Scup (Porgy)
Stenotomus chrysops
Atlantic coast from Cape Cod to the Carolinas over structure and hard bottom. Abundant, schooling, and thoroughly underappreciated.
Contaminant load: Lower load
Flavor Profile
Sweet and clean with a light richness. Excellent whole-fish flavor for a very inexpensive fish.
Texture & Preparation
Firm, fine-flaked, and slightly bony — best appreciated on the bone.
Cooking Methods
💡 Chef's Insight
Scup is one of the best values on any Atlantic dock: abundant, sustainably managed, and cheap enough that people underrate it. It's also a fish that wants to be cooked whole. Scale it, score both sides to the bone, salt inside and out, and roast at 450°F on a bed of sliced lemon and thyme for fifteen minutes until the skin blisters and the fins go brittle. Eat it off the bone with olive oil and flaky salt. The Portuguese and Greek approach — whole fish over hot charcoal, then dressed while hot with a ladada of olive oil, lemon juice, and oregano — is just as good. For a big catch, fry the whole fish crisp and pour over a warm vinegar escabeche with garlic, bay, and smoked paprika, then eat it cold the next day.
Safety Context
One of the lowest-concern coastal fish — small, quick-growing, and low on the food chain, with a well-managed fishery. A reliable frequent choice for families.
Primary Contaminants
Very low mercury — a small, fast-growing, short-lived bottom fish.
Similar Alternatives
Categories
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This profile describes the species. Recommended consumption frequency depends on where the fish came from — the Water to Table Advisor™ locates the official advisory for your water and household.