Want Less Fishy Fish? The Answer Is Milk (2024)

FAQs

Does milk make fish less fishy? ›

We've found an easy way to eliminate the smell: Soak the fish or the shellfish meat in milk for 20 minutes and then drain and pat dry. The casein in milk binds to the TMA, and when drained away, it takes the culprit that causes fishy odor with it. The result is seafood that's sweet smelling and clean-flavored.

It may sound bizarre, but, according to Epicurious, an effective way to combat fishiness is by soaking the protein in milk prior to cooking. 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.

Apparently, the proteins present in milk can bind to the fatty acids that have been exposed to air and give salmon its fishy odor or taste and mitigate them to be more neutral. (Fishiness is caused by the oxidation of fatty acids.)

Also, you can marinate the fish in a mixture of lemon juice, vinegar, and water for 30 minutes. This will help to neutralize the fishy taste.

Poaching the fish in milk adds a rich flavor and creates a creamy poaching liquid that you can spoon over the cooked fish. All you need is fish of your choice, whole milk, and a little salt. Then you can choose to poach the fish on the stove, in the oven, or even in the microwave.

These days, the catfish you buy at the grocery is mostly farm raised and has a fresher taste. If you still find the taste to be offensive, I've heard that soaking the fish in milk for 30 minutes or so before cooking can help. Also, avoid buying very large fillets. The smaller fish will have a better taste.

All in all, thawing and marinating fish in milk is great not just for what it does for flavor, but also for how it saves time. You don't have to spend half a day waiting for your fish to thaw, and then another eight hours letting it marinate; just do both at once and make sure your fish is ready for dinner.

Do You Need To Soak Catfish Before Frying? Soaking fish in milk or buttermilk will help remove an overly fish smell and flavor from a filet of catfish, salmon, or other fish. While you can incorporate this extra step into your preparation, it's certainly not necessary when you're making Crispy Pan-Fried Catfish.

Tilapia – tilapia is arguably the mildest tasting fish there is. It's not fishy at all and has a mild sweetness. Tilapia is easy to prepare and goes well with a variety of different flavor profiles. Cod – cod has a mild flavor that's slightly sweet like tilapia.

Do you need to rinse fish after soaking in milk? There's no need to rinse off your fish once you've soaked it in milk!

How to take fishy taste out of salmon? ›

Sprinkle 1 tsp of kosher salt on it. Lay the fish fillet, skin-side down, on the salted wax paper. Sprinkle about 1 tsp kosher salt over the fillet. Let the fillet sit for about 30 minutes while the salt absorbs into the fillet.

Not only does lemon get rid of a fishy smell, but it also tastes delicious on fish. Think of lemon-herb-crusted cod or roasted herb and lemon red snapper – delicious. The easiest and simplest way to get the best use out of this no-stink trick is to squeeze some drops on top of a fish you're about to cook.

Fish tastes "fishy" when it hasn't been handled properly. To avoid "fishy" fish, smell and feel it. It should have a fresh and mild odor. It should be firm to touch and spring back into place.

Poaching your fish in milk will up your flavor, texture, and creaminess. You've most likely been poaching your fish in wine, butter, or oil. And these liquids work just fine.