Can you help me learn to like fish?

[Anonymous]

I want to learn to like fish. My DH and DS both love all fish but I struggle with the smell. Is there a way to prepare it that reduces the smell?

Oddly, I love shellfish and sushi. It’s just cooked fish I dislike.

[Anonymous]

Do you not like broiled salmon?

[Anonymous]

Start with a mild white fish, like halibut or cod.

I don’t like fish either (still don’t like salmon) but I like these, especially when prepared well.

[Anonymous]

The key to avoiding the smells: package it well (ziplock bags work well) until you eat it. When you cook it, as soon as it's in the oven or on the heat, turn on the exhaust fan if you have one and throw out all the wrapping from your house - don't just toss the wrapping in the kitchen trash. Eat it right after it's ready (leftover fish is no bueno), and then immediately clean up. Clean well. So clean the pan you cooked in, and then clean the sink, the dishes you used to prep/eat it, etc. You should be fine.

FYI, I tried to get into salmon and made it several ways. Didn't like it. Switched to black cod and I like that a LOT more. I now eat black cod twice a week, and seafood once or twice a week.

[Anonymous]

Throw it on the grill, outside. Delicious and no indoor odor.

[Anonymous]

What worked for me was cooking the fish on the grill outdoors. So much of the smell comes from cooking.

[Anonymous]

Foil pouches on the grill
Potato crusted, pan fried with vent going on high

Frozen beer battered cod, cooked in oven or air fryer, use in fish tacos with lime crema, spicy coleslaw.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the tips. I keep trying salmon so next I’ll try whitefish instead (on the grill outside) and throwing the wrappers in the outside trash.

[Anonymous]

Salmon, please try wild sockeye. farm raised salmon is so fatty it really affect the flavor poorly IMO. I'm not a fan of atlantic salmon either

Id also look into red snapper or halibut. try filets first swordfish or tuna steaks can dry out too fast as can the fillets if you cook it too long, its going to dry out and be awful.

grilled or broiled works. lemon pepper is a nice safe seasoning blend as well.

[Anonymous]

also when in doubt you could also sauce it up. to help mask some odor/flavor hollandaise, white wine, etc...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Throw it on the grill, outside. Delicious and no indoor odor.

Agree. Grill it because the char marks will mute the smell and taste of the fish. Use a lot of lemons and doctor the taste with Asian or other sauces of your choosing.

[Anonymous]

Stop buying old, smelly fish. Cook only fish you’d be willing to eat raw. Ignore people who tell you to buy tasteless fish and use cooking methods that conceal and destroy the taste of your expensive delicacy. Don’t overcook it.

Try trout a la muniere (Julia Child) or rockfish in a foil packet with white wine, lemon slices and some fresh thyme. You can cook that outdoors. Maybe skip the thyme and add some tomatoes and Kalamata olives and herbes de Provence.

[Anonymous]

Adding: try finding a good fish restaurant. You can probably get yellowtail collar at your sushi place. Whole fish Cantonese style is good at some Chinese places.

[Anonymous]

You don't have to like fish! I used to like it and often order it, now I just cannot stand cooked fish. I still love sushi and good smoked salmon.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Salmon, please try wild sockeye. farm raised salmon is so fatty it really affect the flavor poorly IMO. I'm not a fan of atlantic salmon either

Id also look into red snapper or halibut. try filets first swordfish or tuna steaks can dry out too fast as can the fillets if you cook it too long, its going to dry out and be awful.

grilled or broiled works. lemon pepper is a nice safe seasoning blend as well.

YMMV with farmed vs. wild salmon. I’m the opposite - love the butteriness of farmed salmon, and really do not like the taste of wild (which tastes much more fishy, IMO). Try both!

I don’t have any recommendations for wild salmon, but for farmed, I like the BBQ cut salmon at Trader Joe’s. It’s thawed, with the “fresh” meats and fish. I do a bit of olive oil, a dry rub, and then air fry it at 390 for 10 minutes. I don’t think it comes out fishy tasting. I agree with PP about red snapper and halibut. Lemon is a good pairing with any of them and helps cut the flavor.