Swordfish

Swordfish is a large predatory fish found in warm and temperate oceans worldwide. Its flesh is dense, firm, and steak-like — more similar to meat than to most other fish — with a mild, slightly sweet flavour and very few bones.

Swordfish is almost always sold as thick steaks or cutlets, and it’s best cooked simply: grilled, barbecued, pan-seared, or chargrilled. It holds up well to bold flavours like lemon, capers, chilli, and fresh herbs. It’s a popular choice for the barbecue because it doesn’t fall apart on the grill.

In Australia, swordfish is available from fishmongers and some supermarkets, typically sold as fresh or frozen steaks. It’s a wild-caught species, taken by longline fishing in both domestic and international waters.

Wild
photograph to come — from twenty years of markets, farms and kitchens

How it's made

Swordfish are wild-caught in open ocean waters using longline fishing methods. Once landed, the fish are gutted, bled, and chilled immediately to preserve quality. The large fish are then broken down into loins and cut into thick steaks or portions. The flesh is sold fresh or frozen.

Nutrition (per 100g)

Energy 144kcal
Protein 19.7g
Carbs 0g
Fat 6.7g
Fibre 0g Sugar 0g
Mass Distribution

1 piece (4-1/2" x 2-1/8" x 7/8") is about 136 g — roughly 200 kcal of this.

What it costs the planet (per kilo)

Carbon ≈5.12kg
Freshwater ≈3515.02L
Land ≈3.72

≈ Estimated — worked out from a category-typical value further up its supply chain. Where this comes from →

Where it comes from

In the kitchen

Used as

grilled fish steak

Classic dishes
  • Grilled Swordfish
  • Swordfish Kebabs
  • Sicilian Swordfish
  • Swordfish Piccata

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Where this data comes from

Nutrition data from

USDA

How it was calculated

SR Legacy

Full credits, licences, and methods: the sources page →

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