Fish Prep 101: Tips & Recipes For Easy Meals From The Sea

Whether you're planning ahead for a holiday meal or just thinking about some weeknight cooking, working with fish is a great choice. It's a lean protein and full of nutrients, but can often be difficult to master the perfect recipe. Fish is easy to overcook, the texture can become odd and seasoning often seems like a guessing game.

That's why today we're sharing a few tips and recipes to help polish your fish game.

First, if you are a fan of reeling in your own catch or buying fresh from the market, the best thing to do is clean each fish and preserve it immediately to lock in the freshness and flavor. A FoodSaver^® GameSaver^® Food Preservation System, like the Wingman™, can prevent freezer burn and keep fish fresh up to 5x longer. Don't forget the seasoning! Cayenne and thyme go nicely with white fish while salmon marries well with brown sugar, crushed red pepper and dried mustard. Once you've seasoned your fish, you can vacuum seal it and toss in the freezer for a future quick and easy meal.

Not a dry rub person? No problem! Marinades are a great choice for fish too. For quick meal prep, use your FoodSaver Vacuum Sealer coupled with the FoodSaver® GameSaver® Quick Marinator that can marinate your filets in under 30 minutes – perfect for meal prep or busy weeknight cooking!

We have another tip from Scott Leysath, the Sporting Chef and leading authority on the proper preparation of fish and game. Scott reminds us of an easily forgotten step – dry your fish. Before cooking, wrap the fish filet in a few sheets of strong two-ply paper towels and pat it down to make sure it's as dry as possible. Dry fish will better absorb the flavors in the skillet when cooking- think white wine, lemon juice and butter.

We couldn't leave you off without a recipe to try out! From FoodSaver® ambassador, Kristy Bernardo of The Wicked Noodle, this recipe for Baked Tilapia (Four Ways!) is the perfect inspiration to try out your newly learned skills. Enjoy a different baked tilapia in foil with asparagus and tomatoes every night this week!

What are you favorite fish recipes? Share with us on social @FoodSaver!

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