The Very Best Fish Recipe Ever | Easy Broiled Fish Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the best fish for broiling? ›

Best Seafood to Broil

Bluefish, Cod, Grouper, Haddock, Halibut, Kingfish, King Mackerel, Kona Kampachi, Large/Jumbo shrimp, Lobster tail, Mahi Mahi, Monkfish, Mullet, Perch, Pike, Pollock, Pompano, Rockfish, Roughy, Salmon, Sablefish, Sea Bass, Shark, Striped Bass, Swordfish, Trout, Tuna, and Walleye.

Seafood steaks or fillets thicker than ½” should be turned over halfway through cooking time. Fish less than ½” thick does not need to be turned. When grilling or pan frying, place fillets skin side down (the skin will remove easily after cooking).

Fish that might otherwise be broiled can be baked at higher temperatures, ranging from 400 F to 450 F. The broiler incinerates fresh herbs and many other garnishes, but oven-baked fish can take full advantage of these light, low-fat flavoring options.

Heat the broiler to 500 F. Oil the rack of the broiler pan and place it in the oven about 4 inches from the heat source. Heat until the pan is very hot. Carefully place the fish on the broiler pan and broil for about 3 to 5 minutes on each side—depending on thickness—or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.

Baked or broiled is the way to go

Every pat of salted butter adds 36 calories, 4 g of fat and 32 mg of sodium.” Deep fried fish, on the other hand, is the loser in terms of calories; total fat, including saturated fat which is the bad kind; and sodium.

Most foods will be done in five to 10 minutes, after which it can quickly go from nicely seared to burned. Since you're really only cooking the outer surface of the food, this is why thin cuts of meat, quick-cooking fresh vegetables, and foods that are fairly tender to start with are ideal for broiling.

Food marinated or drizzled with cooking oil can catch fire under the broiler's intense direct heat. To avoid the risk (not to mention, ruining dinner), cook the dish on a lower rack and cover it with tin foil to keep oil splatters contained. Or, consider baking it instead.

The normal practice is to leave the oven door slightly ajar. This allows heat to escape and forces the broil element to stay on rather than cycling off and on. Open door broiling is good for when you are broiling for short periods of time, like cooking thinner meats, top browning or searing meat.

You should always preheat your broiler and your broiler pan for at least five minutes before cooking. Some people swear by keeping the oven door slightly ajar to prevent fat-induced flare-ups and to keep the thermostat from reaching maximum temperature, which may trigger the broiler to turn off in some models.

Baking or Roasting

Baking is done at a more moderate temperature (350) and roasting at a much higher temperature (400 to 500). Roasting is best for whole fish or very large fillets or steaks.

How can I make my fish more flavorful? ›

In either case you can dry marinate the fish briefly with a light blend of spices, you can brush it with a marinade of mirin, soy, and ginger if you're going to steam it (yummy with salmon or tuna), or if it's a fish that can stand up to more intense flavor you can use a blackening spice.

Place the fish skin side down.

This will help the skin to get nice and crispy. Searing the skin from the start will also protect it from overcooking. The skin will stick at first but will release as it cooks. A good sign that it is ready to flip is that you can easily slide a spatula under it.

Broiling is a good way to cook thinner, leaner cuts of meat like butterflied chicken breasts, pork tenderloin medallions, strip steaks, kabobs and vegetables. Broiling is also a way to add color, crispness and flavor to a baked or roasted food.

Best Foods for Broiling

Also, because broiling is a dry-heat method of cooking, you'll want to use tender beef cuts or steaks, including ribeye, tenderloin, top loin, top sirloin, tri-tip (bottom sirloin), flank, porterhouse, rib, and T-bone. Ground meat patties are also suitable for broiling.

Salmon (Atlantic and Pacific) – Rich, buttery flavor and a tender texture. Sardines – Full, oily flavor and a tender texture. Tilapia – Mild and sweet flavor with a medium to firm texture.

Lean fish, if it is broiled or baked, should be basted with butter or oil. Take special care not to overcook it, or the fish will be dry. Dry-heat methods with fat.