Fish baked in the oven is not only tasty, but also useful, and it can be served both with a side dish and as an independent dish. In her cooking there are some subtleties. Especially novice housewives care about the temperature at which to bake fish and for how long. Knowing these and other nuances, you will always get an appetizing dish.
Temperature and time of roasting fish
To choose the right temperature and time regimes is very important for the reason that it directly depends on how tasty the baked fish will turn out. Each of these factors should be described in more detail.
Temperature
To prevent the fish from getting too dry or, on the contrary, raw, it is recommended to cook it at a temperature of 180 to 220 degrees. If you are baking the whole fish, then it should be kept in the oven at a temperature not lower than 200 degrees. The fish in the sauce is the main time you need to cook at 180 degrees. Then the temperature should be raised to 200 degrees so that the fish turns red.
Best of all, of course, bake the thawed fish, but if there is no time to defrost, then you need to do the following: for the first 20 minutes, bake frozen fish in a gentle mode, that is, at 60-80 degrees, and then cook a recipe.
Timed mode
The cooking time of baked fish primarily depends on its size.
- Fish weighing 200-300 grams are baked at 200 degrees on average for a third of an hour.
- If the fish weighs in the range of 350 to 500 grams, at 200 degrees it will cook in half an hour.
- Carcasses weighing 1-1,5 kg are baked for about 45-60 minutes.
- The cooking time is increased by 15 minutes for every subsequent half-kilogram.
Do not forget to take into account the weight of the filling, if you cook stuffed fish. By the way, this rule is suitable for absolutely any fish.
The baking time also depends on the fish were pickled before cooking or not. As a rule, it will take less time to bake a pre-pickled fish.
Foil also affects the cooking time of fish in the oven. Thanks to the foil, the fish bakes about 20-25% faster. This is due to the greenhouse effect created in the foil. Such fish will turn out juicy and fragrant, but will not have a ruddy crust. If you like crispy fish, it is best to cook it in the clear.
Each oven, whether gas or electric, cooks differently, so baking time may be slightly different. Watch the dish and check its readiness by pressing or piercing. Fish meat is ready if a clear liquid flows out of it. Blood and turbid fluid indicate that the fish needs to be baked longer.
Cooking tips for baked fish
- Marinade gives fish juiciness and richness. If you decide to marinate the fish, then keep it in the marinade for at least half an hour.
- The fish goes well with lemon, so it is recommended to put lemon slices in a pan with a raw product or add lemon juice to the marinade.
- Garlic, coriander and parsley give the fish an amazing taste, so it is advisable to use them when cooking baked fish.
- Both the electric and gas ovens should be placed on the bottom of the pan with water or salt before baking. This will help the fish bake evenly.
- If you are cooking a very large fish, then on its abdomen it is desirable to make transverse cuts with a depth of about 5-7 millimeters. So it is better and faster baked.
- When baking fish in foil, it is important to leave free space, otherwise the foil will burst. By the way, the fish must be wrapped in foil so that its glossy side remains outside. It is also worth noting that the fish, which will be baked in foil, should be salted more strongly.
- For baking fish in the oven, use suitable utensils. Fish can be baked in black cast-iron and enamel pot or clay pot. Aluminum and metal packagings affect the taste, color, and benefits of the product.
Baked fish is best eaten immediately after cooking, since it is at this point that it has the maximum flavor and aroma.
