Understanding Abalone Products

What is Abalone?

Using the word “Abalone” to describe this delicacy, is like using the word fish to describe tuna. There is much more to this mollusc than simply a word. There are many species of Abalone and of course many more species of fish. For too long, Abalone has been sold as just “Abalone”. Yet, like fish and meat there are many types of Abalone, each one different. In Australia the predominant species are Blacklip, followed by Greenlip, then Roei and Brownlip. Each has its own unique character, including flavour texture and appearance. Even the region of catching delivers differences in each aspect of the character of each species.

How do you enjoy Abalone?

Here at Kansom, we have perfected the way to give you cooked and ready-to-at Abalone. The packaging is a high-tech material that enables us to cook the Abalone inside the pack for you to safely keep it in your cupboard. Our pouch products have a shelf life of 2 years from production date, and our canned products have a shelf life of 5 years from production date, with storage in ambient temperature. Once opened only then must it be refrigerated.

To enjoy this experience, simply open the pack, slice, and eat either cold or heat. You may at it cold, or if you prefer it warm then we suggest you put the slices in with your warm dish, be it rice or vegetables, to heat it naturally. If you cook the Abalone further, you will reduce the flavour and toughen the texture of the Abalone.

There are many different Abalone products available, and many different producers. What is the difference between the products?

Not all processed Abalone is equal, this is the most important thing when trying to understand Abalone products.

There is an old saying, “you get what you pay for”, and this reflects the quality of the Abalone. The quality of the Abalone is determined by several factors:

• Abalone is best processed from Live, which delivers a better texture and a better taste.

• Abalone is not pure white in colour. As a “wild” product, its visual appearance is determined by its species, its food, and its location.

• Traditionally Abalone was and much still is “bleached”, using chemicals to deliver what was thought to be the expected colour, white.

• A quality Abalone may have a range of colours from creamy to brown and even blackish.

• The more chemicals used, the greater the loss of flavour with often a chemical taste.

Abalone is too precious to abuse with chemicals and poor quality.

For Canned Abalone, you should look for a declared “Net Drained Weight” on the can. The Net Drained Weight tells you how much actual Abalone you are buying. This is very different from the Net Weight which is the weight of the meat plus the brine (salt water) or seasoning inside. Most Canned Abalone is packed in 425 g Can. The 425 g represents the Net Weight of contents for a can of that dimension.

For Pouch Abalone, you see what you are buying, and you buy by weight. There is often juice in the bag. This is actual juice from the Abalone and has an amazing flavour and should be enjoyed just as much as the Abalone. The process technology of bag is superior to cans. When you cook Abalone in a can you need to include a medium such as brine (salt water). The cooking process has to be longer to penetrate the brine and then the Abalone, and the flavour escapes to the brine, much as it happens when cooking a soup.

What is the difference between Kansom’s Abalone, and other producers of Abalone?

Kansom’s promise to you is simple.

Our product is only processed from wild, fresh, live Abalone.

We use zero to very low chemical in our product.

Our product is cooked and ready-to-eat as it is.