The Best Lemon Baked Cod Recipe - Little Sunny Kitchen (2024)

FAQs

What is the best cooking technique for cod? ›

Try a gentle cooking method: Instead of adding fat, you can also try a gentle cooking method like steaming or cooking en papillote. Both of these methods help to preserve Pacific cod's high moisture content and produce incredibly tender results.

Overcooked fish loses its natural moisture, which can result in a dry and chewy texture. The proteins in the fish also begin to tighten, which can make the fish tough and rubbery. In addition, overcooked fish can have a severe lack of flavor, as the heat causes the natural oils in the fish to evaporate.

But more importantly, pan frying yields that deliciously browned exterior on both sides of the fish. Baking or steaming won't accomplish that same golden “crust.” Pro Tips for pan frying cod: Let fish sit at room temp in a colander to drain any excess water, particularly if your fish was previously frozen.

Temperature is the key to making sure your frozen cod doesn't turn out rubbery or chewy. No matter how you cook it, be sure that your cod reaches an internal temperature of 145˚F as measured by a food thermometer. At this temperature, its flesh will be opaque white and flake easily when pressed with a fork.

Cod is a beautifully mild and buttery-flavored fish and this preparation couldn't be easier or more stunning. Coat it in paprika and a few other spices, then pan fry it until tender and juicy. It takes under 10 minutes to get restaurant-quality flavor!

To try this trick in your home kitchen, follow Cook's Illustrated's advice: before cooking, let your fish spend about 20 minutes sitting in milk to absorb any unwanted odors. Then, simply drain the fish and pat it dry. You'll be left with fish that has a clean, sweet flavor and none of the fishy edge.

Additionally, make sure the heat isn't too high and you use enough fat (e.g. olive oil, butter)/liquid (e.g. white wine, lemon juice) to keep it from sticking to the pan. If cod separates in pieces, it is overcooked. The flesh should still be slightly tender and in one piece.

Nestle cod pieces into baking dish. Step 3Bake until fish is opaque and flakes easily with a fork, 25 to 30 minutes, depending on thickness of filets.

We recommend not rinsing unless you need to rinse off any scales. Pat dry with paper towels whether you rinse or not. Preheat the oven to 450°F for fillets and steaks or 350°F for dressed fish. Even thickness: Place the fish in a single layer in a greased shallow baking pan (like a baking sheet).

Cod is one of the more notable options to pick up, but its taste can depend on exactly what type of cod you pick up. Pacific cod is relatively savory, while Atlantic cod is noticeably sweeter. Even the texture is different between the two of these. No matter which one you pick up, you'll be sure to enjoy it.

Should cod be room temperature before cooking? ›

Another tip is to remove the fish from the fridge half an hour before cooking. The reason for this is that room-temperature fish loses less liquid during cooking than cold fish making it easier to avoid the fish becoming dry.

Do you bake fish covered or uncovered? Breaded and coated fish usually is cooked without being covered, but fillets and whole fish are covered for tender results.

Bake Time for Whole Fish in Foil

Whole fish baked in foil will also take longer than 10 minutes per inch of thickness. Typically, it will require about 15 minutes per pound plus an additional 15 minutes. For example, if you are baking a 1 pound fish in foil, it would take about 30 minutes.

Another reason it's so easy to overcook fish is that “Fish myosin and its fellow fiber proteins are more sensitive to heat than their land-animal counterparts” (McGee, 209). Most fish will become dry from protein shrinkage and coagulation after 140°F (60°C). Plus, cod has only about 0.5% fat in its meat.

COD-FISH is a strand-specific modification of standard FISH technology which allows the hybridization of single-stranded probes to one, and only one, chromatid of a metaphase chromosome.

Make sure to cook your fish in a way that doesn't overwhelm the flavor. The level of fat in the meat. Leaner types of seafood dry out more easily, which makes them better suited for wet cooking methods like steaming and poaching. Fatty fish like tuna and salmon, on the other hand, are ideal for grilling and roasting.