How to Broil Fish

When it comes to cooking fish, this is the only recipe you will ever need; the result is moist, flavorful, perfect fish every time. ~ by Serena Ball, MS, RD

So you think cooking fish is tricky? Think again.

This Cooking Light recipe is the ONE I go to whenever I need to cook dinner quick – or if I don’t have time to search for a recipe for the catfish I bought on sale - or the salmon a neighbor dropped off - or the tilapia I forgot about in the bottom of the freezer. This broiling technique is no-fail and works for pretty much any variety of fish. Here's why:

Hard to overcook: Because it cooks so quickly, I’m not tempted to run out of the kitchen to multitask.
Simple temp + time to remember: Broil 10 minutes on high! (Preheat the broiler a few minutes - and begin to check for doneness at 8 minutes.)
Stays moist: Thanks to the simple brush of oil and the bath of wine (or beer) it comes out super moist - also thanks to the quick cooking.
No flipping: Again, because of the quick cooking and there's no need to manage the slippery, fall-apart fillets on the spatula.
No breading: No egg wash, no bread crumbs = No mess.
Super healthy: You're cooking fish because it's delicious, but also because you know you should eat more of it, so why mess up a good thing? The wine, onion, garlic and black pepper - surprisingly - flavor it A LOT. But you could add a fresh salsa like this Mango Avocado Salsa or a sprig of thyme like I did.

So here are the specifics on how I adapted this no-fail Cooking Light Magazine recipe for Clam Shack-Style Broiled Fish:

• Use beer if you don't have wine. The alcohol helps carry and intensify the flavor. Plus it elevates the super simple dish.
• Instead of shallots, use ⅓ of a medium onion, very thinly sliced.
• Brush the oil on both sides of fish to ensure moist fillets - instead of just placing on pan. (You won't need more.)
• Even if you have more than 4 fillets, use the called-for ingredient amounts; this is a very adaptable recipe.

Now, go forth...and fear cooking fish no more!

And please, please let me know your results or leave a comment on your favorite way to cook fish.

For more easy fish recipes, you may want to check out these:

Freshwater Fish Tacos

Tea Smoked Tilapia

Roasted Pepper & Salmon Tostadas