If you’ve ever cooked fish at home, you know that seafood can sometimes have a bad taste called “fishy.” It can be enough to make anyone want to stop eating it altogether.
Don’t give up on salmon and tuna steaks just yet, though. There are easy ways to make fish taste less fishy, so you can still enjoy dinner and get the health benefits.
Michelle Routhenstein, RD, CDN, preventive cardiology dietitian and author of The Truly Easy Heart-Healthy Cookbook, tells LIVESTRONG that eating fish is a great way to get lean protein and vitamins and minerals like iodine, selenium, and vitamin D. com.
When you eat fatty fish like wild salmon, sardines, arctic char, and rainbow trout, you also get more omega-3 fatty acids, which are good for your heart and reduce inflammation.
The National Institutes of Health say that the types of omega-3 fatty acids you get from fish—EPA and DHA—aren’t found in as large amounts or as easily in other protein sources, like chicken, beef, pork, or plant-based proteins. In fact, the American Heart Association recommends eating two 3. 5-ounce servings of fatty fish every week for this very reason.
Now that we know why we should eat fish, lets get back to the question at hand.
Theres actually some science behind it. Fish in the ocean use a chemical called trimethylamine oxide (TMAO) to balance their body fluids and make the water less salty. The American Society for Nutrition says that when a fish dies, its TMAO changes into trimethylamine (TMA), which gives off that fishy smell.
Find out how to make fish taste less fishy with these dietitian-approved tricks that actually work.
Frozen fish can be a quick and convenient source of protein, but that fishy odor and taste is a huge turnoff for many. As someone who loves seafood but hates that overpowering fishy flavor, I’ve experimented with various methods over the years to get rid of it.
In this comprehensive guide, I’ll share everything I’ve learned about removing fishy taste from frozen fish fillets, whole fish, shrimp, and more. With a few simple tricks, you can enjoy frozen seafood that tastes fresh and delicious.
Why Frozen Fish Tastes Fishy
Before jumping into solutions, let’s first understand why frozen fish gets that unpleasant fishy taste in the first place
There are a couple of culprits responsible for this:
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Oxidation of Fats Fish contain polyunsaturated fats that are prone to oxidation, especially when exposed to air This oxidization produces volatile compounds that give fish its characteristic fishy smell and taste.
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Enzyme Activity: Enzymes naturally present in the fish break down proteins into amino acids and peptides during storage. Some of these compounds have a distinctly fishy odor.
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Improper Freezing: Fish that is frozen too slowly or improperly packaged tends to develop more of a fishy flavor. Quick freezing helps lock in freshness.
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Thawing Errors: Incorrect thawing leads to cellular breakdown and release of fishy compounds.
Now that we know the science behind it, let’s look at some simple fixes.
10 Tips to Remove Fishy Taste from Frozen Fish
1. Thaw Properly in the Fridge
Never thaw frozen fish at room temperature. Instead, plan ahead and thaw overnight in the refrigerator, which helps preserve texture and minimize fishiness. Thaw in a bowl to collect drips.
Thawing in cold milk in the fridge also helps extract fishy odors – the milk acts as a natural tenderizer.
2. Soak in Acidic Liquids
Soaking the fish in an acidic liquid chemically neutralizes amines and other volatile compounds responsible for fishy taste.
Some good options:
- Lemon or lime juice
- Vinegar diluted with water
- White wine
- Milk or buttermilk
Soak thawed fillets for 20-30 minutes before cooking. Discard liquid after.
3. Use a Marinade
Marinating does double duty – it imparts flavor while also eliminating fishy taste. The acidic ingredients help neutralize amines.
Try marinades with:
- Citrus juice
- Herbs like dill, parsley, basil
- Spices like garlic, paprika, thyme
- Oil and vinegar
Marinate at least 30 minutes, up to overnight.
4. Coat with Spices/Flour
Coating the fish with flour, breadcrumbs or spice rubs creates a protective layer that blocks some of that fishy odor from escaping during cooking.
Try coatings like flour, panko, cornmeal, or spices like paprika, garlic powder, salt, pepper.
5. Cook with Acidic Foods
Cooking the fish with acidic ingredients like lemon, tomatoes, wine or vinegar allows their flavors to mask and override fishy taste.
Some recipe ideas:
- Fish tacos with lime juice
- Baked fish with tomatoes
- Poached fish in wine
- Fried fish with vinegar
6. Remove Skin
The skin can retain more of that fishy flavor, so removing it prior to cooking helps reduce it. However, the skin does keep the fish intact, so leave it on for grilling or pan frying and remove after cooking if desired.
7. Switch up Cooking Method
The right cooking technique can make a big difference. Try these:
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Baking: Retains moisture and allows fat to drain off, reducing fishiness.
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Poaching: Gently cooking in liquid like wine, lemon water or court bouillon tenderizes fish and adds flavor.
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Grilling: Imparts a delicious smoky flavor that overrides fishy notes.
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Pan frying: Develops a flavorful, caramelized crust that seals in juices.
8. Use Longer Cooking Times
It might seem counterintuitive, but cooking fish just until done can actually retain more fishy flavor. Going a minute or two longer allows fishy compounds to cook off completely.
9. Switch up Your Fish
Milder, more subtly flavored fish tend to absorb less of that fishy taste when frozen. Good choices are:
- Tilapia
- Catfish
- Flounder
- Sole
- Cod
On the flip side, strongly flavored oily fish become more overpowering when frozen – go for fresh instead of frozen.
10. Buy Better Quality
Higher quality frozen fish that’s been handled properly retains much less fishiness. Check the packaging for freezer burn or frost – this causes damage that results in fishy taste. Pay a little more for frozen fish vacuum sealed or flash frozen right on the boat.
Freezing Fish at Home
If you catch your own fish or buy it fresh, proper freezing at home eliminates future fishy flavor issues. Here are some tips:
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Clean, scale, gut and rinse the fish thoroughly before freezing.
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Pat very dry with paper towels – moisture causes ice crystals.
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Cut into portion sizes so you can defrost just what you need.
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Glaze the fish with cold water and freeze quickly on a tray before transferring to bags.
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Exclude as much air as possible and vacuum seal bags.
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Label with type and date and freeze at 0°F or below.
Storing Frozen Fish
To maintain quality and prevent development of fishiness:
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Store frozen fish below 0°F.
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Avoid temperature fluctuations – don’t open the freezer frequently.
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Store for no more than 3 months for best flavor.
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If thawed, cook immediately rather than refreezing.
Enjoy Fishy-Free Frozen Seafood
I hope these tips help you succeed in removing that dreaded fishy taste from your frozen fish and seafood. Now you can feel confident purchasing larger quantities while on sale and have delicious, fresh-tasting fish ready to enjoy anytime.
Soak It in Milk
Even though putting milk on fish might not sound very tasty, it does work to get rid of that fishy smell.
“When fish is soaking in milk, casein, a protein found in milk, binds to the TMA and pulls it out of the fish. Therefore, when you pour off the milk, youre getting rid of the casein-bound TMA,” dietitian Anna Ipsen, RDN, CDN, tells LIVESTRONG.com.
The best part about this step is that it doesnt take long. Ipsen recommends soaking your fish in milk for 20 minutes, then patting it dry and cooking it.
Turn Salmon Into ‘Bacon’
Perhaps not the most traditional way to enjoy fish, but this trick is definitely tasty and creative. “I love making smoked salmon into bacon in the oven. “It changes the fish’s taste a lot and turns it into more of a comfort food than a healthy food,” says Amy Gorin, RDN, owner of Plant-Based Eats. com.
You can add crispy salmon bacon to casseroles, egg dishes and even salads.
Get the Homemade Salmon Bacon recipe and nutrition info from Amy Gorin Nutrition.
HOW TO REMOVE THE FISHY SMELL AND TASTE FROM FISH | Easy 2 Step Method
How do you get rid of a fishy taste?
Cooking your seafood with lemon or adding a spritz at the end is an easy way to get rid of that fishy flavor. If you’ve ever cooked fish at home, you’re probably familiar with that unpleasant “fishy” taste seafood sometimes takes on. It can be enough to make anyone want to stop eating it altogether.
What can I do about my degraded sense of taste for all foods?
There are some specific medications that can help reduce taste loss, but some nutritional strategies can also be effective, such as: – Choose foods that both smell and taste you like; – Use plastic or wooden cutlery; – Consume mint gum or hard candy to disguise the bitter taste in the mouth; – Try different seasonings, especially with herbs like basil, oregano, parsley, among others; – Waters flavored with citric fruits such as lemon, orange and pineapple help in the production and quality of saliva.
How to remove fish smell from fish?
to soak the fish in milk for how long before rinsing. Mix vinegar with fresh water then soak fish in it for 5 minutes; rinse and dry it with paper towel before marinating. This method will be able to reduce 50% fishy smell. You should not cook fish if you want to remove fishy smell 100%.
How do you make fish taste better?
Disguise fishiness: The other angle is to “cover up” the flavour with lots of spicy glaze or garlic/lemon flavours instead. Pick mild seafood: The other thing to try is to pick a more mildly flavoured fish (e.g. a white fish instead of something like tuna or salmon). Avoid oily fish as they tend to have a stronger flavour.