Want Less Fishy Fish? The Answer Is Milk (2024)

FAQs

Does milk make fish less fishy? ›

We've found an easy way to eliminate the smell: Soak the fish or the shellfish meat in milk for 20 minutes and then drain and pat dry. The casein in milk binds to the TMA, and when drained away, it takes the culprit that causes fishy odor with it. The result is seafood that's sweet smelling and clean-flavored.

Apparently, the proteins present in milk can bind to the fatty acids that have been exposed to air and give salmon its fishy odor or taste and mitigate them to be more neutral. (Fishiness is caused by the oxidation of fatty acids.)

Also, you can marinate the fish in a mixture of lemon juice, vinegar, and water for 30 minutes. This will help to neutralize the fishy taste.

Soak It in Lemon

"I love adding lemon or a vinegar-based marinade and letting it bask in those flavors to help remove any fishy taste," Routhenstein says.

I always smell the fish before I buy it, but occasionally when I get home it still smells. I am not talking It's time to throw it out fishy, but just a little. Well if you put the seafood in a bowl and add cold milk, cover it and let it sit in the fridge for about a half hour the smell goes away.

In terms of a flour dredge, I recommend soaking your fish in buttermilk 2-3 hours prior to frying. Buttermilk slightly tenderizes the fish but also makes certain flour can adhere to the fat for an even, crispy crust when frying.

All in all, thawing and marinating fish in milk is great not just for what it does for flavor, but also for how it saves time. You don't have to spend half a day waiting for your fish to thaw, and then another eight hours letting it marinate; just do both at once and make sure your fish is ready for dinner.

Tilapia – tilapia is arguably the mildest tasting fish there is. It's not fishy at all and has a mild sweetness. Tilapia is easy to prepare and goes well with a variety of different flavor profiles. Cod – cod has a mild flavor that's slightly sweet like tilapia.

Poaching your fish in milk will up your flavor, texture, and creaminess. You've most likely been poaching your fish in wine, butter, or oil. And these liquids work just fine.

Does lemon reduce fishy taste? ›

Not only does lemon get rid of a fishy smell, but it also tastes delicious on fish. Think of lemon-herb-crusted cod or roasted herb and lemon red snapper – delicious. The easiest and simplest way to get the best use out of this no-stink trick is to squeeze some drops on top of a fish you're about to cook.

Fish tastes "fishy" when it hasn't been handled properly. To avoid "fishy" fish, smell and feel it. It should have a fresh and mild odor. It should be firm to touch and spring back into place.

Season with salt and pepper. Whisk butter and wine together in a bowl; pour over flounder. Sprinkle each fillet with bread crumbs and then paprika. Bake in the preheated oven until flounder flakes easily with a fork, 25 to 30 minutes.

Acids and milk are both great odor absorbents. They work similarly to baking soda only you can apply them directly to the fish.

When it breaks down into trimethylamine, however, it creates the fishy odor that turns so many of us off. That's where milk can help. Milk contains casein, a protein that binds to trimethylamine and neutralizes the stink.

Rinsing fish before cooking or using lemon during or after cooking will lessen the odor effect on you. Other foods also may cause an evident odor in the sweat and urine. Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and asparagus can change the odor of urine and sweat, as can garlic, onions and some spices.

Poaching your fish in milk will up your flavor, texture, and creaminess. You've most likely been poaching your fish in wine, butter, or oil. And these liquids work just fine.