Roasting whole fish the easy way

Fish has a reputation for being difficult to prepare, but I don’t really understand why. Cooking a whole fish from the front is as easy as cooking a fillet, except for frying fish, which requires very hot cooking oil. It’s to dry out, and with a little care, it’s unlikely, especially if you’re using a meat thermometer.

How to select and prepare fish

Making good fish starts with choosing the right fish. Choose the one with clear eyes. If possible, try poking and sniffing. When you poke it, the flesh grows back and it smells like fish, but it doesn’t smell. Unless you catch the fish yourself, you don’t need to make guts or scales. If you are not sure about the condition of the fish you want to buy, ask the person working at the fish counter. They will clean it up or “dress it up” for you (that’s their job).

When the fish come home, it’s bath time. I like to use mild salt water brine. Daniel Glitzer of Serious Eats I learned from the omakase chef. It adds flavor to the fish and keeps it from drying out. Dissolve a small amount of salt in water and let the fish hang in it for about 10 minutes, then dry the fish and re-season the body cavities with a drizzle of olive oil and aromatics.

All that’s left is to roast. Some people score the skin to help the seasoning “penetrate the meat better,” but I’ve found it can dry out the fish.

how to roast fish for a while

Cook or pork fish in a 400°F oven until thickest part reaches 135°F. It’s done when you can feel the fish peeling off under the skin. (But I prefer using a trusty thermometer to the tactile one.) Let the scaly man rest for a few minutes, then serve with a lemon wedge. If cooked correctly, the meat will separate cleanly from the bones.

easy oven baked fish

material:

• 1 whole worn fish
• 2 quarts water
• 3 tablespoons kosher salt (use half if using table salt)
• Olive oil
• sliced ​​lemon
• fresh herb sprigs (I like thyme)
• salt and pepper or garlic salt (optional)

Dissolve 3 tablespoons of kosher salt in 2 quarts of room temperature water in a large bowl. Place the fish in a bowl and let it hang for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Drain fish over a bowl and dry inside and out with paper towels. Drizzle some olive oil inside and out and rub it all together. Season inside and outside with salt and pepper (or garlic salt). Stuff the cavity with 2-3 lemon slices and some fresh herb sprigs.

Roast the fish until the thickest part reaches 135 degrees Fahrenheit on an instant-read thermometer, about 20 minutes. Let rest for 3 minutes and garnish with lemon wedges.