It’s a common problem we see: People love to eat fish, but they’re unsure of how to prepare it for themselves.
If this sounds like you, we’re here to help. You shouldn’t only get to eat fish at a restaurant — and you shouldn’t have to pay restaurant prices to enjoy one of the healthiest, versatile entrées around!
Here are our best quick tips for cooking fish at home:
Buy good quality
The quality of your fish can drastically affect the taste, so make sure you’re buying wild-caught fish that is flash frozen for optimal flavor.
Store and defrost properly
There’s a safe way and an unsafe way to defrost frozen fish. Instead of thawing on the counter at room temperature, make sure you thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
Ease yourself in
There’s no need to try a complicated recipe right out of the gate. Start simple and work your way up. Start with a heartier fish (like tuna steaks) and follow a baked fish recipe with simple preparation steps, like this one.
Don’t marinate for too long
If you plan on using a marinade with your fish, be mindful of not soaking for too long. Since fish is so delicate, certain marinades — especially highly acidic ones — can actually start to “cook” your fish over time. Stick to the rule of marinating no longer than 30 minutes for flaky fish and no longer than two hours for sturdier fish.
Pat dry fish before pan cooking
We recommend rinsing your seafood before you cook it to remove bacteria — which means you also need to gently pat it dry to remove excess moisture when you pan fry. This will help your fish cook more evenly and allow you to get a nice sear.
Buy a fish spatula
Did you know there’s a special kind of spatula made just for flipping fish delicately? It’s true! Up your utensil game and buy one here.
Take grilling precautions
If you’re grilling your fish, take the extra step of brushing it with mayonnaise or melted butter to keep it from sticking to the grates. You can also try other fish grilling methods, like cedar planked grilled salmon.
Experiment
Learning a new skill in the kitchen can be intimidating, but you’ll never know how successful you can be until you try. Don’t be afraid to experiment and try new recipe that sound good to you. Check out our recipe posts for inspiration.
And here’s the good news: in many ways, fish is actually easier — and faster! — to cook than other proteins. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll wonder why you ever shied away from cooking fish at home.
Start with the highest quality.
