Cooking Freshly Caught Fish, What To Do After You Got it

1) As soon as the fish lands refrain from any contact with hard surfaces to avoid bruising. It should be washed at once by hosing or bucket rinsing in order to remove the slime and possible bacteria that cause spoilage. At no time use water from close nearness marinas, municipal or industrial discharges. To make certain, at all times use potable water instead.

2) Simply chill the fish to prevent deterioration in less than an hour. With a little advance planning, proper icing can be accomplished with the use of some comparatively cheap equipment. Fish have to be stored in coolers and have to be well chilled. It have to be 3" deep, thus, covering a pound of fish with pound of ice. Use chlorinated water per quart of water for the terminating rinsing.

3) Clean the fish as soon as possible. Their tissues are sterile but not their scales, which contains many types of bacteria. When cleaning fish, refrain from rough treatment because wounds in the flesh can allow the spread of bacteria. Gutting the fish does not have to be necessarily long. It is wise to cut the belly, as it leaves no blood or viscera in the body. Make sure not to soak cleaned fish fillets in a prolonged freshwater as this could reduce the meat texture and flavor.

4) The eating quality and nutritional value of fish can be maintained up to 5 days if correctly cleaned. Washing of the hands previously touching the fish is also significant. No matter what fish and the cooking method used, one golden rule is to be followed always. Whether it is whole or not, cook exactly 10 minutes for every inch measured. 15 minutes should be allotted to fish enclosed in foil or sauce baked. Duplicate the time for frozen fish.

Allow additional time for cooking freshly caught fish, if the fish will be baked while packed in an aluminum foil and allow additional time for the penetration of the heat. That should be an additional 5 minutes for fresh fish and 10 for frozen. In thawing frozen fish, slowly thaw in the fridge for 24 hours or let the wrapped fish be run under cold water not at room temperature. Do not thaw a fish that's frozen before cooking as it may make it mushy and dry.