How to make unstinky fish?
I love fish, but rarely buy it ... I'd love to incorporate it more to my dinner repertoire but I am petrified of stinking up my entire apartment (my small NYC apartment without proper circulation or an exhaust).
Please send any tips or tricks for cooking a non-smelly fish or the fastest way to unstinkify my place! Are some fish smellier than others? Is there a way to pan fry a fillet without coating my entire kitchen in fish grease?
Discuss.
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19 Comments:
i live in nyc as well, in a tiny apartment...i eat fish at least 5 days a week, usually for dinner but sometimes i eat fish for lunch and dinner and i never have to deal with a fishy smell in my apartment. i think the most important thing is obtaining only fresh fresh fish. also if youre particularily scared of the smell, shy away from whole fish, go for a filet...salmon is usually fine as well as a nice tuna steak. also when you buy your fish whatever species it be, as soon as you get home marinate it in lemon juice, salt, pepper and olive oil. this will mask the smell. eat fish! its the best
icelandadam at 5:10PM on 03/12/09
Yes, freshness is important. I think salmon is an especially stinky fish, so I would avoid that. Also, doing it in the oven or broiler seems to contain the smells more than pan-frying. I know some people will think this is an abomination (don't go there, I don't care what you think of me), but I think many types of fish come out great when microwaved, and it is definitely the least stinky way to cook it. Drizzle a little olive oil on it, sprinkle with salt and pepper and herbs of choice, lay some lemon slices on top, and pop it in the microwave on medium-high, keeping a close eye on it. You can get a nice steamed effect but putting it in a shallow dish with a bit of wine or stock in the bottom and covering it with wax paper.
Embackus at 5:51PM on 03/12/09
Some fish are naturally more oily than others, and there's a natural correlation between oiliness and smell when cooking. Your local fishmonger (the ones at Whole Food are usually very knowledgeable) should be able to point you toward milder fish, but ones I like include salmon, tuna, sole, grouper and flounder.
How to pan-fry without coating your kitchen in grease? Use less butter. I frequently dip a fillet of sole in egg then seasoned flour before pan frying it in a little melted butter (
chgoeditor at 6:24PM on 03/12/09
Fatty fish like salmon, sardine and mackerel tend to be stinky (though that's where omega-3 fatty acids are).
Mine is similar to @Embackus but a different "steaming" method. On a piece of aluminum foil, put some cut-up vegetables like onions and peppers, put a piece of fish on top, salt & pepper, drizzle olive oil, then make it into a pouch. Cook the pouch in the oven/toaster oven/ a skillet with a lid. Once cooked, squeeze lemon/lime juice. or soy sauce/ ponzu (omit salt in this case). After you eat the fish, discard any remaining liquid right away and maybe double-bag the aluminum foil when you throw it away.
My mom was sometimes put off to clean the fish-broiling drawer after she grilled fatty fish (in Japan, a broiler that looks like a small drawer specifically for fish is attached to the stove) and it became even more stinky the next morning.
hmw0029 at 6:32PM on 03/12/09
Steaming your fish is a great way to cook with less stink. My mom makes a great traditional Cantonese dish that works well with any white fish - tilapia, flounder, etc. You basically just steam the fish with a fermented black bean / soy paste (just mash the beans in a cup with soy sauce with a muddler or a thick knife handle), salt, pepper, garlic, and julienned fresh ginger. When it's almost done, heat a tablespoon or so of vegetable oil in a saucepan, then remove the fish from the steamer. Place it on a plate, top with julienned green onions and cilantro, and drizzle the hot oil over the fish. This sears the herbs and fish a bit and gives it a bit more flavor. Fantastic.
I imagine that this hot oil technique could be used in ways other than just chinese cooking, it gives you more of a pan fried flavor with a lot less stink. A chili or basil infused oil sounds pretty good over a delicately seasoned steamed fish.
misskris15 at 6:46PM on 03/12/09
try this for any stinky foods. put a couple uncut lemons in a 300 oven for 30 min with the door ajar. then turn the oven off and let the lemons sit in the open oven until cool. then you can let the lemons sit on top of the stove overnite if ya want. you'll have no stink at all.
dearrie at 7:51PM on 03/12/09
@dearrie--I'm going to have to try that! As much as I love the aromas of what I'm cooking before I eat, I really don't like smelling dinner after we've eaten.
dhorst at 7:55PM on 03/12/09
it really works. the lemons can be thrown into the garbage disposal, don't have one but i hear they smell to.
dearrie at 8:05PM on 03/12/09
try burning a candle in the apartment afterwards.... and make sure you take the garbage out that night.... (sometimes the wrapping the fish comes in can get pretty funky!)
hey, food has an aroma and should not STINK unless it's a little old.
learn to love the smell of your own cooking.....
pooch at 10:19PM on 03/12/09
The best way to not stink up your house when cooking fish is to not overcook the fish. Doesn't matter what cooking method you choose. Just don't over cook it. Keep an eye on the fish. When it's just beginning to flake (or even rarer in the case of something like tuna), it's done.
Also, keep in mind that the smell of cooking fish may be more noticable to you in a home setting (particularly a tiny apartment) than in a restaurant just due to the proximity of the kitchen to where to you plan to eat.
Re: pan frying - Use a nonstick skillet and Pam. A piece of tilapia (3-4 oz. and about 1/2inch thick) will cook over medium high heat at about 3 minutes per side.
Amandarama at 11:49AM on 03/13/09
Ooh misskris,I am definitely trying that.
renzata at 11:54AM on 03/13/09
Buy really fresh fish!
One of the few useful things I learned in organic chemistry:
A dead fish produces two stinky substances putresine and cadaverene. this happens once the fish dies and starts decaying. Supposedly, the head produces the majority of these smelly compounds.
There are two solutions: cut off the head, or cook it with lemon. I believe the acidity (?) of the lemon juice degrades the compound or something.
Also: these means if a fish is cooked and presented at the table whole with the head on, it must be REALLY fresh in order to not be stinky.
Another option is to find some high quality frozen fish fillets. Our family has had mixed success with different packs of tilapia, flounder and salmon.
engmcmuffin at 1:04PM on 03/13/09
If the goal is simply to incorporate more into your dinner repertoire, how about eating it raw as sashimi, sushi, tartare, "carpaccio," etc., or semi-raw as in ceviche? Fresh fish with no cooking = no odor. I eat most of my fish raw.
Lorenzo at 2:51PM on 03/13/09
Another idea: soups and stews. Some firm-fleshed fish and a saffron-scented tomato broth or whatever, and you've got something going.
Lorenzo at 2:52PM on 03/13/09
fish stinks no matter how you cook it. if you think it doesn't if bet ya everyone who can smell you does. try the lemon.
dearrie at 6:57PM on 03/13/09
Agreed:
1- Fresh fish definitely! Either the Korean fishmongers or better quality stores like Fairways and Wholefoods will guarantee this. Avoid oily fish, like sardines and bluefish, they have to be really superfresh in order not to 'smell'. Fresh fish doesnt have any fishy odor..
2- forget about frying, that *will* stink up any place for sure
3- My technique is to pan sear over dry herbs, then finish cooking at low temperature. That produces a minimal amount of fumes, and if you partly cover the non stick pan with a cool glass cover, this will catch / condense most of it.
4- Or cook in a little water for a near-poaching effect. Using a little water with some celery seeds or fresh celery and salt - instead of a whole quart or more of water works great, you can then either reduce the juices or thicken it with starch, or just save for soup stock (frozen).
nycandre at 11:44PM on 03/13/09
Start by getting really good fresh fish from a fish monger you trust.
Tonight we had a small fillet of haddock that I seasoned with Chesapeake bay seasoning and Smoked Paprika, cooked in an NS skillet with a bit of EVOO & butter on the stove top. Pan fried would not be the correct description. It was a little more steamed, with a cover over the splatter screen. Tender and sweet, with a rice pilaf, and home frozen lima beans from last summer.
Light the candles at the dinner table, and you are home free if you use good quality tapers! I hate a lot of drips.
DH, likes to have fish 2 or 3 times a week. We like clams, mussels, oysters, shrimp, crab, lobsters, mostly salt water, but a few fresh water fishies. It's ever inventive to find recipes, or recreate old faves with a new twist -- on the grill, or in the pan.
Like I said, a good fish monger helps!
whoot at 1:47AM on 03/14/09
I also live in a tiny apartment, and my kitchen isn't even remotely near a window. Take the recommendations to use the freshest fish possible, don't use whole fish and not to fry seriously - they are right. Stick to baking or broiling, and to recipes that cook fish quickly at a highish temperature - fillets or steaks seem to be the least stinky - the longer the fish is over heat, the more smell it it seems to create.
MMinNYC at 2:21PM on 03/14/09
I do modified packet meals/en papillote/parchment packets (choose your favorite term) - I put assorted veggies in the bottom of a very small baking dish, set a fillet (or shrimp) on top, add my liquid of choice (usually soy, rice vinegar or broth) and some herbs (cilantro is my favorite), wrap well with foil and pop it in the oven. I don't notice any smell and I am in an apartment as well. It's so easy and clean up is a breeze. It's one of my favorite meals on nights that I don't feel like going to a lot of trouble. If I plan to eat rice or noodles with it, I'll add more liquid so it's a little soupy, but if I'm just eating the veggies then I only use enough for steam and flavor.
CooksForOne at 2:59PM on 03/16/09