If you’re reading this, your fish is likely already frozen. Still, I recommend reading our article on how to freeze fish properly.

The thawing method you choose should prevent the fish from overheating, losing moisture, dehydrating, or fostering bacterial growth. The ambient temperature during thawing should never exceed 20°C (68°F).

Studies show that fish thawed quickly in the microwave experiences the least quality loss. Therefore, microwave thawing is one of the most recommended methods. Another option is to let it thaw in the refrigerator. If you’re thawing the fish in water, always use cold water and ensure the fish does not come into direct contact with the water.

When buying frozen mackerel, which is commonly found at fish markets, ensure it hasn’t already thawed. Unfortunately, some fishmongers re-freeze unsold mackerel and place them back on display the next day. Especially in warm weather, fish left out for long periods can lose their freshness entirely.

By the time you bring frozen mackerel home, it may already have thawed. If not, you can use the microwave for a quick thaw or wait for it to thaw in the refrigerator.

If you don’t have a microwave or prefer not to use one, you can also thaw the fish quickly by placing it in cold water. However, ensure the fish does not come into direct contact with the water by placing it in a sealed bag and submerging it in the cold water for fast thawing.

Below is a summary of key points to remember:

How Should You Freeze and Thaw Fish? What to Keep in Mind:

• Especially in hot weather, clean the fish promptly without leaving it out too long, and wash it in salty, cold water. Alternatively, after washing it in cold water, dip the fish in ice-cold, salty water for 1-2 minutes and drain it in a colander.
• Place the fish in a colander and let it drain in the refrigerator. This will also pre-chill the fish. You can use a paper towel to dry it completely.
• If possible, vacuum-seal the fish to prevent exposure to air.
• If you don’t have a vacuum sealer, wrap the fish in aluminum foil or place it in a freezer bag to protect the tissue from damage caused by direct contact with ice. (Don’t worry, aluminum foil is safe for freezing, as its carcinogenic substances only release at high temperatures, and it helps conduct cold air efficiently.)
• To minimize the amount of cell fluid that escapes from the fish, freeze it quickly. After a few hours of pre-cooling in the refrigerator, place the fish in the freezer and select the quick-freeze setting.
• If you freeze fish at different times, label them to know when each was frozen.
• The recommended method for thawing fish is rapid thawing to minimize bacterial growth. Use the microwave if available. Another method is slow thawing in the refrigerator, as this slows down enzymatic activity. If thawing in water, make sure to use cold water and avoid direct contact with the fish.
• Sensory, physical, and chemical tests have shown that some types of fish can be frozen and thawed up to three times under proper conditions and still remain edible. However, all studies conclude that frozen seafood should be consumed after its first thaw and should never be refrozen.

Once you have thawed frozen seafood, you must consume it. Do not refreeze.

How to Prepare?

In truth, there are few fish as versatile as salmon in terms of cooking methods. Despite being oily, you can pan-fry it properly, grill it, barbecue it; cook it in a pouch, on oiled paper, or in foil. You can even steam it in a pressure cooker.

Of course, like with red and white meats, you can enhance the flavor by marinating salmon before cooking. I strongly recommend marinating with suitable spices before some cooking methods. Let’s delve into the sauce and marination process.

How to Make Salmon Sauce and Marinate?

Firstly, decide the desired taste and prepare a matching sauce for marination. As salmon is a bit oily, the most common marination method involves lemon. Mix a bit of salt, olive oil, and lemon juice in a bowl, let it rest in the fridge for half an hour. Avoid marinating in lemon juice for too long, as its acidity can start to cook the fish after a while.

If you prefer marinating with spices, a mix of olive oil, salt, black pepper, oregano, and garlic, left for 30-60 minutes, is sufficient.

How to Pan-Fry Salmon?

If you plan to pan-fry, I recommend using a non-stick or ceramic pan. The key is to fry in very little or no oil. Optionally, marinate briefly with olive oil, lemon, salt, and spices, then cook each side for 3-4 minutes in an oil-free non-stick pan. It’ll start releasing its own oil as it cooks, and when it takes on a beige color, it’s done. Be cautious not to overcook and dry out the fish.

Baking

When baking, you can wrap it in paper, use foil, or cook directly in a baking sheet or casserole dish. In a regular oven, it cooks at 200 degrees Celsius in 12-13 minutes. The time varies based on the thickness; if you’re cooking the tail side, it’ll be done in a shorter time, around 8 minutes. To ensure it’s fully cooked, you can extend the time by 2-3 minutes, but be careful not to overcook, as it will dry out.

No need to use oil when baking; you can use very little olive oil if desired. Decorating with lemon slices enhances both the appearance and flavor. Bay leaves also add a delightful aroma. You can try the Baked Salmon in Paper recipe here.

Grilling or Barbecuing

Before grilling, marinate briefly with olive oil, lemon, garlic, and salt, then grill each side for 4-6 minutes. If using a barbecue, ensure the coals are well-ashened to avoid flare-ups. You can marinate with different spices or keep it simple with a bit of salt; after massaging it in, grill each side for 4-7 minutes based on the grill’s heat and the thickness of the fillet or slice. You can tell it’s done by its color or check with a fork. As always, avoid overcooking to keep it moist. Check out the Salmon Skewer Kebab recipe for a delicious homemade option.

The house we live in is an American kitchen, that is, the living room and the kitchen are together, and we cook fish every week. Sometimes we cook fish in a pan, sometimes in an oven, and sometimes in a cast iron skillet. And my wife and little son, who are very sensitive to smell, have not once complained. How Does? Here are some tips for you (:

The smell of each fish is different, depending on the type and cooking method. For example, the smell of mullet, hake or anchovy is more intense than that of sea bass or trout. Likewise, the smell of frying is much stronger than baking in the oven. You will learn these as you experience them a little.

You will not have to worry about how get rid of the smell of fish in the house with a few tricks that you will apply while cooking fish or pay attention to afterwards.

In order not to get fishy smell in the house:

First of all, for less smell, my advice to you is to cook the fish in the oven or steam-steak it. It is both healthier and less fragrant.

The vegetables and spices you add to the fish will both add flavor and reduce odor. For example, you can put bay leaves, onion and carrot slices next to the fish and minimize the odor while setting a perfect table. I would definitely say check out the Baked Sea Bass Recipe title (:

You can easily prevent the fish from sticking to the tray and the oil from burning and emitting a bad odor by using greaseproof paper while cooking fish in the oven. In addition, if you wrap the fish with greaseproof paper, there will be almost no smell.

If you have fried, pour boiling water into the pan immediately before sitting on the table, shake and pour. Fill with hot water again and close the lid. Because as the oil waits in the pan, its smell intensifies, the oil solidifies and it becomes much more difficult to clean. Also, if you have windows, balcony doors, etc. in your kitchen, be sure to open them so that the smell can disperse more easily.

Add half a tea glass of fabric softener and water to a small saucepan and bring it to a boil. Turn off the stove 1 minute after it starts to boil. You get rid of the irritating odor in the house and your house smells good. Just don’t put too much softener or boil it for too long, otherwise its smell will get heavy after a while.

While frying fish in the pan, you can put a few sprigs of parsley or bay leaves into the frying oil. You can also light a few scented candles.

You can cook it by putting bay leaves between the fish.

After frying, you can pour water, a little vinegar, lemon juice and peels, cinnamon sticks, cloves and bay leaves into the pot and boil it.

After the cooking process is finished, you can light a fresh-smelling incense.

If you rub your hands with the remaining lemons to get rid of the fishy smell that permeates your hands after a meal and then wash them, you can easily get rid of the fishy smell that has permeated your hands.

Do not give up on a food that is so important for your health just because of the smell.