Section 22­3

Cooking Fish & Shellfish

 Section 22­3

Cooking Fish
• Fish lends itself to a variety of cooking
techniques.
• Dishes can be elaborate or simple, rich and full­
flavored, or lean and mild.
• Fish has little connective tissue and is naturally
tender, so long cooking times are unnecessary
with fish. In fact, careful attention must be given
to time and temperature, and the cooking process
must be monitored to keep fish from overcooking.

Culinary Essentials
Copyright © Glencoe/McGraw­Hill,
a division of The McGraw­Hill Companies, Inc.
 Section 22­3

Baking

• Whole fish, steaks, and fillets can be baked

• Sometimes a fish is baked in a sauce, to create a more elaborate
dish and to keep the fish from becoming dry.
• Cooking methods can be combined, first browning the fish in a
small amount of oil in a sauté pan to give it color and flavor and
then baking it to finish the cooking
• Lean fish requires frequent basting with oil or butter to keep it
from drying out during baking.
• Fatty fish are less likely to dry out than some other types of fish
and are therefore the best candidates for dry baking
Culinary Essentials
Copyright © Glencoe/McGraw­Hill,
a division of The McGraw­Hill Companies, Inc.
 Section 22­3

General Rules for Baking Fish

• Generally, bake fish at 350°F–400°F (177°C–204°C),
presentation side up, in a well­oiled or buttered pan.
• Use the lower temperature for large fish to ensure even
baking.
• Sprinkle the fish with seasonings such as salt, spices, and
lemon juice, and generously brush it with melted butter or
oil before the fish goes into the oven.
• Cook the fish until the internal temperature, taken in the
thickest part of the fish, is 145°F (63°C) or higher for 15
seconds.

Culinary Essentials
Copyright © Glencoe/McGraw­Hill,
a division of The McGraw­Hill Companies, Inc.
 Section 22­3

Other Baking Techniques

• Moist cooking also can be used to bake fish
• Another option is to bake fish en papillote.
• This technique involves wrapping fish in
parchment paper, often with vegetables, herbs, and
flavored butter, and then baking it in the oven.
• Cooking fish en papillote produces a steaming
effect and keeps the meat moist while preserving
nutrients and natural flavors.
• Limit the amount of fat in the dish by eliminating
the use of flavored butters or other oil.

Culinary Essentials
Copyright © Glencoe/McGraw­Hill,
a division of The McGraw­Hill Companies, Inc.
 Section 22­3
Cooking Fish En Papillote
Cooking fish en papillote involves wrapping the fish in
parchment paper with vegetables and flavorings and then
baking it in the oven.
• To cook fish en papillote, follow these steps:
• Cut parchment paper into a heart­sized shape large enough to contain the
fish portion. Fold the parchment paper in half, and crease the folded edge
• Brush the parchment paper with clarified butter. Place the buttered side
face down on the baking dish.
• Place the fish, vegetables, and flavored butter on one half of the
parchment paper.
• Fold the parchment paper over the fish, and crimp the edges to seal the
package, forming an envelope.
• Bake the sealed envelope in a preheated oven.
• Slit open the package, pull back the parchment, and serve with the juices
that accumulated during the cooking process.

Culinary Essentials
Copyright © Glencoe/McGraw­Hill,
a division of The McGraw­Hill Companies, Inc.
 Section 22­3
• A papillote

• Sole Papillote

Culinary Essentials
Copyright © Glencoe/McGraw­Hill,
a division of The McGraw­Hill Companies, Inc.
 Section 22­3

Broiling and Grilling

• Broiling and grilling take advantage of high heat
to quickly prepare fish dishes
• prefer broiled or grilled dishes because these limit
the need for added fat
• Broiling or grilling imparts a smoky flavor to fish
and gives the fish good color and a lightly charred
surface
• Fatty fish is the best choice for grilling and
broiling
Culinary Essentials
Copyright © Glencoe/McGraw­Hill,
a division of The McGraw­Hill Companies, Inc.
 Section 22­3

• To keep the meat from sticking and to help moisten lean

fish, brush butter or oil on the fish before broiling.
• Turning thicker cuts of fish during the grilling or broiling
process will help these cuts cook evenly.
• Avoid very thick cuts because the high heat will finish
cooking the outside before the interior is done.
• Take care to avoid overcooking. The high temperatures
associated with broiling and grilling can quickly turn a
perfect dish into a dry, tasteless one, because residual heat
will continue to cook the fish after it is removed from the
broiler or grill.
Culinary Essentials
Copyright © Glencoe/McGraw­Hill,
a division of The McGraw­Hill Companies, Inc.
 Section 22­3

Grilling Fish

Culinary Essentials
Copyright © Glencoe/McGraw­Hill,
a division of The McGraw­Hill Companies, Inc.
 Section 22­3

Sautéing and Pan­Frying

• Sautéing and pan­frying are similar but not
identical techniques for cooking fish. Both are dry
cooking methods performed in a sauté pan
• Sautéing adds flavor and lightly browns the
surface of the fish in a small amount of oil or
clarified butter.
• Pan­frying requires more fat; always coat the fish
in seasoned batter, flour, or breading before
cooking.

Culinary Essentials
Copyright © Glencoe/McGraw­Hill,
a division of The McGraw­Hill Companies, Inc.
 Section 22­3

Saute Fish

Culinary Essentials
Copyright © Glencoe/McGraw­Hill,
a division of The McGraw­Hill Companies, Inc.
 Section 22­3

Saute and Pan­frying Guidelines

• Always heat the pan and the fat before adding the
fish.
• Sauté fish using just a thin coating of oil or clarified
butter in the bottom of the pan.
• For pan­frying, add oil or clarified butter to reach
about one­third up the side of the pan.
• Place the fish in the hot oil, presentation side down.

Culinary Essentials
Copyright © Glencoe/McGraw­Hill,
a division of The McGraw­Hill Companies, Inc.
 Section 22­3

• Sauté thin slices of fish over high heat to quickly

brown the surface.
• Cook thicker pieces over lower heat so that they
do not get too brown before the fish cooks
through.
• Avoid adding too much fish to the pan at one
time, or the fat will cool and the fish will simmer
in its own juices.
• Turn pieces once halfway through the cook time.

Culinary Essentials
Copyright © Glencoe/McGraw­Hill,
a division of The McGraw­Hill Companies, Inc.
 Section 22­3
Deep­Frying
• deep­frying is the
most popular way to
fry fish
• Foodservice
operations deep­fry
frozen, prebreaded
fish fillets as well as
fresh, breaded, or
batter­dipped fish
• The breading or batter forms a crispy, attractive coating that
protects the fish during cooking
• If using frozen, prebreaded fish fillets, cook them from the
frozen state to prevent them from getting soggy or breaking Culinary Essentials
up while cooking Copyright © Glencoe/McGraw­Hill,
a division of The McGraw­Hill Companies, Inc.
 Section 22­3

Poaching
• Poaching is a moist­heat technique in which fish cooks in
liquid at very low heat.
• Fish requires gentle handling, therefore it is rarely simmered
or boiled.
• Poached fish can be served hot or cold
• Hollandaise sauce or a sauce made from the poaching liquid
often accompanies poached fish served hot.
• When the fish is served cold, a mayonnaise typeCopyright sauce mayEssentials
Culinary
© Glencoe/McGraw­Hill,
be offered with the dish a division of The McGraw­Hill Companies, Inc.
 Section 22­3

Two different poaching techniques

may be used.
• Submersion poaching,
– completely cover the fish with a liquid such as fish
stock or court bouillon.
– Fish gain flavor and seasoning as they poach
because the poaching liquid may include herbs,
spices, wine,and vegetables.
– Starting whole fish in a cold liquid will help
preserve their appearance.
– Start fillets or steaks in liquid that has been raised
to a simmer.
Culinary Essentials
Copyright © Glencoe/McGraw­Hill,
a division of The McGraw­Hill Companies, Inc.
 Section 22­3

• Shallow poaching
– combines poaching with steaming.
– The fish cooks on a base of vegetables in a
liquid, called a cuisson.
– Heat the cuisson on the stove top, and then
pour it over the fish and vegetables,
covering the fish halfway. Place buttered
parchment paper or a lid over the pan, and
then cook the fish in the oven or on the
range.
Culinary Essentials
Copyright © Glencoe/McGraw­Hill,
a division of The McGraw­Hill Companies, Inc.
 Section 22­3

Steaming
• Steaming is a moist­heat technique in which fish cooks on the
range over, not in, boiling water.
• Steaming in a covered pan allows the fish to cook without added
fat while preserving natural flavors and valuable nutrients.
• Either lean or fatty fish can be steamed.
• To flavor the fish, season the raw fish with salt, pepper, herbs,
and spices; add flavor by steaming the fish over court bouillon.

Culinary Essentials
Copyright © Glencoe/McGraw­Hill,
a division of The McGraw­Hill Companies, Inc.
 Section 22­3

Determining Doneness
Fish cooks quickly and is easily overcooked.
On the other hand, undercooking fish can be a health hazard.

• Fish starts flaking. Fish that flakes readily

is probably overdone. Properly cooked fish
should just begin to flake.
• Bones separate from the fish easily.
• Flesh springs back when pressed.
Undercooked fish can be soft or mushy.

Culinary Essentials
Copyright © Glencoe/McGraw­Hill,
a division of The McGraw­Hill Companies, Inc.
 Section 22­3

• Fish becomes opaque. Raw fish is translucent. As the

proteins coagulate and the fish cooks, the flesh changes
color.
• Cooked fish should have an internal temperature of 145°F
(63°C) or higher for 15 seconds.
• Broiled or grilled fish should have a browned, crispy
surface and a juicy, tender interior.
• Sautéed and pan­fried fish should have a slightly brown or
crispy surface with a juicy, tender interior.
• Deep­fried fish should have a rich, golden brown color.

Culinary Essentials
Copyright © Glencoe/McGraw­Hill,
a division of The McGraw­Hill Companies, Inc.