Oven-baked fish is a tasty and healthy dish that can be served on both everyday and festive tables. There are practically no difficulties with the preparation of fish food, since a well-chosen cooking temperature and the time interval for baking the carcass are all that is needed to get juicy appetizing meat.
Steamed fish and baked in the oven is considered the most useful dish, which is why people who look after their health and figure include fish cooked in a double boiler or oven in their diet. Yes, with these heat treatments it is difficult to get delicious fish dishes at the output, but if you follow some rules, then specifically in the oven you can bake fish so that it turns out to be no worse than fried.
How to bake fish in the oven: the rules for a delicious dish
First, the fish should only be fresh. Frozen fish is not suitable for baking. No, of course you can try to defrost the product and then bake it, but the dish in the end will still turn out to be less tasty than the one that was prepared from fresh fish.
Secondly, only suitable spices and herbs should be used. Additives can either improve the taste of the fish or spoil it. When preparing fish dishes, it is better to use those spices that are to the taste of the eaters for which the dish is being prepared.
Thirdly, fish should be baked for a strictly defined time, taking into account the temperature regime for a particular fish carcass.
How long and at what temperature to bake fish in the oven
It is customary to bake fish in the oven at a temperature of 180-220 degrees, but the cooking time of the product depends on the size and method of preparation of the carcasses. The fact is that large fish require a longer heat treatment than small ones, and the use of foil for baking reduces the time the food is in the oven by 10 minutes. More specifically, carcasses weighing 250-300 g need 25-30 minutes baking (at 200 degrees), 350-500 g - 40-45 minutes, 550-700 g - about an hour.
Tip: fish in foil bakes faster and turns out to be more juicy and tender, though not browned. Therefore, if you like dishes with a golden crispy crust, then cook the dishes without using foil, or remove the foil 15 minutes before the end of cooking so that the fish can brown.
Well, in conclusion, it is worth noting that the readiness of the fish can be checked by piercing the carcass in the thickest place and lightly pressing on the fish: the release of a clear liquid indicates that the food is completely ready. If the liquid is cloudy and bloody, then the dish requires further heat treatment.
