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Contrary to popular belief, imitation crab is actually made with real fish meat — generally not crab meat though. It's usually made from surimi, or white fish flesh that has been deboned and minced into a paste, which is then mixed with other ingredients including both natural and artificial flavors, starch, sugar, and sodium.
The main ingredient in imitation crab is a paste made from fish called surimi. Surimi is a Japanese word that means “ground meat.” To make surimi, white fish like Alaska pollock, cod, or hake are first caught or harvested. The fish heads, bones, skin, and fins are removed until only the lean muscle is left.
Imitation crab is predominately made from surimi, a fish-based paste that was first created by Japanese chefs during the 12th century. At this time, excess surimi was made by salting and grinding up excess fish to preserve it.
How is imitation crab made? Oleksandr/Adobe Stock. Sticking with our hotdog comparison, sometimes it’s better not to know how “the sausage gets made.”
Imitation crab is a highly processed food made by combining minced fish with starch, egg whites, sugar, salt, and additives to mimic the flavor, color, and texture of real crab meat.
What Is Imitation Crab? Just as the name indicates, imitation crab isn’t crab at all, but instead a puree of fish. It’s usually whitefish with a mild flavor like pollack, whiting or haddock, or a blend. The other ingredients may include crab extract, natural coloring and a binder like egg white.
Imitation crab is typically made using a combination of white fish meat, usually Alaskan pollock, starch, egg whites, sugar, and flavorings. The process begins by filleting the fish and removing the skin and bones. The fish meat is then ground into a paste-like consistency.
Here’s a breakdown of the process: 1. **Surimi preparation:** The first step in making imitation crab involves preparing a mixture called surimi. Surimi is a paste-like substance made primarily of fish meat, usually Alaskan pollock, minced into a fine texture.
What is imitation crab? "Imitation crab is made of white fish, starch and other ingredients to create the texture and taste of crab meat," explains Silverstein.
Imitation crab is made by processing white fish, starch, flour, salt, egg whites and flavoring into a paste and then steaming it into shapes such as rounds or sticks.