Create Profile or Login

Forum Menu

Home > Forum Home > Saltwater Fishing > The Kitchen - Seafood Recipes

Perfectly cooked fish fillets

  New Posts New Posts RSS Feed - Perfectly cooked fish fillets Forum Search Events FAQ FAQRegister RegisterLogin Login

 Post Reply Post Reply
Post Options Post Options   Likes (1) Likes(1)   Quote MB Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Perfectly cooked fish fillets
    Posted: 11 Feb 2024 at 12:36pm
MB View Drop Down
Titanium
Titanium
Avatar

Joined: 08 Jan 2016
Location: Northland
Status: Offline
Points: 6005
Following on from the bluenose thread, thought I'd share how I shallow fry skin-on fillets. 

Put some high smoke point oil in a pan, get it nice and hot, then lay the fillet in the pan skin side down. Put a glass lid on the pan. When the top of the fillet is opaque white, turn the heat off. Allow it to cool off a little before removing the lid and serving.

No flipping fillets. It comes out perfect every time and no mess Smile
Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Fish Addict Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Feb 2024 at 6:23pm
Fish Addict View Drop Down
Platinum
Platinum


Joined: 05 Jul 2009
Location: Perth WA
Status: Offline
Points: 2710
Thanks MB, I must give this skin on method a try.  It's hard to break the old habits of filleting and skinning.
Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Pcj Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Feb 2024 at 6:50pm
Pcj View Drop Down
Titanium
Titanium
Avatar

Joined: 27 Nov 2019
Location: papakura
Status: Offline
Points: 4086
rolled our fillets in a salt/pepper mix 3.1 in favour of pepper touch,Hmm ok a big dollop tumeric ,not quiet smoking butter. cooked till just raw in mddle,by the time served veges/noodles served(pati sauce) fish cooked right through and moist
Only time I scale is when baking
"Times up"
Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote smudge Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Feb 2024 at 8:06pm
smudge View Drop Down
Moderator - Ninja
Moderator - Ninja
Avatar

Joined: 17 Jul 2002
Location: Te Toro
Status: Offline
Points: 33508
Thanks MB, I'll give it a try. Skin on is really good but I hate scaling fish so don't do that very often. Apart from gurnard because they don't have scales. Skinning gurnard is a real backward step IMO.
Best gurnard fisherman in my street
Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote MB Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Feb 2024 at 8:16pm
MB View Drop Down
Titanium
Titanium
Avatar

Joined: 08 Jan 2016
Location: Northland
Status: Offline
Points: 6005
The way I see it, skinning fish is like discarding the crackling from a pork roast and no one in their right mind would do that LOL

That said, it is a messy job. If I'm going to scale a fish, I'll do it just after I catch it over the back of the boat. Iki, then bleed, then scale, then gut. Another bonus is that scaling makes filleting really easy and it's kinder on your knives, so you might save yourself some work down the line.
Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (1) Likes(1)   Quote smudge Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Feb 2024 at 9:31pm
smudge View Drop Down
Moderator - Ninja
Moderator - Ninja
Avatar

Joined: 17 Jul 2002
Location: Te Toro
Status: Offline
Points: 33508
Originally posted by MB MB wrote:

The way I see it, skinning fish is like discarding the crackling from a pork roast and no one in their right mind would do that LOL

That said, it is a messy job. If I'm going to scale a fish, I'll do it just after I catch it over the back of the boat. Iki, then bleed, then scale, then gut. Another bonus is that scaling makes filleting really easy and it's kinder on your knives, so you might save yourself some work down the line.

I was 100% fanboy of legend Eric Mormon (known as Lethal here) and he gave me many words of sage advice, scaling when fresh and while underwater was one of those tips. Even at home, scaling a fish in a bin filled with water really helps keep the mess down.

When we do scale snapper and fillet it, it is pretty good no doubt about that.
Best gurnard fisherman in my street
Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (1) Likes(1)   Quote Jaapie Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 Feb 2024 at 7:21am
Jaapie View Drop Down
Platinum
Platinum
Avatar

Joined: 14 Apr 2003
Location: Guinea Bassau
Status: Offline
Points: 2803
Also just following on from that 'which fish is best' debate......

A few guys have mentioned disappointing results cooking thick fish fillets.
Cooked on outside...raw inside.

A common mistake and one that can be rectified by pan searing as you have done and then finishing in the oven to give it a chance to finish cooking without the direct heat in the searing pan. 180 degrees for about 10-15 minutes should have it perfect. You can test it by just sticking a fork in and checking the 'doneness'.

Just one thing, make sure the pan is able to be put into the oven! Burnt plastic handles give the fillet a lousy flavour Clown
"Only when the last tree has died, the last river has been poisoned and the last fish has been caught,will we realize that we cannot eat money" - 19th Century Indian Creed
Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Pcj Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Mar 2024 at 6:48am
Pcj View Drop Down
Titanium
Titanium
Avatar

Joined: 27 Nov 2019
Location: papakura
Status: Offline
Points: 4086
Most people cooking fish fillet,well I was passing a fish shop that cut snapper in to steaks. Picked out a good fish from our freezer ,when thawed scaled it and cut in to steaks. cooked same time as a fillet but found able to lift bone out in one ago.Steaked up as far as gut cavity. Cavity area became small fillets. Wouldnt try on a fish under couple kgs though due to pin bones..

Next time will use fresh fish. And as MB said scale it at sea.
"Times up"
Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Kandrew Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Mar 2024 at 4:44pm
Kandrew View Drop Down
Titanium
Titanium


Joined: 16 Apr 2012
Status: Offline
Points: 4152
Sometimes I cook my thicker fillets in my Weber on the hot plate with the lid down. Comes up great.
Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Mc Tool Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Mar 2024 at 7:21pm
Mc Tool View Drop Down
Gold
Gold


Joined: 23 Dec 2021
Location: Riverton
Status: Offline
Points: 676
Originally posted by Kandrew Kandrew wrote:

Sometimes I cook my thicker fillets in my Weber on the hot plate with the lid down. Comes up great.
 We dithered over buying a weber Q , We use it more than the oven or cooktop  , and , at a pinch you can take it off the ( stupid ) trolley and chuck it in the back of the car when Sunday driving/fishing .Smile
I wish I was young again .... Id be heaps smarter than this time
Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Kandrew Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Mar 2024 at 10:14pm
Kandrew View Drop Down
Titanium
Titanium


Joined: 16 Apr 2012
Status: Offline
Points: 4152
Originally posted by Mc Tool Mc Tool wrote:

Originally posted by Kandrew Kandrew wrote:

Sometimes I cook my thicker fillets in my Weber on the hot plate with the lid down. Comes up great.

 We dithered over buying a weber Q , We use it more than the oven or cooktop  , and , at a pinch you can take it off the ( stupid ) trolley and chuck it in the back of the car when Sunday driving/fishing .Smile
yep I was a flat top bbq man heat it up red hot and nuke everything. The Weber took a bit to get used to cooking with the lid down but I cook everything on it including the Christmas turkey
Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Mc Tool Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Mar 2024 at 2:06am
Mc Tool View Drop Down
Gold
Gold


Joined: 23 Dec 2021
Location: Riverton
Status: Offline
Points: 676
Yep   christmas turkey , and the ham  ( not at the same time ) . And   it uses F A  gas Smile
I wish I was young again .... Id be heaps smarter than this time
Back to Top
 Post Reply Post Reply
Forum Jump
Forum Permissions View Drop Down


This page was generated in 0.615 seconds.

Most Thanked Forum Posts

3 Manukau Harbour & West Coa...
3 Manukau Harbour & West Coa...
2 Merry Xmas Fishnetters
2 Manukau Harbour & West Coa...
2 Manukau Harbour & West Coa...
2 Manukau Harbour & West Coa...
2 Manukau Harbour & West Coa...
2 Out with the "Twelves&quo...
2 New anchor setup, could use so...
2 Manukau Harbour & West Coa...

Fishing Reports Visit Reports

Saltwater Fishing Reports
Top of the South Fishing Report - 23/01/26

Snapper, cod and marlin on the menu Despite the weather we have had recently, when... Read More >

23 Jan 2026
Saltwater Fishing Reports
Bream Bay Fishing Report - 23/01/26

Snapper out deep in cooler water As happens at this time of the year, the... Read More >

22 Jan 2026
Saltwater Fishing Reports
Inner Hauraki Gulf Fishing Report - 23/01/26

Small snapper the norm Over the last 10 years I have noticed with great concern the... Read More >

22 Jan 2026
Freshwater Fishing Reports
Rotorua Fishing Report - 23/01/26

Fishing will be exceptional when water clears The massive amount of rainfall to hit the... Read More >

22 Jan 2026
Fishing bite times Fishing bite times

Major Bites

Minor Bites

Major Bites

Minor Bites

All information © 2026 The Fishing Website