Steaming Fish: Metal Basket Cooking Techniques

Steaming is a great way to cook fish, and it can be done in a metal steamer basket. This technique is simple, low-risk, and highlights the delicate flavour of the fish. It is also a good option for those who are new to cooking fish, as it is a gentle and forgiving method that does not require a lot of equipment. The fish is placed on a plate or rack above a pot of boiling water, with a lid to trap the steam. This can be done in a bamboo steamer or a metal steamer basket, and the fish can be whole or in fillets. The key is to ensure that the fish is not too thick, as this will affect the cooking time and the outside may overcook before the inside is done. Steaming is particularly suitable for white fish such as cod, sea bass, and snapper, but it can be used for most types of fish. The cooking time will depend on the size and thickness of the fish, but it is usually around 8-10 minutes for fillets and a few minutes longer for a whole fish.

How to prepare the fish for steaming

How to Prepare Fish for Steaming

Steaming is a great way to cook fish, as it's a simple, low-risk, and high-reward preparation method. It's also a good way to avoid the fishy smell spreading throughout your kitchen!

• Choose your fish: You can opt for a whole fish or fish fillets. Whole fish offers a dramatic presentation and lets you eat the cheeks, the most tender part. Good options for whole fish include porgy, trout, black bass, Boston mackerel, red snapper, rock fish, flounder, or striped bass. For fillets, you can choose from cod, halibut, salmon, or sole.
• Marinade: While this step is optional, marinating the fish can add a lot of flavour. Prepare a marinade with soy sauce, chilli paste, sweet wine or sherry, rice vinegar, herbs (Thai basil, dill, cilantro), crushed chilli, honey, sliced or grated ginger, garlic, and a bit of lemon or orange juice. Marinate the fish for around 30 minutes, but be careful to keep the acid levels low and the marination time under an hour to avoid "cooking" the fish ceviche-style. If you're using a whole fish, make 1/4-inch deep slits on both sides to help the marinade penetrate.
• Aromatics: If you don't have time to marinate, you can still add flavour by sprinkling the fish with salt and sugar, letting it sit for 10 minutes, and then plunging it into ice water before steaming. You can also stuff the belly cavity of a whole fish with aromatics like sliced onion, citrus circles, rehydrated dried mushrooms, crushed lemongrass, chopped scallions, cilantro stems, ginger, garlic, or chilli.
• Prepare the steamer: You can use a bamboo steamer, a steel insert, or even hack a steamer with a heat-proof plate and aluminium foil. Put at least 1 inch of water in the bottom, making sure the water doesn't touch the steamer. Place the fish on a plate inside the steamer, ensuring it's elevated above the water level.
• Timing: Smaller fillets will take around 4 to 8 minutes to cook, while a larger steak might take 10 to 12 minutes. The fish is ready when it's opaque and flakes easily.
• Aromatic cooking liquid: You can add extra flavour to your fish by tossing ingredients like roughly chopped ginger, crushed lemongrass, crushed peppercorns, star anise, or lemon peel into the cooking liquid. Alternatively, you can change the cooking liquid entirely and steam the fish over a mixture of sake, chicken broth, and soy sauce.
• Sauces and salads: Finish your steamed fish with a sauce or a simple herb salad. For a Chinese-style sauce, sizzle scallions, ginger, or garlic in hot oil and pour it over the fish, along with soy sauce. For fillets, a simpler option is to dress them with olive oil, flaky salt, and a squeeze of lemon juice.

Remember, even if you overcook the fish a little, steaming will ensure it stays moist and tender!

What type of fish to use

When it comes to choosing the type of fish to cook in your metal steamer basket, there are a few factors to consider. Firstly, you need to decide whether you want to cook a whole fish or fish fillets. A whole fish offers a more dramatic presentation and allows you to eat the cheeks, which are considered the most tender part. Common types of fish that are suitable for steaming whole include porgy, trout, black bass, Boston mackerel, red snapper, rock fish, flounder, or striped bass. If you opt for fish fillets, you can choose from a variety of fish such as cod, halibut, salmon, sole, basa, branzino, or flounder. It is recommended to avoid seafood that is prone to toughening up, like swordfish or tuna.

Once you've made your choice between whole fish and fillets, you can start building flavour. This can be done through marination or by adding aromatics. If you have the time, marinate your fish in a combination of soy sauce, chilli paste, sweet wine or sherry, rice vinegar, herbs, crushed chilli, honey, sliced or grated ginger, garlic, and a touch of lemon or orange juice. Remember to keep the acid levels low and the marination time under an hour to avoid "cooking" the fish ceviche-style. If you're short on time, you can simply season your fish with salt and perhaps some sugar, let it sit for 10 minutes, then plunge it into ice water before steaming.

When it comes to aromatics, you can add ingredients like sliced onion, citrus circles, rehydrated dried mushrooms, crushed lemongrass, chopped scallions, cilantro stems, ginger, garlic, or chilli. These ingredients can be tucked into the belly cavity of a whole fish or simply placed on top of fish fillets before steaming. Additionally, you can boost the flavour of your cooking liquid by adding ingredients like ginger, crushed lemongrass, black or Szechuan peppercorns, star anise, or lemon peel.

How to steam the fish

How to Steam Fish

Steaming is a great way to cook fish, as it's a simple, low-risk, and high-reward preparation method. It's also a good option if you're a beginner, as it's easy to execute without a lot of equipment. Plus, steaming doesn't stink up your kitchen!

Here's a step-by-step guide on how to steam fish:

• Choose your fish: You can use a whole fish or fish fillets. If you opt for a whole fish, go for something small (around 1.5 to 2 pounds). Porgy, trout, black bass, Boston mackerel, red snapper, rockfish, flounder, or striped bass are all good options. For fillets, you can use cod, halibut, salmon, or sole. Just make sure to avoid seafood that's prone to toughening up, like swordfish or tuna.
• Build flavor: Marinate your fish in an assertive, salty mixture for around 30 minutes. You can use a combination of soy sauce, chili paste, sweet wine or sherry, rice vinegar, herbs (such as Thai basil, dill, or cilantro), crushed chile, a touch of honey, sliced or grated ginger, garlic, and a little lemon or orange juice. If you're in a rush, you can skip this step, but be sure to season your fish with salt first.
• Prepare your steamer: You can use a steam oven, a stovetop setup (such as a bamboo steaming basket or a steel insert), or even hack a steamer with a heat-proof plate or cooling rack and some aluminium foil. Just make sure that your setup has a lid to keep the steam from escaping. Fill the bottom of your steamer with at least an inch of water and bring it to a boil.
• Add the fish: Place the fish on a plate and put it in the steamer, making sure that the plate is elevated above the water. If you're using a whole fish, make 1/4-inch deep slits on both sides of its body to allow the steam to penetrate. You can also add aromatics to the belly cavity, such as sliced onion, citrus circles, rehydrated dried mushrooms, crushed lemongrass, chopped scallions, cilantro stems, ginger, garlic, or chile.
• Steam the fish: Depending on the size and thickness of your fish, steaming should take around 8 to 12 minutes. Smaller fillets will take 4 to 8 minutes, while a larger steak might take 10 to 12 minutes. The fish is done when it's opaque and flakes easily.
• Add aromatics: If you're using a traditional, over-the-water steaming technique, you can boost the flavour of your cooking liquid by adding ingredients like chopped ginger, crushed lemongrass, crushed black or Szechuan peppercorns, star anise, or lemon peel. You can even change up the cooking liquid itself—for example, steam the fish over a mixture of sake, chicken broth, and soy sauce.
• Finish with a sauce or salad: For a Chinese-influenced recipe, drizzle the whole steamed fish with hot oil that's sizzling with scallions, ginger, or garlic, and top with herbs and soy sauce. For fillets, you can keep it simple by dressing each one with olive oil, flaky salt, and a squeeze of lemon juice.

And that's it! You've now mastered the art of steaming fish. Enjoy your delicious and healthy meal!

How to tell when the fish is cooked

There are several ways to tell when your fish is cooked. Firstly, you can use a fork to prod the fish gently. If it flakes easily, it is done. If it flakes apart as soon as you touch it, it is overdone. If you cannot flake the fish at all, it needs to be cooked longer. You can also check if the fish has turned opaque, which indicates that it is cooked. This is because the proteins in the flesh coagulate and firm up as it cooks. If you want to be absolutely certain, you can use a thermometer to check the internal temperature of the fish. The ideal temperature depends on your personal circumstances. For example, if you are immunocompromised or pregnant, or if the fish is not very fresh, you should aim for an internal temperature of 145°F/63°C. If none of these apply, your fish is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 130-135°F/54-57°C.

What to serve the fish with

There are many different options for what to serve with fish, depending on your taste preferences and dietary requirements. Here are some suggestions:

Starchy Sides

• Rice, including coconut rice, lemon rice, cilantro rice, or rice cooked in chicken broth with turmeric and black pepper
• Noodles, such as egg noodles with a simple butter-based sauce, or spaghetti cacio e pepe
• Potatoes, including roasted baby potatoes, boiled baby potatoes with parsley and butter, mashed potatoes, roasted red new potatoes, or potatoes au gratin
• Bread, such as crusty bread with mushrooms and white wine, or pita bread
• Polenta with parmesan and garlic
• Couscous, such as fluffy couscous tossed with toasted chopped walnuts, or couscous with roasted baby tomatoes
• Quinoa, such as quinoa with toasted slivered almonds, or quinoa and black beans
• Pasta, such as orzo, orzo salad, or penne
• Chips with tartare sauce

Vegetable Sides

• Asparagus, either roasted or steamed, or asparagus cashew rice pilaf
• Broccoli, either roasted, steamed, or with garlic butter and cashews
• Green beans, either steamed or with an Asian-style sauce
• Spinach, either steamed or creamed
• Kale, either steamed or in a salad
• Bok choi, either steamed or roasted
• Snow peas
• Mustard greens
• Cabbage, either steamed or roasted
• Zucchini fritters
• Slaw
• Mushrooms, either steamed or sautéed
• Brussels sprouts, roasted
• Leeks, braised
• Corn, either steamed or in a salad
• Salad, such as a simple green salad, a simple herb salad, or a caper and olive salad
• Scallions, either steamed or cut lengthwise and added to the fish while cooking
• Cilantro
• Parsley
• Chives
• Collard greens
• Mustard greens
• Peas
• Carrots
• Chickpeas
• Cauliflower, either roasted garlic cauliflower or lemon herb cauliflower
• Beans, either black beans or pinto beans
• Tortellini, in a broccoli and tortellini salad
• Hush puppies
• Eggplant, in a broiled eggplant salad
• Olives
• Pickles
• Capers
• Tomatoes, either fresh or roasted
• Onions, either sliced or diced
• Garlic
• Lemongrass
• Scallions
• Ginger
• Citrus fruits, such as lemon or orange
• Chilli
• Honey
• Soy sauce
• Sweet wine or sherry
• Rice vinegar
• Herbs, such as Thai basil or dill
• Lemon or orange juice

Sauces and Dressings

• Olive oil, either plain or infused with truffle
• Lemon juice
• Soy sauce
• Hot oil with scallions, ginger, garlic, sesame seeds, fried panko, citrus juice, or red pepper flakes
• Butter, either plain or mounted
• Hoisin sauce
• Rice vinegar
• Honey
• Ginger-soy sauce
• Sweet and sour sauce
• Salsa
• Pesto
• Anchovy dressing
• Vinaigrette
• Gravy
• Cream

Other

• Hush puppies
• Cashews
• Bacon
• Grapes
• Peanuts
• Walnuts
• Sesame seeds
• Panko
• Fried panko
• Olives
• Capers

Frequently asked questions