Cooking Methods

Sautéing

Sautéing is a simple and quick way to cook seafood, whether it is coated or not.

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Baking or Roasting

One of the best and easiest ways to cook fish or shellfish is to simply slide it in the oven.

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Broiling

You can broil most fish, but large whole fish (over 3 pounds) should be roasted to prevent overcooking.

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Grilling

In addition to great flavor, grilled seafood is easy, quick, and convenient. It also doesn’t heat up the kitchen.

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Frying

Golden, brown, and delicious! The keys to good frying are proper temperature (375° F.) and fast cooking.

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Poaching

This method involves gently simmering fish in liquid until it is cooked through and flavorful.

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Steaming

Fish and shellfish can be cooked over water or other liquids to impart subtle taste.

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Fish Flakes

For flaking fish, fish is usually poached or steamed. Then the meat is flaked away from the bone with a fork.

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How Long Should I Cook Fish and How Do I Know When It’s Done?

The two biggest problems in seafood cooking are lack of freshness and overcooking. Fish and shellfish cook quickly, and it’s easy to overcook them.

Fish

Fish is perfectly cooked just at the point when it turns opaque. Insert a fork or the tip of a sharp knife at its thickest point and gently push the flesh aside, or flake it.

Some fish, such as tuna and shark, do not flake. Cut into the center of these to check for doneness.

Recipes give you a cooking time, such as “about 8 to 10 minutes.” You should always check before this suggested time. If it isn’t done, you can cook it further, but if you check it at eight minutes and it’s overcooked you can’t remedy the problem. Keep in mind that fish cooked just a bit too long will be dry and tough.

Cook fish for 10 minutes per inch of thickness, and measure at the thickest point. 

• If baking, cook at 450° F and deep fat fry at 375° F. 
• Add five minutes to your total cooking time if your fish is cooked in a sauce or is wrapped in foil or parchment. 
• Double the cooking time when cooking frozen fish.

Fish should reach an internal temperature of 145 F. It usually isn’t practical to use a thermometer, but if it is cooked until opaque and flakes easily it is done.

Shellfish

Shrimp, scallops, crabs and lobsters turn opaque when done. Cut into the center to test.

Cook live clams, oysters and mussels until the shells are opened and the flesh is fully cooked. Before you eat them raw or partially cooked, be sure to read up on seafood safety.

The FDA recommends that in-shell oysters be steamed four to nine minutes or broiled three to five minutes after gaping. Shucked oysters should be fried for three minutes at 375° F; broiled, three minutes three inches from the heat source; baked, 10 minutes at 475° F; or boiled, three minutes.

Clams should be steamed for four to nine minutes.