FISH FILLETS

 

General introduction

Fish fillets are quick to cook and easy to flavor and eat. However, they are easy to overcook. When it comes to fish fillets, err on the side of underdone because there will always be residual cooking. And use your meat thermometer! 135F, perfect every time.

Bake/roast

Very easy cooking method, only drawback is fish skin or flesh sticking to your baking sheet.

  • Preheat oven to 375F

  • Spread a tablespoon of cooking oil or butter onto a baking sheet

  • Salt and pepper flesh and skin side of fish and place on baking sheet skin side down

  • Place in the oven for approx 8 minutes per inch of thickness of fillet

  • Use meat thermometer to determine when internal temperature has reached 135F

Sautéing

This method tends to take a little more effort because you need to keep a closer eye on the fish, but it can pay off in the form of crispy skin and richer flavor

  • Place a tablespoon of butter or cooking oil on to a medium saucepan over medium low heat

  • With skin on fillets, consider scoring the skin, this will prevent the fish from curling up when exposed to heat

  • Place fillets skin side down onto the pan

  • Saute fish on skin side until flesh turns from translucent to opaque all the way up the fillet and over the edges of the fillet. You should see the flesh cook about ⅓ of the way toward the center of the fillet.

  • Flip fillet and cook flesh side down for approximately 1 minute

  • Internal temperature should read 135F and flesh should be opaque (a little rare is ok)

Grilling

Great flavor, but fish sticking to the grill is the bane of all grill cooks’ existence. We have a trick - coat the fillet in a thin layer of mayonnaise. It may impact the flavor slightly, but it pays off with a non-stick grill experience. Further, make sure the grates are clean and coat them in a little olive or vegetable oil. Stainless steel grates tend to mitigate sticking issues over cast iron grates, so buy stainless if you can.

  • Set gas grill to medium low heat - for charcoal grill, create an area with no coals to shift fish to if grill gets too hot.

  • Salt and pepper the fish, coat in thin layer of mayonnaise

  • Place fish on grill, skin side down

  • Treat this as if you were cooking the fillet in the oven - figure approximately 8 minutes per inch of thickness

  • Internal temperature should read 135F or have just turned opaque

  • Flip fish for a final minute to get a little sear on the other side of the fish.

Poach

This is a super easy method because there is very little clean up and it’s pretty forgiving.

  • Choose a pot large enough to hold the amount of fish you have and fill with water high enough to cover the fillets

  • Add a capful of vinegar to the water

  • Tip: you can also add a couple cloves of roughly chopped garlic and several sprigs of herbs (parsley, dill) to add some flavor

  • Bring water to a boil and lower to a simmer

  • Add the fish fillets

  • Poach for approximately 5 minutes per inch, check for internal temperature of 135F or that flesh has turned from translucent to opaque