Fish is one of the most versatile choices for any meal. There are so many types to choose from and so many ways to serve it! When it comes to tricks for making cooking easier than ever, our fish preparation tips are here to help.
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Use a little milk: When you are craving some delicious fresh fish but only have frozen on hand, using a little milk is one of the best fish preparation tips. When you have frozen fish, place in a dish with milk as it thaws out and until you are ready to cook it. The milk will help the fish taste more like fresh fish than frozen.
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Marinate thicker cuts: One of the best fish preparation tips is to marinate thicker cuts to cut down on cooking time. While many people think of marinating as a beef trick, it is quite useful for fish as well. If you marinate thicker cuts for 15 minutes in either lemon or lime juice prior to cooking, the acid from the juice will cut down on cook time to avoid the fish drying out from too much heat.
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Use cornflakes: This is one of the easiest and tastiest fish preparation tips. If you are looking for a way to bread fish, cornflakes may be the best secret weapon. Cornflakes have several things going for them as a fish breading. For starters, cornflakes are lower in calories than most breadcrumbs. They are also less absorbent so the fish won’t be as heavy with oil. Best of all, they give a nicer crunch than breadcrumbs for a meal sure to please to the last bite.
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Fix overcooking with parsley: If you have ever tried to cook blackened fish, you probably already know it is quite the learning process. If you overly blackened the fish, you can freshen it up with chopped parsley. The parsley will help remove some of the burnt flavor while adding a nice profile to the meal. Simply sprinkle a little parsley over the fish while it is still hot prior to serving to put this trick to work.
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Measure for cook time: Figuring out cook time for fish can be tricky. Most cuts of fish do not exactly come with cooking instructions. An easy tip to figure out cook time is to measure the fish based on thickness. For instance, if a fish fillet is 1 inch thick, you will need to cook it for 10 minutes. If it is 2 inches thick, you will need to cook it for 20 minutes.
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Juice up an overcooked fish: A fish that is dry is never as tasty as one that is juicy and flaky. A great way to fix a dry fish is to juice it up with a mixture of equal parts melted butter and lemon juice. You can even add in your favorite fresh herbs for added flavor. The butter helps restore moisture to the fish and the lemon juice holds it together so it doesn’t fall apart. This is an easy tip to make sure fish is always juicy and delicious.
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Cook skin down: When cooking fish, especially when grilling or searing, you should always cook it skin side down first. This produces a crispier outside while ensuring you don’t overcook it. A good tip is to cook the fish with the skin side down for ¾ of the time cooking and only flipping it for the remaining ¼ of the cook of the time. This will give an even cook through to the center without overcooking.
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Use mayonnaise in a pinch: Are you grilling fish and worried about sticking but you are out of butter? You can use mayonnaise in place of butter to avoid the fish sticking to the grate or dish. Simply brush a little mayonnaise on the fish fillets before cooking to ensure a stick-free result.
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Don’t cover it: If the fish is done and you are still preparing a few sides or adding finishing touches to the table setting, leave the fish uncovered in a warm area. If you cover the fish with a lid, the heat will become trapped in the dish and the fish will dry out. While you do want to serve it hot, you want it to be juicy! Timing when cooking is one of the most important things to learn, especially when working with fish.
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Try the unexpected: When cooking fish, it can be easy to get in a rut in terms of flavors. While lemon juice and herbs are great, you should also break out of the norm from time to time. Like a little spice in your day? Try topping salmon with your favorite salsa. Looking for a creamy texture? Add a dollop of yogurt on top and sprinkle with your favorite herbs.