When it comes to grilled fish, there are two main types of fillets: raw or cooked completely through. Raw salmon is very popular these days because you can toast it with olive oil and baste it in other oils like avocado or lemon to taste.
Raw chicken breasts are also quite common because you can season them as you wish! However, when cooking thick meat such as steak or chicken breast, what we call “dry” overcooked meat- that is, none of it is wetted down- this can result in dry and tough meat.
This article will talk about how to cook flaky white fish (like cod) so they are not only warm and soft but also buttery and delicious as well! Read on for our tips.
Use the correct oil for the recipe
When grilling fish, what kind of oil you use in the grill makes a big difference! Using wrong oil can make your meat taste raw or greasy, so be sure to check out the recipes as well as whether dry-grilled or broiled versions are more appropriate.
For most grilled seafood recipes, olive oil is the best choice. It has an equal amount of flavor that does not burn when heated, which means it will mix with other ingredients well. If there’s a sauce or butter involved, then no matter how hot the olive oil gets, those flavors won’t burned away.
Olive oil also mixes very easily, making it a good cooking medium. This allows the oils in the food to soak into the surface, creating crispy, crunchy textures and enhancing overall flavor.
Use the right temperature
When grilling fish, you want to make sure that it is cooked all the way through and that it tastes good! Grilling fish can sometimes be tricky because many types of fresh fish have thin fillets like salmon or tuna.
When baking or broiling fish, there are two main things to watch out for: how hot the grill or oven gets and what temperature your fish is at when it comes out.
Making sure that the grill/oven is warm enough and having check the internal temperatures of the fish are important factors in ensuring it cooks properly and does not get overcooked.
The best way to determine if the meat is done is to use a fork to poke it slightly into the flesh- if it breaks easily with no resistance, then it is already overcooked and should be tossed out!
Another option would be to put a knife in between a raw and fully cooked side to see if it slides in smoothly without much effort.
Brush with oil before grilling
When cooking fish, whether it is fresh or frozen, there are two main things you should pay attention to. One is how to cook the whole piece of meat- we will talk about that in another article! The second thing is what kind of grill you have and what kind of flavor you want to achieve.
When broiling or pan frying your fish, never add olive oil to the surface. This can burn quickly, leaving an unpleasant taste and texture for the eater. To keep this at bay, use butter or vegetable oil as a brush to coat the fish.
If you would like more flavor, then put the grilled fish under the hot grill for a few minutes to let some of those lovely oils melt into the flesh. Try doing it once when the fish is almost done so it does not overcook.
Don’t overcrowd the pan
When cooking fish, like salmon or flounder, make sure you don’t have too many pieces in the pan at one time. This can result in dry, burnt meat and poor flavor!
The best way to cook most types of seafood is by “semi-cooking” it first and then finishing it off under the grill. This helps retain moisture and gives better taste and texture.
To do this, put the cooked fillet onto a plate or baking sheet and cover with either parchment paper or plastic wrap. Then season and stick into the hot barbecue grill until heated through and dried out slightly.
Use the right pan for the recipe
When grilling fish, you want to make sure that you use the correct grill or baking plate. Grilling recipes often call for using either white-colored grilled plates or blackened ones depending on what kind of flavor you desire from your food.
Grilled meat can taste better if cooked in a nonstick surface because then there are not too many dry patches where fat would burn during cooking. If the grill does not have a sturdy coating, therefore, we recommend buying a small cover to put over the grill to help keep it warm and to prevent any burnt smells.
When broiling or roasting foods, plain brown rice cookers are usually best. They are easy to find at most grocery stores and tend to give even heat, which helps ensure consistent roast times for all the different parts of the fish.
Flip the fish often
When cooking thicker fillets, like salmon or steelhead trout, one of our favorite tips is to flip them halfway through! This not only helps cook the inside more thoroughly, but it also allows for better flavor development because the grill touches both sides at that point.
If you’re using a very thin piece of fish, like flounder, no need to worry about flipping. Just make sure to give it enough time to cook completely before serving so it doesn’t end up being dry.
Once again, use a plate to hold your fish while you turn it. You can also put some olive oil in between the flesh and the grill to help keep it from sticking if you find that it is burning slightly as it cooks.
Know the difference between smoking and grilling
Grilling is typically defined as cooking meat or fish directly over heat, with each internal part of the food exposed to fire for a set amount of time. The key word here is “typically” because there are some people who grill vegetables and other things like zucchini rolls, but this article will focus solely on grilled whole fish!
When baking or broiling foods, addition ingredients can be burnt or charred (think pizza) which gives them flavor and texture. This does not apply to grilled dishes though, since smoked or charred flavors are not wanted in most cases.
So how do you prevent these bad toppings from being added to your cooked fish? We have several tips here that we hope help! Read on to learn more about the best ways to cook flaky white fish such as trout, snapper, and cod.
Use the right oil for the recipe
When grilling fish, you want to make sure your oil of choice is high in quality. There are two main oils that most recipes call for when cooking any kind of white meat like chicken or fish.
These oils are olive oil and vegetable oil. Olive oil is more expensive, but it will give your food much higher flavor than vegetable oil.
For example, if one has a grilled salmon dish with olive oil as an internal oil, then mixed with the butter used to grill the fish, one would find themselves eating mostly olive oil. This could potentially hurt the overall taste of the meal.
On the other hand, using vegetable oil may not color correctly due to the acidity of the lemon used in some types of grilled fish. Having an incorrect coloration can actually detract from the overall appeal of the cooked product.