QUESTION: Fish and seafood: what mistakes most often ruin fish and how to avoid them?

In the process of cooking fish, even experienced culinary specialists can make typical mistakes that worsen the taste and texture of the finished dish. For successful work with fish and seafood, the proven 80/20 rule works great: first solve 2-3 main problems, such as proper product storage, good lighting of the work area, and perfect cleanliness in the kitchen, and only then improve small culinary details and decoration. This principle allows achieving professional results with minimal effort.

One of the most common mistakes is improper thawing of fish at room temperature or in hot water. This approach leads to the rapid multiplication of bacteria and the loss of texture, as cellular juices flow out along with meltwater. Thaw fish exclusively on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator for several hours to preserve maximum juiciness and fiber structure.

The second gross mistake is excessive heat treatment and too frequent flipping of the fish in the pan. Fish cooks very quickly, and a couple of extra minutes on the fire turn tender meat into a dry and tough mass. Flip the fillet or steak strictly once, when the bottom side is already covered with a golden crust and easily detaches from the surface of the cookware.