Baking fish is a great way to retain nutrients and improve the taste.
High temperatures and quick cooking times help to preserve moisture and flavor without compromising the texture of the fish.
Salmon is a popular fish for baking.
It’s also a variety that is often prepared on a grill or in a pan.
You’re probably familiar with salmon, but there are some other types of baked fish that are less common yet infinitely more interesting.
Want to know the best fish for baking?
It’s not salmon. In fact, two options equally deserve the top spot.
Delicious Baked Snapper
Whole snapper is hands down one of the best fish to bake.
More than that, it’s one of the most flavorsome fish of all.
Snapper should be scaled, gutted, and cleaned.
You can pick up whole fish from your local fishmonger, specialty grocery store, or most major supermarkets.
Seasoning is relatively easy, but there are a few specific herbs that go well with this species.
Snapper is a fatty fish, which is where a lot of the flavor comes from.
The fat content helps to preserve the moisture when baking, even if you choose not to cover the fish with aluminum foil.
Don’t worry, snapper is rich in Omega-3 Fatty Acids.
It’s a good kind of fat that can benefit your health.
You can simply place the fish in a baking dish and pop it into a preheated oven.
The simplest seasoning would be a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, cracked black pepper, and kosher salt.
If you want to add more flavor and make a real gourmet meal, you can also include dill, parsley, garlic, and lemon.
Score the fish with an inch between each cut, and thoroughly season the fish before baking.
You’ll want your oven preheated to 450°F.
You’ll get the most consistent results by covering your baking dish with aluminum foil.
Red snapper is done when the internal temperature reaches 137°F.
It works great for baked fish as well as other baked goods like cakes and muffins.
Family Friendly Halibut Fillets
Not everyone enjoys whole-baked fish.
Halibut fillets are an alternative that your whole family will enjoy.
Halibut is also a great choice if you want to serve guests something interesting at your next dinner party.
While you can bake snapper with or without a foil cover, halibut is always better without a cover.
Preheat your oven to 450°F for this fish.
Lay the fillets on a nonstick baking pan and season generously with salt and pepper, and a squeeze of lemon juice.
Bake the fillets for six minutes.
To make this recipe even better, you can prepare a mixture of mayonnaise, grated garlic, grated parmesan cheese, and butter.
Blend everything and liberally coat the top of each fillet, before putting it all back in the oven under the broiler setting for two minutes until the topping turns a light golden brown.
The rich topping makes for an excellent umami meal.
Even people who don’t usually eat fish will love your halibut prepared this way.
Helpful Accessories
Besides a good kitchen thermometer, you’ll also need the right tray for baking fish.
It’s easy to cover the top of this tray with foil if you need to.
A food processor is helpful when you need to chop or blend ingredients for stuffing or topping fish.
Baked Fish is a Healthy and Easy Meal at Home
Put your baking skills to great use by serving baked fish this summer or any time of year.
Fish is flavorsome and easy to prepare.
Whether it’s snapper, halibut, or any personal favorite that you have, you’ll love the flavors that come from high-heat baking.
