How to Broil Fish Perfectly in Your Oven Every Time

Broiling fish is a quick, healthy and easy way to cook fish that results in tender, flaky fillets with a delicious lightly charred flavor. By following some simple steps, you can learn how to broil fish to perfection in your oven every time.

What is Broiling?

Broiling involves cooking food directly under very high, intense heat. Most ovens have a separate broiler compartment at the top that heats up to 500-550°F. The high heat quickly sears the exterior while cooking the interior gently. It’s similar to grilling but happens in your oven instead of on an outdoor grill.

Broiling is a great technique for cooking lean tender cuts of fish like salmon halibut, trout, tilapia and snapper. It cooks the fish rapidly so it doesn’t dry out while giving it a nice char.

Benefits of Broiling Fish

There are many advantages to broiling fish in your oven

• It’s very quick and easy – fish fillets broil in just 5-10 minutes, Perfect for weeknight meals

• You don’t need to flip the fish while cooking like with pan frying or grilling. Just place it under the broiler and let the heat do the work.

• It adds great flavor from light charring while keeping the interior moist.

• Broiling requires little added fat. You just need a small amount of oil to coat the pan.

• It’s an oven-based technique so you can cook fish year-round, not just in summer when you can grill outdoors.

• Easy clean up since broiling pans don’t require much added oil.

So if you’re looking for a fast, healthy and foolproof way to cook fish for dinner any night of the week, give broiling a try!

How to Choose Fish for Broiling

The key is choosing fish that is sturdy enough to hold up under high heat yet still tender enough to cook quickly. Good choices include:

• Salmon
• Halibut
• Snapper
• Mahi mahi
• Trout
• Flounder/Sole
• Tilapia
• Swordfish
• Cod

Thicker, meatier fish like tuna, Chilean sea bass and mackerel also work well. Avoid lean fish like orange roughy which can dry out easily. Very thin delicate fish won’t broil well either.

Smaller fillets 1/2 lb or less in size are best for even cooking. For larger fillets, slice in half horizontally before broiling.

How to Prep Fish for Broiling

Proper preparation is key for delicious broiled fish:

• Choose freshly caught or thawed fish. Broiling cooks fish so quickly that you want it in the best condition before cooking.

• Pat dry with paper towels. Remove any excess moisture from the surface of the fish so it browns and crisps up nicely. Wet fish will steam instead of browning.

• Use skin-on fillets if possible. The skin protects the flesh and holds it together better under high heat.

• Season simply with salt, pepper and a little olive oil or melted butter. A simple seasoning works best since any burnt bits will get concentrated in the finished dish. You can always add other flavors like lemon, herbs or sauce after cooking.

• Brush a thin layer of oil on the broiler pan. This helps prevent sticking and also browns the exterior.

That’s all the prep you need! Now let’s get broiling.

How to Broil Fish to Perfection

Follow these simple steps for perfectly broiled fish every time:

1. Preheat Oven to Broil Setting

Turn your oven broiler on high and allow it to fully preheat. This usually takes 5-10 minutes. Place the oven rack about 4-6 inches from the top heating element.

2. Prepare Broiler Pan

Cover the broiler pan with aluminum foil for easy cleanup. Lightly brush the foil with vegetable oil or mist with cooking spray.

3. Place Fish on Pan

Carefully place the fish fillets skin side down on the greased pan. Leave space between fillets to allow steam to escape.

4. Season Fish

Brush the top of the fish very lightly with olive oil or melted butter and season simply with salt and pepper. You can also add other dried herbs or citrus if desired.

5. Broil Fish

Place fish carefully under preheated broiler. Let broil undisturbed for 5 minutes. Then check thickness and broil for 2-3 minutes more per 1/2 inch thickness. So a 1-inch thick fillet will need 10-12 minutes total.

6. Check for Doneness

Look for the flesh to turn opaque and flake easily with a fork but not fall apart. Use tongs to peek at the thickest part of the fillet if uncertain. Remember it will continue cooking after removed from the oven.

7. Allow Fish to Rest

When fish is done to your desired level of doneness, remove the pan from oven. Loosely tent foil over fish and let rest 3-5 minutes before serving. The fillets will firm up slightly as they rest.

8. Serve and Enjoy!

Use a wide metal spatula to carefully transfer fish to plates or a serving platter. The skin should peel off easily if using skin-on fillets. Garnish with lemon wedges, fresh herbs or any desired sauce and serve right away. Enjoy your delicious oven broiled fish!

Helpful Tips for Broiling Fish

Follow these tips and tricks for foolproof results:

• Always broil with oven door partially open. This prevents oven temperature from dropping too much.

• If broiler pan is smoking excessively, lower oven rack one level.

• For marinades and thicker sauces or toppings, add those after cooking not before. Otherwise they may burn.

• If fish is very thick, score the skin side before broiling so the flesh cooks more evenly.

• Use a instant-read thermometer to check for doneness, especially on thick cuts. Fish is safely cooked to 145°F.

• For added flavor, throw a handful of fresh herbs under the broiler the last 1-2 minutes.

• If fish is browning too quickly, tent loosely with foil. For softer fillets like flounder, always tent with foil.

• For a heartier meal, broil fish on a bed of vegetables like tomatoes, zucchini, potatoes or eggplant.

• Cook similar sized pieces at the same time for even broiling. Cut larger fillets in half.

• Add lemon slices or wedges alongside the fish during the last 2-3 minutes of broiling for a nice charred flavor.

Helpful Equipment for Broiling Fish

Having the right gear makes broiling fish much easier:

• Broiler pan – The vented design allows fat and juices to drain away from the fish for better browning. The slatted top side keeps fillets from overcooking.

• Instant-read thermometer – Takes the guesswork out of doneness, especially for thicker fish cuts.

• Wide spatula – Helps get broiled fish off the pan in one piece after cooking. A fish spatula works great.

• Tongs – Use long tongs to grab and turn fish fillets when broiling to check browning and cooking progress.

• Aluminum foil – Essential for lining pans and easy cleanup. Can also use as a tent to prevent over-browning if needed.

Top Recipe Ideas for Broiled Fish

The simple and fast preparation of broiled fish makes it perfect to complement with all kinds of delicious sauces, toppings and sides:

Broiled Fish Tacos – Top flaky broiled fish with fresh pico de gallo, avocado and Cotija cheese. Serve in warm corn tortillas.

Lemon-Herb Broiled Fish – Broil fish seasoned with garlic, parsley, lemon juice and zest. Serve over lemony quinoa pilaf.

Broiled Fish Bowls – Serve broiled fish over healthy grain bowls packed with vegetables, greens, beans and vinaigrettes.

Broiled Fish Sandwiches– Flake broiled fish and mix with tartar sauce, lettuce and tomato. Pile onto toasty buns for easy fish sandwiches.

Cajun Blackened Fish – Coat fish in Cajun spices before broiling. Serve with dirty rice and spicy remoulade.

Thai Chili Broiled Fish – Marinate fish in Thai spices and chilies before broiling. Top with mango salsa.

Mediterranean Broiled Fish – Top broiled fish with olive tapenade, roasted peppers, kalamata olives and feta cheese.