5 simple and highly effective ways to eliminate the fishy odor of fish

Fish is a nutritious and healthy food source. However, not everyone knows how to cook fish without it being fishy, making the dish more enjoyable. Let’s explore ways to eliminate the fishy odor of sea and river fish in the following article with Kamereo! Fish can often become fishy if not processed correctly.

Fish will often be fishy if not prepared properly

Table of Contents:

Clean the fish properly from the initial processing step
Use salt or rice washing water
Use lemon and vinegar
White wine, have you thought about it?
Spices

Clean the fish properly from the initial processing step

Remove organs, scales, and pay special attention to cleaning blood and cloudy white membrane inside the fish’s belly, as these are the causes of fishy odor affecting the food quality.

For certain fish types, like snakehead, carp, and tuna, check the fish bones. There is a white strip on both sides of the bones that causes the fishy odor. When processing, cut close to the strip to completely remove it, making the fish more aromatic.

For freshwater fish such as catfish, tilapia, basa catfish, and eel, use stove ashes to rub on the fish skin to remove the slimy substance. If there are no stove ashes, you can pour hot water on the fish and then use a knife to scrape it off. This method not only removes the slimy substance but also effectively eliminates the fishy odor.

You need to clean it to remove the fishy smell before cooking

Note: After fish processing, if you do not cook immediately, store it in the refrigerator. However, limit storage time to less than 48 hours to ensure the best taste.

Use salt or rice washing water

In addition to cleaning, you can use salt or rice washing water to effectively eliminate the fishy odor.

Clean the fish as mentioned above.
Soak the fish in diluted saltwater or rice washing water for about 15 minutes. Then, rinse with clean water to remove the fishy odor.

Soak the fish in mixed salt water to remove the fishy smell

Especially for fish with strong fishy odor like carp, catfish, barramundi, tilapia, basa catfish, pangasius, salmon, and white pomfret, you can rub salt on the fish surface. Then, rinse with clean water. This method helps prevent fishiness when cooking.

Use lemon and vinegar

The citric acid in lemon, along with acetic acid in vinegar, can neutralize basic amines in fish, forming ammonia salt and water. This process helps neutralize the basic nature of amines, significantly reducing the fishy odor caused by them. Lemon or vinegar can be used to clean and remove odor from fish processing tools.

You can quickly remove the fishy smell of fish with lemon

To eliminate the fishy odor with lemon or vinegar, follow these steps:

Remove scales, gills, intestines, organs, and black membranes from the fish belly.
Cut the fish into bite-sized pieces.
Dilute lemon juice or vinegar with water in a 1:1 ratio.
Soak the fish in the diluted lemon or vinegar solution for 5-10 minutes.
Rinse the fish with water and cook your favorite dish.

You can choose either lemon or vinegar according to your preference. Lemon has a mild sour taste, while vinegar has a stronger sour taste. Additionally, you can combine lemon and vinegar to effectively eliminate the fishy odor. Note not to soak for too long to avoid losing the fish’s freshness and causing the skin to wrinkle.

White wine, have you thought about it?

After cleaning the fish, you can use diluted white wine to marinate the fish for about 5-7 minutes, then dry it. This is explained by the reaction of white wine with free acids in the fish, forming a fragrant ester. Additionally, when steaming fish dishes, you can add a little white wine to the water for a similar effect.

White wine can remove the fishy smell of fish

For seasoned fish, adding a little white wine is also a good option. It not only removes the fishy odor but also makes the fish tender and more aromatic.

Spices

Finally, you can use spices with distinctive aromas such as pepper, garlic, chili, ginger, and cilantro to cover up and eliminate the fishy odor. This method not only helps prevent fishiness but also adds a delicious flavor to your dish.

Read more:

Above are various methods to eliminate the fishy odor of fish that many people apply. Depending on the type of fish, there may be an optimal method, but you must prepare thoroughly for the cleaning step. Stay tuned to the Foods Tips section for useful information in cooking delicious dishes!

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