Fish: The Basic Rules of Cooking
We all know that fish is healthy, but not all of us are comfortable with our fish-cooking skills. The following tips will help you to easily cook fish.
Dry-packed and canned fish You do not have to buy the expensive, fresh cuts of fish. Even tuna is a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, and while canned tuna is a fine choice, many experts recommend the dry-packed varieties. However, if you want to buy the canned variety, purchase the kind that is packed in water rather than in oil; much more of the omega-3 fatty acids are lost when draining oil-packed tuna than when draining water-packed tuna.
Fresh or frozen Make sure that your fish is fresh—the flesh should spring back when you press it, the surface of the fish should appear shiny, and it should not smell overly fishy. If you only need to prepare one filet at a time, try purchasing frozen fish, which is often flash-frozen right on the dock. If you do buy fresh fish, use it within 24-36 hours or freeze it.
Mild fish Choose some of the mildest tasting fish if you are just beginning to eat fish—tilapia, orange roughy, sole, and flounder are good choices.
Cooking tips Do not overcook your fish, as it ruins the flavor. Some fish does not flake until it is beginning to become overdone. Instead, use a thermometer and stop cooking once the middle of the filet has reached 145º F.
Try one of the seven basic ways of cooking fish: Boil: Boil only shellfish, such as lobster tails, crab, crab legs, and shrimp. Remove when the shells turn bright orange or red, or when the center of the lobster tail reaches 140º F. Steam: Put seafood on a rack or in a steamer basket, and place over a shallow amount of boiling water. Cover tightly. Cook for 10-15 minutes (except shrimp which only needs 2-5 minutes). Sauté (best for lean fish): Heat some oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook for 4 minutes on each side. You may want to dip the fish in milk and bread crumbs or another coating before sautéing. Poach: Use wine, water, fish stock, or milk to poach fish, adding just enough liquid to cover the fish. Cook the fish, covered, in simmering liquid for 8-10 minutes if you are using filets, or 10-20 minutes if cooking a whole fish. Bake: Follow the general rule of baking fish for 10 minutes for every inch of thickness at 350º F-400º F. If you are going to bake a lean, white fish, it is best to put a little liquid, such as wine or citrus juice, in the bottom of pan. You also can protect the fish flesh by dipping it in flour or bread crumbs prior to baking. Some people prefer to bake their fish in aluminum foil that is rubbed with oil or coated with a nonstick cooking spray. Panfry: Prepare fish before frying it (most common method) by dipping the fish in egg and/or milk, and coating it with cracker crumbs, bread crumbs, flour, or cornmeal as breading. Heat oil in a pan. Cook fish for 4-6 minutes on each side. Microwave: Place fish in a single layer on the bottom of a microwaveable dish, cover with plastic wrap (cut a few holes in the wrap for ventilation), and cook for the amount of time specified in the chart below
Fish Amount Time Stand Time Fillets, ½″-⅓″ 1 pound (lb) 5-7 minutes, rotate dish one 2 minutes thick half turn after 3 minutes 1½ lb 7-9 minutes, rotate dish one 3 minutes half turn after 4 minutes Steaks, 1″ thick 1 lb 5-7 minutes, rotate dish one 3 minutes half turn after 3 minutes 2 lb 8-10 minutes, rotate dish one 3 minutes half turn after 4 minutes Scallops, sea 1½ lb 6-9 minutes, stir after 3 minutes 4 minutes Shrimp, peeled and 1 lb 6-8 minutes, stir after 3 minutes deveined 3 minutes Shrimp in shells 1 lb 5-7 minutes, stir after 3 minutes 3 minutes Source: Purdue University, Indiana 4-H. Microwaving fish and shellfish. Available at: http://www.four-h.purdue.edu/foods/Cooking%20fish%20and%20shellfish%20frame1.htm). Accessed April 27, 2010.
Appropriate cooking method Use the appropriate method of cooking for your choice of fish. In general: Poaching, steaming, and panfrying are the best choices for lean fish, such as: ○ Cod ○ Turbot ○ Haddock ○ Halibut ○ Red snapper Panfrying, baking, broiling, or grilling are the best cooking methods for medium-fat fish, such as: ○ Swordfish ○ Striped bass Grilling works best for high-fat fish. such as: ○ Salmon ○ Grouper ○ Herring
Online recipes For a great selection of recipes, check out the following Web sites: http://www.fish4fun.com http://www.foodnetwork.com http://allrecipes.com http://www.cooks.com http://www.gourmet.com
References and recommended readings H-E-B Culinary Dept. Fish cooking basics. Available at: http://www.heb.com/mealtime/CT- fishBasics.jsp. Accessed April 9, 2010.
Helpwithcooking.com. Baking fish: how to bake fish, including baking with and without foil. Available at: http://www.helpwithcooking.com/fish-guide/baking-fish.html. Accessed April 9, 2010.
Purdue University, Indiana 4-H. Microwaving fish and shellfish. Available at: http://www.four- h.purdue.edu/foods/Cooking%20fish%20and%20shellfish%20frame1.htm). Accessed April 27, 2010.
Reader’sDigest.com. Get hooked on fish. Available at: http://www.rd.com/living-healthy/get- hooked-on-fish/article16110.html. Accessed April 9, 2010.
Review Date 5/10 G-1328