How to Tell If Fish Is Cooked, Plus 2 Sure Signs It's DoneBecause seafood can go from underdone to overcooked and dry in a matter of seconds, it's easy to be intimidated when cooking it. Luckily, the key to expertly cooked fish is simply knowing how to tell when the fish is done. Our Test Kitchen has cooking temperature and doneness testing tips to help you avoid overcooked fish forever. Show
One of our favorite reasons to cook fish is that it's fast. Really fast. Depending on how thick it's been cut, a fish filet could bake, broil, poach, grill, or sauté in as little as four minutes! With speed like that, quick and easy seafood recipes are an awesome choice for busy weeknights. The only downfall to that speedy cooking time is how quickly you could accidentally overcook fish. If you haven't had the misfortune of biting into overcooked rubbery fish, consider yourself lucky. Thankfully, there are two simple ways to tell when fish is done so you'll only serve up just-right cooked fish. How to Tell When Fish Is DoneThe two ways to tell your fish is cooked are visual cues that require no special equipment. When fish reaches the proper cooking temperature it will display these cues.
Undercooked fish resists flaking and is translucent. If your fish is undercooked, continue heating it until it's done. But remember, fish cooks fast, so check it often. Test Kitchen Tip: Check fish at the minimum cooking time to avoid overcooking. Scott LittleHow to Flake Fish with a ForkThis tried-and-true testing technique is easy to master.
At What Temperature Is Fish Done?While the fork test and opaque color are excellent giveaways that fish is done cooking, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends a safe temperature for cooked fish of 145 degrees F. To test this, use an instant-read thermometer. How to Cook FishNow that you know how to tell if fish is cooked, you can put your knowledge to work and actually cook some fish. Get all the info you need on how to bake fish, how to fry fish (including pan-frying), and how to grill fish. With your newfound knowledge, you can prepare seafood pasta, fish tacos, grilled fish, or any fish dish just right! No matter what seafood dish you're in the mood for, a restaurant-caliber dinner awaits. Photo: Scott Phillips Most Popular
The often-quoted theory of cooking fish for 10 minutes per inch of thickness may be a good guideline, but in reality 8 minutes is a better timeframe in which to at least start checking for doneness. Fish will continue to cook for a minute or two off the heat. Be sure to stop cooking when the fish is just shy of done; otherwise, it will overcook by the time you serve it. Use the tip of a small knife to peek at the interior of the fish. Many cookbooks tell you to cook fish until it flakes; this is too long. Once it flakes, the fish has lost too much moisture and will be dry and bland. As you peek, see how easily the fish gives way. It should gently resist flaking but show signs of firming. If the fish is on the bone, the flesh should lightly resist pulling away from the bone. Raw fish has a translucent appearance that turns opaque during cooking. Most types of fish are considered done when they’re just opaque throughout. Many people, however, enjoy some types of fatty fish, such as tuna and salmon, a little less done. These should be opaque on the outside but still translucent at the center. CommentsLeave a CommentCommentsWhat We're Cooking NowWhat color is cooked tilapia supposed to be?Cooked tilapia flesh is white, tender and somewhat firm with a flaky texture.
Can you overcook tilapia?This fish is boneless, has no skin and can't be overcooked. You can't find tilapia in the wild. It's being harvest (sic) in artificial fish farms. … eating tilapia is worse than eating bacon or a hamburger. …
How do you know if fish is over cooked?This Is How You Can Tell If You've Overcooked Your Fish. 1 The skin is crispy. If you cooked the fish skin on, you probably also cooked it skin-side down first so it would crisp up. ... . 2 The flesh oozes white. If you take a look at the fish as it cooks, you'll notice that the flesh will become opaque. ... . 3 The fish is hard.. |