the broth to simmer lightly for about 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, heat one gallon of water to boiling, then add the ramen noodles and cook for three or four minutes until tender, stirring occasionally and then drain. Divide the noodles between four warm bowls.
- Add the shrimp and bok choy to the stock and allow the shrimp to simmer for a couple of minutes until they turn pink and curl and the center is no longer translucent.
- Cut the eggs in half and place one in each bowl on top of the noodles. Ladle the broth, with the shrimp and bok choy over the noodles as well, dividing evenly between all four bowls.
- Garnish the bowls with the sliced scallions and a sprinkling of the Shichimi Togarashi if desired. Serve immediately.
FRESH FROM TEXAS SHORES TO TEXAS TABLES
Browse the restaurants, wholesalers, retailers and dockside stores below to discover Texas Gulf seafood near you.