The Best Cod Piccata (Really Easy Cod Recipe!) - Paleo Grubs (2024)

FAQs

Do you have to soak cod fish before cooking? ›

Soaking is the most important step in preparing salt cod. Most recipes say to soak for 24 hours. However, this is risky and may leave the fish too salty. About 48 hours is a better bet.

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.

Season both sides of cod fillets with Cajun seasoning, lemon pepper, salt, and black pepper. Set fillets aside on a plate. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, stir in lemon juice and green onion, and cook until onion is softened, about 3 minutes.

The secret to cooking perfectly moist and flaky fish is to avoid overcooking it. The use of fat and lemon juice in this Whole30 cod recipe locks in the natural moisture of the fish and helps it cook in a quick manner. As a result, you should never have dry, rubbery fish again.

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.

Pan-frying is a great option for cod fillet or loin as there is time to produce a lovely crispy skin without overcooking the delicate, flaky flesh. This is the way cod and similar white fish are often cooked in restaurant kitchens and is very simple to do at home.

As fish cooks, proteins in the muscle fibers coagulate and the flesh changes from translucent to opaque in appearance. When the collagen softens in heat, it loses its structure and turns to gelatin; the muscle fibers have little to hold them together and the fish separates easily into flakes.

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.

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!

How do you get super good at cod? ›

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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.

Once the oil is hot, place the cod into the pan, top side down. Sear without moving for 3-4 minutes. Carefully flip the cod and transfer the pan to the oven. Bake for 12-14 minutes until the fish feels slightly firm when gently pressed with your finger.

Is this really necessary? Lisa Featherby, Gourmet Traveller food editor, writes: Soaking fish in brine or water before cooking to remove any muddy taste is not necessary.

Unlike vegetables and fruits, where you want to wash off pesticides or any chemicals before cooking or consumption, meat/poultry/fish are safer to be unwashed. There're potentially more bacteria in the sink where you would wash it. Properly cooked meat will kill off the bacteria, especially salmonella, not rinsing.

Brining fish with salt before cooking is a helpful, but not crucial, step. The brine mixture adds flavor and firmness to the fish as it extracts excess moisture from the flesh which can make it stick to the pan during cooking. Lean white fish like cod and rockfish benefit greatly from a quick, dry brine.