Cook Steamed Fish

Is there anything better than a piece of properly cooked fish? Steamed fish is an easy, healthy dish that works well on any dinner table. By starting out with your favorite fish fillets, or even a cleaned and scaled whole fish, and the right vegetables and spices, you can prep a delicious meal that feeds a few or feeds a group. Learn how to cook perfectly steamed fish with any of the methods in this tutorial.

Steps

In the Microwave

  1. Prepare your fish. You can use any kind of thicker fillet (salmon, halibut, bass, snapper etc.) Or you can use a cleaned and scaled whole fish. Lay your fish in a lightly oiled glass dish with a lid.[1]
    • If you are working with several fillets, you can overlap them in the dish.
  2. Prepare a side to go with your fish (optional). If you'd like, you can start an easy side to cook while your fish is cooking in the microwave. Put some rice in a rice cooker and turn it on. Try basmati or jasmine rice. Or, get your water boiling for couscous. Try salting the couscous water and adding a little butter or oil.
  3. Season your fish. Here comes the fun part. What kind of flavor are you craving? You can easily season your fish with any of the recommendations below, or create your own seasoning. Don't worry about basting the fish perfectly, just glob your seasoning on!
    • A few dashes of coconut milk, cloves, a clove of diced garlic, fresh or dried basil, cilantro, sliced chives, and lemon juice.
    • Lemon or limejuice, sliced green onion, garlic, salt, and pepper.
    • A pinch of ground cumin, a clove of diced garlic, sliced sweet onion, cilantro, salt, and pepper.
    • A splash of soy sauce, a splash of sesame oil, grated ginger, a dash of rice wine, and sesame seeds.
  4. Microwave your fish. Cover your dish with a lid and place it in the microwave for 4-5 minutes depending on the thickness of your fillets.
    • Use a fork to carefully test the doneness of your fish by gently flaking away at the meat. If the meat is white (or barely opaque) and flakes easily, the fish is done.
  5. Serve your meal. Combine your fish with a side of rice, couscous, salad, or whatever you prefer, and enjoy!

In a Steaming Basket

  1. Prepare your steamer. Pour three or four inches of water into a wok or pot. Make sure the bamboo steamer can sit on top of the wok or pot with some airspace between the water and the bottom level of the steamer. Turn heat to high and bring the water to a boil.
  2. Prepare a seasoning (optional). Here comes the fun part. What kind of flavor are you craving? You can easily season your fish with any of the recommendations below, or create your own seasoning. Don't worry about basting the fish perfectly, just glob your seasoning on!
    • A few dashes of coconut milk, cloves, a clove of diced garlic, fresh or dried basil, cilantro, sliced chives, and lemon juice.
    • Lemon or limejuice, sliced green onion, garlic, salt, and pepper.
    • A pinch of ground cumin, a clove of diced garlic, sliced sweet onion, cilantro, salt, and pepper.
    • A splash of soy sauce, a splash of sesame oil, grated ginger, a dash of rice wine, and sesame seeds.
    • For a whole fish (scaled and cleaned), work salt, pepper and seasoning into the diagonal cuts on both sides of the fish.
  3. Line one of the bamboo steamer layers with a few cabbage leaves. If you are making fillets, use one large leaf per fillet and place fish skin-side down. If you are making a whole fish, overlap the cabbage leaves to cover the entire bottom of the steamer.
    • Drizzle one third of the sauce over the fish.
  4. Steam your fish. Place the bamboo basket with the fish on the top of the wok or pot filled with boiling water. Cover with a lid. Cook time will depend on the thickness of the fish, with a whole fish taking a little longer. A 1-inch thick fillet will take about 10 minutes.
    • Take care not to overcook or the fish will be mushy.
    • Check the fish after 10 minutes and then every couple minutes after that until its done.
    • Fish is done when it flakes easily and is no longer translucent.
    • The fish will continue to cook after you remove it from the heat.
  5. Serve. For fillets, you can serve the fillet on its cabbage bed. For a whole fish you can either remove the fish from the basket and place on a serving plate, or put the entire basket on a platter and serve from the basket. Drizzle fish with sauce and pass any remaining sauce at the table.

In the Oven Or On the Grill

  1. Preheat your oven or grill. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, or let your grill heat up for 10 to 15 minutes. Adjust your oven rack so that it is positioned in the center of your oven. For grilling, let your grill heat up a bit and then use a grill brush to clean the rack before cooking. Use the center or lower grill rack and adjust your heat to medium.
  2. Mix a seasoning. In a small bowl, combine any seasonings you prefer. Here comes the fun part. What kind of flavor are you craving? You can easily season your fish with any of the recommendations below, or create your own seasoning. Don't worry about basting the fish perfectly, just glob your seasoning on!
    • A few dashes of coconut milk, cloves, a clove of diced garlic, fresh or dried basil, cilantro, sliced chives, and lemon juice.
    • Lemon or limejuice, sliced green onion, garlic, salt, and pepper.
    • A pinch of ground cumin, a clove of diced garlic, sliced sweet onion, cilantro, salt, and pepper.
    • A splash of soy sauce, a splash of sesame oil, grated ginger, a dash of rice wine, and sesame seeds.
  3. Line your cooking surface with foil. If you are using the oven, line a sturdy baking sheet with enough aluminum foil to wrap loosely around the fish. Or, line your grill with foil large enough to fold over the fish.
    • You can also wrap your fish in banana or Ti leaves.
  4. Place your fish on the foil covered grill or baking sheet. Position your fish in the center of the foil. Drizzle your seasoning mixture over the fish. You can also add lemon or lime slices if you prefer.
  5. Wrap your fish. Loosely fold the sides of the foil forming a well-sealed packet. Bake in the oven or on the grill for 15 minutes for fillets or 25 minutes for a whole fish. Make sure to check the fish to be sure it is cooked completely and add additional time if necessary.
    • Fish is done when it flakes easily and is no longer translucent.
    • After cooking time has elapsed, check every couple minutes until done.
    • If steaming your fish on the grill, make sure to close the grill lid when cooking.
  6. Serve. Be careful when opening the fish packets. Hot steam will come out once you create an opening and it can easily burn you. Use metal tongs or two forks to open it. Using a metal spatula, gently lift your fish onto a platter and pour on the remaining seasoning. Serve immediately.

Tips

  • Adding pepper and cilantro leaves will also give different style. You can be innovative with the herbs and spices that you use.
  • Select bass, walleye, tilapia, grouper or other kinds of fish that have fine texture. Salmon and pike are not recommended for this method.
  • If you are using a traditional steamer pot, toss a handful of Northern White Cedar chips to the water. It will add a very mild but delicious wood flavor to your steamed fish and vegetables.
  • Eat the dish when it is very warm.
  • Using fresh fish is highly recommended. If you have to use frozen fish, thaw it completely before cooking.

Warnings

  • Nearly all fish and shellfish contain traces of mercury. Mercury is a poisonous metal, which can create a health risk for some people. High amounts of mercury are most dangerous to unborn children or young children. The risks from mercury in fish and shellfish depend on the amount of fish and shellfish eaten and the levels of mercury in the fish and shellfish. Food and Drug Administration[2](FDA) and the Environmental Protection Agency[3](EPA) are advising women who may become pregnant, pregnant women, nursing mothers, and young children to avoid some types of fish and eat fish and shellfish that are lower in mercury.

Things You'll Need

  • Fish fillets or a cleaned and scaled whole fish
  • Steamer or wok
  • Microwave
  • Oven or grill
  • Mixing bowls
  • Spoons
  • Forks
  • Metal spatula
  • Aluminum foil
  • Pan
  • Oven sheet
  • Steamer
  • Seasonings (optional)

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ http://www.delish.com/food/family-meals/how-to-cook-fish-micro-steaming
  2. ↑ http://www.fda.gov/food/resourcesforyou/consumers/ucm110591.htm
  3. ↑ http://www.epa.gov
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