While shark is endangered and rarely eaten across the world, it is a favorite in Trinidad. It is usually served with fried bake as a sandwich with tons of condiments to customize your foodie experience.

The shark I used for this recipe though was very small so it was better suited for making small nuggets or bites. These fried shark bites were seasoned with tasty Caribbean herbs and spices and shallow fried to create a yummy savory snack.

Let’s get into how to prepare shark properly and everything related to the recipe. If you like easy fish recipes, check out my fried red snapper one and honey mustard salmon recipe while you are here.

cooked fried shark bites or nuggets on a paper napkin

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Ingredients for fried shark

shark slices: the fish vendor cleaned and deskinned the shark pieces I used here.
flour
lime: or lemon
salt
pepper: try any of these spicy sauces.
Caribbean green seasoning: made with blended garlic, ginger, pepper, and chadon beni (culantro). You can use my green seasoning recipe or get it online. You can also replace the chadon beni with cilantro and chives.
turmeric: [optional] adds a mild earthiness to the flavor.
oil: any vegetable oil will do.

Is it safe to eat shark?

Yes, you can eat shark, but in moderation. Although endangered, many enjoy shark meat from smalltail sharks, blacktip sharks, Caribbean and Brazilian sharpnose sharks and hammerhead sharks.

But, sharks are apex predators and so can contain high levels of toxins and heavy metals. As a result, pregnant women and young children should NOT eat shark meat. All other persons can enjoy the fish in moderation.

Here in Trinidad, as I mentioned before, shark meat is often battered, fried and served with fry bake, vegetables and condiments like pineapple chow, chadon beni sauce, and chutney.

The ‘sandwich’ is called bake and shark and is especially enjoyed at Maracas Beach. The kind of shark used depends on what is available to the vendor and sometimes it is swapped out for king mackerel, catfish and even tilapia.

trini bake and shark with condiments — bake, shark, salad, pineapple and sauces

How to prepare shark meat

Here’s a photo of the shark used in this recipe. I believe it is a smalltail shark.

Sharks urinate through their skin, so when the fish is being processed, it will have a strong urea-like smell. My local fish vendor usually processes the meat for me by washing the shark, removing its guts, and allowing the blood to drain out.

With amazing precision, he deskinned the shark, washed it again and cut it into smaller pieces. Since this one was only two pounds, he couldn’t debone it without causing damage to the meat.

By preparing it this way, the shark meat had no scent and was ready to be used right away.

Pro tip: The fish vendor suggested to wash the shark when I got home with flour only and not lime. He noted lime makes the shark meat tougher and chewier.

How to make this fried shark recipe

Here’s a look at the shark meat after the fish vendor washed, cleaned and deskinned the shark.

As per the fish vendor’s instructions, I rinsed the shark meat and mixed in two tablespoons of flour. After a minute or so, I rinsed the flour off.

Season the shark meat

Here I used salt, turmeric and Caribbean green seasoning made by blending garlic, ginger, pepper and fresh chadon beni and broad thyme leaves from my garden. You can use blended cilantro and chives as substitutes for the herbs. Cover and refrigerate for 15 to 30 minutes.

Before battering the fish, I added a teaspoon of lime juice (although the fish vendor said not to). The juice didn’t affect the meat since I added it right before frying.

Batter and fry

Coat the shark pieces with flour. You can add paprika, garlic powder and other seasonings to the flour if you like. While battering the fish, place a saucepan on medium heat. Fill it with enough oil for frying the pieces. Leave to heat up.

Once hot enough, fry the shark pieces in the oil for 3 minutes. Flip over and cook the other side for another 3 minutes. For thicker slices of shark meat, cook each side for about 5 to 7 minutes per side.

Remove from the oil and set on thick napkins to soak up the excess oil. Serve hot with your favorite sauces and sides.

What to serve with fried shark

These shark pieces were small, so you can serve them with fries and other fried treats like chicken or shrimp wontons.

For larger pieces and fillets, serve the fried shark with fry bake, lettuce, tomatoes, and pineapple chow. Chadon beni sauce, garlic sauce and mango chutney are great condiments that go so well with bake and shark.

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fried shark bites in a bowl lined with a napkin

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