Steaming Halibut: A Beginner's Guide To Cooking Perfection

Steaming is a great way to cook halibut, a mild-flavoured fish with a firm texture, as it brings out its best qualities. It is also a foolproof method that prevents overcooking, which can easily happen with other high-heat cooking methods. There are several ways to steam halibut, including using a steamer basket, steaming en papillote (in a parchment paper or foil packet), or using a makeshift steaming basket made from aluminium foil balls. The cooking time varies depending on the thickness of the halibut fillet, but it typically ranges from 5 to 12 minutes.

Steaming halibut en papillote

Preparation

Preheat your oven to 400°F. Pick a liquid to use as your main steaming medium—wine, broth, citrus juice, or diced tomatoes are all good options. A bit of fat is also necessary, as halibut is quite lean. If you're not using a fat-rich liquid like coconut milk, add oil or butter. For every 6 ounces of halibut, use 1-2 teaspoons of liquid and 2-3 teaspoons of fat.

Ingredients

Halibut is a delicate protein, so veggies and fruit are ideal accompaniments. Choose ingredients that can be steamed to your liking in a relatively short period of time. Something like bok choy or diced mangos can be cooked as they are, while cabbage or zucchini should be shredded or thinly sliced so that they're tender by the time the halibut is cooked through. Add aromatics like herbs or anything in the allium family.

Cooking

Eyeball how much parchment or foil you'll need to create an envelope or packet with some wiggle room for steam to circulate. Place a fillet or two in the centre, top with your wet and dry ingredients, then seal the packet as tightly as you can. Transfer the packet to a baking sheet and put it in the oven.

Serving

Halibut fillets will need about 10 to 12 minutes to steam, depending on their thickness. They're done when they flake easily with a fork and are opaque throughout, or when they register at 130°F with an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part of the fillet. Serve the packets immediately, opening them carefully, or transfer to individual dishes. Take care when opening, as they'll release a hot puff of steam.

Cantonese-style steamed halibut

Ingredients:

• 1 garlic clove, finely minced
• 1 tsp. fresh ginger, finely minced
• 1 ½ lbs. fresh halibut, cut into fillets
• ¼ cup matchstick carrots
• ½ red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
• ½ yellow bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
• ¼ cup green onions, thinly sliced
• 10-15 cilantro leaves
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 2 tbsp. light soy sauce
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. sugar
• 2 tbsp. hot water

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 400°F.
• In a bowl, add the soy sauce, garlic, and ginger. Whisk until combined. Set aside.
• Place the halibut fillets on a piece of parchment paper and season with salt and pepper.
• Fold over the parchment paper to cover the fillets and make several folds to enclose them.
• Place the parchment packets on a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes or until steamed.
• While the halibut is cooking, prepare the sauce. Add the carrots, bell peppers, and green onions to the sauce and cook on low heat for 3-4 minutes. Set aside.
• Once the halibut is done, remove the fillets from the parchment paper and place them on a plate.
• Serve with the vegetables and soy sauce on top. Garnish with cilantro leaves.

Tips:

• Check the halibut for doneness after 15 minutes of steaming. You don't want to overcook it!
• If you don't have parchment paper, you can use aluminum foil to create the packets.
• Feel free to add other vegetables of your choice to the sauce, such as bok choy or zucchini.
• For an extra kick of flavor, you can drizzle the halibut with a mixture of soy sauce, sesame oil, and scallions before serving.

Hong Kong-style steamed halibut

Ingredients:

• 4 6oz halibut fillets
• 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
• Honey-roasted peanuts
• Fresno chillies
• Green onion
• Grated ginger
• Spinach
• Sesame oil
• Olive oil
• Salt

Method:

First, combine the soy sauce, sherry, and sugar in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Cover and keep warm.

Next, dice the peanuts, Fresno chillies, green onion, and honey-roasted peanuts.

Then, bring water to a boil in a pot. Place the halibut fillets on a steaming rack and sprinkle grated ginger over them. Cover and steam for 5-8 minutes.

In a separate pan, heat sesame and olive oil and saute spinach until slightly wilted. Place the spinach in a bowl.

When the fish is opaque and starting to flake, remove it from the steaming rack and place it on the bed of spinach.

Garnish the halibut with Fresno chillies, green onions, and peanuts.

Finally, ladle the soy-sherry broth over the fish and spinach, and serve.

Steaming halibut with ginger

Ingredients:

• 1½ pounds halibut, skin on and no more than an inch at the thickest part of the fish fillet
• 4 tablespoons light soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons Shaoxing rice wine
• 4 scallions, trimmed and julienned into 2-inch lengths (may use green onions or spring onions)
• 3-inch piece fresh ginger root, peeled and julienned
• 6 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more for brushing (may use olive oil instead)
• White pepper, to taste
• 12 sprigs cilantro, roughly chopped

Method:

• Clean the fish and pat dry with paper towels.
• In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce and the Shaoxing rice wine. Add the scallions, ensuring they are submerged, and half the ginger.
• Lightly oil a heat-resistant plate and place the halibut fillets skin-side down. Sprinkle the fish with the white pepper and the rest of the ginger.
• Prepare your steamer pot and bring 2-3 inches of water to a boil.
• Carefully place the plate of fish in the steamer and cover. You can use a bamboo steamer or a stainless steel steamer. Then, steam the halibut for 8 to 10 minutes, depending on how thick your fillet is. Check for doneness by inserting a metal skewer or wooden chopstick at the thickest part; if the fish is punctured without resistance, it’s done.
• Turn off the heat, carefully remove the plate, and drain any liquid. Spread the scallion and ginger mixture across the surface of the fish, then sprinkle the chopped cilantro sprigs over the top of the fish.
• Here’s the fun part. Heat a small pan over medium-high heat. When the small skillet is almost smoking, add 6 tablespoons of the oil and heat until very hot. Pour the oil over the fish and stand back—you should hear it sizzle. Serve hot, right from the sizzling plate. (Use caution.)

Tips:

• Steaming with water vapour in a closed vessel is the best way to produce tender and flaky fish. This dish works well with multiple varieties of white fish, such as sea bass, haddock, cod, salmon, or sole—though cooking times will vary.
• If you don't have a steaming basket, make balls of aluminium foil (about the size of a golf ball) and place them in the bottom of the pot. Place a baking dish on top of the aluminium foil balls, ensuring the water does not touch the baking dish. Cover and voila! You have a steaming basket.

Steaming halibut with ginger and scallions

Ingredients

• 1½ pounds halibut, skin on and no more than an inch at the thickest part of the fish fillet
• 4 tablespoons light soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons Shaoxing rice wine
• 4 scallions, trimmed and julienned into 2-inch lengths (may use green onions or spring onions)
• 3-inch piece fresh ginger root, peeled and julienned
• 6 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more for brushing (may use olive oil instead)
• White pepper, to taste
• 12 sprigs cilantro, roughly chopped

Method

• Clean the fish and pat dry with paper towels.
• In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce and the Shaoxing rice wine. Add the scallions, ensuring they are submerged, and half the ginger.
• Lightly oil a heat-resistant plate and place the halibut fillets skin-side down. Sprinkle the fish with the white pepper and the rest of the ginger.
• Prepare your steamer pot and bring 2-3 inches of water to a boil.
• Carefully place the plate of fish in the steamer and cover. You can use a bamboo steamer or a stainless steel steamer. Then, steam the halibut for 8 to 10 minutes, depending on how thick your fillet is. Check for doneness by inserting a metal skewer or wooden chopstick at the thickest part; if the fish is punctured without resistance, it’s done.
• Turn off the heat, carefully remove the plate, and drain any liquid. Spread the scallion and ginger mixture across the surface of the fish, then sprinkle the chopped cilantro sprigs over the top of the fish.
• Here’s the fun part. Heat a small pan over medium-high heat. When the small skillet is almost smoking, add 6 tablespoons of the oil and heat until very hot. Pour the oil over the fish and stand back—you should hear it sizzle. Serve hot, right from the sizzling plate. (Use caution.)

Frequently asked questions