Notes on Cooking Fish

Kinds of Fish

• Lean Fish:
• Catfish, flounder, grouper, haddock, halibut, monkfish, orange roughy, redfish, red snapper, rockfish, scrod, black sea bass, sea trout, sole, whiting
• Moderately Fatty Fish:
• carp, dolphin or mahimahi, mullet, striped bass, swordfish, white sea bass, trout
• Fatty Fish:
• bluefish, butterfish, mackerel, salmon, shad, sturgeon, tuna, whitefish
• Fine-Textured Fish:
• bluefish, sole, shad, flounder, trout, mackerel. These fish flake into the smallest pieces when cooked. Treat these fish gently and carefully. Not a good choice for soup or stew.
• Dense-Textured Fish:
• monkfish, shark, sturgeon, swordfish, and tuna. These fish do not flake hardly at all when cooked. They also take a little longer to cook because of their denseness.
• Loose-Textured Fish:
• cod, rockfish, grouper, orange roughy, pollock. These fish separate quickly into large flakes when cooked. They will cook in a little less time because there is more space between flakes. These are good baked or braised with sauces; but will fall apart easily when sauteed or grilled.
• Firm-Fleshed Fish:
• striped bass, redfish, red snapper, and catfish. These fish do not fall into flakes but generally hold together very well any way they are cooked. They are especially good to use in fish stews.
• Soft-Fleshed Fish:
• bluefish, butterfish, shad, smelt, sea trout, and flounder. These fish deteriorate very quickly out of water, so be sure to test for freshness before purchasing. These are good grilled, broiled, or sauteed.

Determining Factors for Preparing Fish:

• For fillets that are no thicker than 3/4 inch thick--best to--saute, steam or poach.
• For thicker fillets up to 1-2 inches thick--best to--bake, braise, grill, steam, poach, deep-fry, or cut up for soup.
• For steaks up to 2 inches thick -- best to --steam, poach, broil, grill, or bake.
• General rule with fish: Cook fish, about 10 minutes per inch of thickness (less time if grilling). If cooking a large fish, let it come to room temperature, leave out for 30 minutes prior to cooking. Fish will continue to cook even after it leaves heat source, until it cools down. Fatty fish like tuna and salmon are better if left slightly translucent in the middle.
• Testing for Doneness: Test fillets with tip of a small knife or a fork in the center of the thickest part. Cooked fish is milky white and tender when done; uncooked fish is clear or grayish white.
• To improve the flavor of not-so fresh fish: cover with milk or buttermilk for 2 to 24 hours and simply cook it by steam, saute, bake, broil, or poach.

Note: A great resource for learning all aspects of preparing and serving fish is Ann Clark's Fabulous Fish