Why does fish get mushy

Want your fish to have a crisp, golden crust? Of course you do. If the surface of your fillet is wet, it'll steam—rather than sear—in the pan. So do yourself a favor and pat your fillet dry with a kitchen towel before you cook it.

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But you've got to be patient and let that pan get good and hot the oil should be shimmering but not smoking before you start cooking.

A too-cool pan won't just cause your fish to cook unevenly—it'll probably cause it to stick. Find out the 4 grossest things you didn't know about your fish. Starting the fish skin-side-up doesn't seem like it should matter that much.

But it does—a lot. The first side of your fillet tends to cook longer than the second side, and the thick, fatty skin helps protect the delicate flesh. Don't actually want to eat the skin? That's fine. You can peel it off after the fish is cooked. Here are 6 recipes with the perfect balance of healthy saturated fats from Prevention Premium.

There's no need to keep flipping or prodding at your fish while it sears. In fact, trying to flip a fillet before the bottom side is cooked will only make it stick and tear. As long as the flesh is still firm and the skin is shiny rather than slimy, the fish is still fine to cook and eat.

If your seafood smells overpoweringly of ammonia, or is mushy , slimy or otherwise questionable, discard it. It is better to be safe than sorry. Likewise, how do I know if fish is cooked through? Here's how to tell if fish is done : poke the tines of a fork into the thickest portion of the fish at a degree angle. Then gently twist the fork and pull up some of the fish. Undercooked fish resists flaking and is translucent. If your fish is undercooked, just continue heating it until it is done.

Here's how to fix mushy fish. Pat your fish dry before cooking. Excess moisture will cause the fish to steam rather than sear. Cook it at a higher temp. Stainless steel or cast iron cookware is best for cooking fish on the stovetop. Use the right type of fish for the dish. Thaw them, dry them, season them, then cook them, not too long. Flatfish don't take long to cook. They weren't mushy because you overcooked them if you overcooked them they would have been dry, not mushy they were mushy because they had too much water in them from not thawing out enough.

When cooking fish in milk , the key is to poach the fish. Because milk contains fat unlike water or broth , it absorbs the flavors added to the fish better—herbs, garlic, or anything else you may dream up. Scombroid poisoning is caused by eating spoiled fish.

Ciguatera fish poisoning is caused by eating fish which have themselves eaten fish contaminated with ciguatera.

Neither type of fish poisoning can be detected by taste or appearance or prevented by cooking or freezing the fish. If your cut of fish isn't too far gone: as in the flesh is still firm and it's only a few days thawed at most, a quick soak for about minutes in a bowl of milk will help get rid of the odor.

These myotomes are separated from each other by collagenous sheaths of connective tissue called myocommata. This arrangement causes fish flesh to flake. Moreover, fish muscle has much lower amounts of collagen than the muscles of land animals. Meat with more collagen will be less tender than meat with less collagen.

Before cooking , soak the fish in milk for 20 minutes In this scenario, the protein in the milk binds with the compounds that cause that fishy odor, in essence extracting if from the fish. What's left behind is sweet-smelling, brighter flesh with clean flavor. Just make sure you pour that milk down the drain. Lay a piece of wax paper or parchment paper over the fish so the moisture from the milk doesn't escape.

Here are some guidelines for selecting, handling and cooking fish that should debunk some fish myths for you:. If the fish has been cleaned or filleted, look at the flesh.

It should be translucent and shiny, not dry or milky white. Ideally, you should cook the fish the day you buy it; but if you need to hold it longer, follow these steps to preserve its freshness:. Pat the fish dry, wrap it in foil or plastic, seal it in an airtight plastic bag, place the bagged fish in a baking pan filled with crushed ice, and put the pan in the coldest part of your refrigerator, usually the lowest shelf. No matter how you cook fish-by grilling, baking or braising-the cooking time generally is 8 to 10 minutes per inch of thickness.

Always measure your whole fish or fillets at the thickest point and estimate your cooking time accordingly. Following this rule, start testing after 8 minutes. In some cases, such as broiling very close to the fire or poaching a very large fish, it could take less or more time to complete the cooking. Fish is done when it reaches an internal temperature of degrees.

The precise way to determine this is to use an instant reading thermometer stuck into the thickest part of the fish. Readiness also is discernible when you use a knife and attempt to separate flesh from a bone: When done it will separate easily. When done, immediately remove the fish from the heat source and tent it with foil to keep warm. Whether this is done over charcoal or in the broiler, the procedure is the same: The fish should be about 4 inches from the heat source.

Brush the steaks or fillets well with oil or butter and squirt with a little lemon juice. If you like herb flavors, you will find that rosemary, dill or tarragon are delicious when cooked with salmon. Rub in a little of the herbs before you oil the fish. Place the fish in an oiled broiling pan or rack that has been heated and broil 8 to 10 minutes per inch of thickness, basting the fish once and turning it halfway through the cooking time.

Salt and pepper it and remove it to a hot platter. Serve with plenty of lemon, plain boiled potatoes and a cucumber salad. Salt, freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Oil a large skillet so the bottom is barely coated. Add shallots and half the mushrooms; place the fillets on top and cover with the rest of the mushrooms. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with a little of the parsley. Heat wine and water to a boil in a separate pan. Pour over the fish. Cook over medium heat until fish tests done, 2 to 3 minutes.