American Shad

American shad is an anadromous fish — it lives in the ocean but migrates up rivers to spawn, much like salmon. It has a rich, distinctive flavour and high oil content that makes it well-suited to smoking, grilling, and baking.

Shad is celebrated in the eastern United States, where the spring shad run has been a culinary event for centuries. The roe (eggs) are considered a particular delicacy, typically pan-fried in butter. The flesh itself is delicious but notoriously bony, with a complex network of small pin bones that makes filleting a specialist skill.

American shad is not available in Australia, where it doesn’t occur naturally. It remains a regional North American fish, most associated with the rivers of the Atlantic seaboard.