Baking: To keep moist, brush with seasoned melted fat, sauce or topping. Bake at 350 until fish flakes easily with a fork and is still moist.

Broiling: Fish should be at least 1 inch thick ; place fish 3-4 inches from heat and broil until fish flakes easily. Baste often with melted fat, oil or basting sauce to keep moist.

Charcoal Grilling: Fish should be at leas 1 inch thick; place about 4 inches from moderately hot coals. Baste often to keep moist. Fish should flake easily when done.

Frying: Fry with oil at about 350 F. Best for fillets no more than 5/8" thick, or small whole fish. Dip fish in flour, fry until brown (one to three minutes per side). Remove and serve hot.

Planking: Oil plank or board carefully and heat slowly in oven. Arrange fish on warmed plank, brush with fat and bake in 350 oven until fish flakes easily.

Poaching: Place a single layer of fish in a shallow pan such as a frying pan. Barely cover fish with liquid; lightly salted water or milk. Bring liquid to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until fish flakes easily; about 5-10 minutes.

Steaming: Use a deep pot with a wire rack that will hold fish above 2 inches of liquid (can be seasoned). Bring water to a rapid boil, place fish on rack. Cover pot tightly and steam until it flakes easily; 5-10 minutes.

1. Allow 3 minutes cooking time on high for every pound of seafood.
2. Check for doneness. Since seconds make a difference if microwave cooking, it is important to check cooking progress before the end of the designated time.
3. Since seafood cooks much faster than other meals, you should prepare the seafood item last in your meal preparation.
4. To tell if the fish is done, test with fork; if it flakes off easily, then fish is done.
5. In preparing seafood in dishes, cover with plastic wrap, leaving one corner turned back to allow steam to escape. Recipes requiring a bread or crumb coating should be cooked uncovered or lightly covered with paper towels to prevent sogginess and spattering.
6. Rotate the dish during cooking process to ensure even heat distribution.
7. Seafood can be baked, broiled, poached or steamed in the microwave, but frying should be discouraged.

Basic Poaching

Oven Poaching: Place fish in baking dish. Boil poaching liquid and pour over fish, using just enough to cover fish.

Stovetop Poaching: Bring poaching liquid to a boil. Gently place fish in liquid. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until done. Do not allow liquid to return to boil while cooking fish.

NOTE: Poached fish falls apart easily, so handle it carefully after cooking. For poaching whole fish, wrap in damp cheesecloth before cooking for ease in handling. Poaching liquids can be reused several times, if desired. Or they can be used to make sauces to serve over poached fish.

Saute: Dust thawed seafood with seasoned flour. Heat small amount of oil or fat in skillet. Add seafood. Brown lightly over low heat. Turn and lightly brown the other side.

Boil: Place enough liquid to cover seafood in a deep pan. Milk, plain or seasoned water, or wine are several liquids that can be used. Bring liquid to boil. Add fish, then reduce heat and simmer. Allow 10 minutes if cooking time per inch of thickness.