Cooking Fish and Seafood: A Complete Guide

Fish and seafood intimidate many home cooks, but they're actually among the fastest and most forgiving ingredients to cook — if you understand their unique properties. The biggest mistake is overcooking. Unlike meat, which comes in a range of acceptable doneness, fish transitions from perfect to dry and rubbery in just a minute or two. Timing is everything.

Buying Fish: Freshness Indicators

• Smell: Fresh fish smells like the ocean — clean, slightly briny. It should not smell "fishy" — that smell indicates degradation.
• Eyes: Should be clear and bulging, not cloudy or sunken
• Flesh: Should be firm and spring back when pressed. Dull or slimy flesh = not fresh.
• Color: Bright, vibrant color appropriate to the species
• The fishmonger test: A good fishmonger will tell you what came in today. Shop where turnover is high.

Pan-Seared Fish

The most versatile technique for fillets:

1. Pat the fillet completely dry. Dryness = crispier skin.
2. Season skin side with salt just before cooking — too early draws moisture.
3. Heat an oil with a high smoke point (avocado, canola) in a stainless or cast iron pan over medium-high — until shimmering.
4. Place fish skin-side down. Press gently for 30 seconds to prevent curling.
5. Don't move it. The skin will crisp and the fish will release naturally when ready — about 3-4 minutes for medium thickness.
6. Flip once. Cook another 1-2 minutes. The fish is done when it flakes easily and the center is just starting to turn opaque all the way through.

Doneness: The USDA recommends 145°F internal temperature. Many chefs prefer 125-130°F for salmon for a silkier texture.

Poaching Fish

Poaching produces incredibly delicate, moist fish — perfect for delicate species like sole, halibut, or for creating flaked fish for salads:

Bring a flavorful liquid to a bare simmer: water with wine, lemon, herbs, and aromatics (court bouillon). Submerge fish gently. For fillets ½ inch thick: 5-6 minutes. The liquid should never boil — bubbles tear delicate flesh.

Baking Fish

Simple and hands-off: place fillets in a baking dish, season, add aromatics (lemon slices, herbs, capers, or a ladleful of wine and stock), cover with foil, bake at 400°F. Cooking time: roughly 10 minutes per inch of thickness.

Shellfish

• Mussels and clams: Steam in wine and aromatics in a covered pan — 3-5 minutes until they open. Discard any that don't open.
• Shrimp: Cook just until pink and curled into a C shape. An O shape = overcooked. 2-3 minutes per side at medium-high heat.
• Scallops: Extremely dry, very hot pan, don't touch for 90 seconds. A deep golden-brown crust is the goal — they'll release naturally when seared properly.
• Crab and lobster: Steaming is the classic method; boiling works for hard-shell crabs