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Fast and tasty
Pan-fried cod

Pan-Fried Cod

Juicy cod with a crisp crust — fast and fuss-free! Frying cod in a skillet often trips people up: the pieces fall apart or the fish turns out dry. You can avoid all that by keeping a few things in mind, and you'll end up with genuinely delicious, tender fish!

Julia

Recipe author

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Composition / ingredients

Servings:

Cod (I'm using skinless cod fillet, but it doesn't matter — you can use a whole fish)

400

Olive oil

Butter

Salt

Lemon juice (or to taste)

Translation table of volumetric measures

Nutrients and energy value of the composition of the recipe

By weight of the composition:

Proteins 62 % 16 g

Fats 38 % 10 g

Carbohydrates 0 % 0 g

155 kcal

GI: 0 / 0 / 0

Cooking method

Cooking time: 20 min

Step 1:

How do you pan-fry cod? Gather your ingredients. You can use a ready-made cod fillet or break down a whole fish. If the fish is frozen, take it out ahead of time. Thawing it in the refrigerator is best, so it isn't hit with a sharp change in temperature — that keeps as much of the flavor as possible. You can use any odorless vegetable oil in place of the olive oil.
Step 2:

Frozen fish usually holds extra moisture. Gently press the fillet and pat it dry, or the fish will steam instead of fry. If the fillet is large, cut it into serving pieces. Aim for pieces no more than about an inch (3 cm) thick so the fish cooks through well. Salt each piece on both sides.
Step 3:

A nonstick skillet works best here — the fish won't stick to the bottom and it'll be easier to flip. Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat; it should fully cover the bottom of the pan. For even better flavor, add the butter. Once it melts, stir it into the olive oil with a wooden spatula.
Step 4:

Lay the pieces of fish into the hot oil. Fry the cod over medium heat until a firm, golden crust forms, about 4 to 5 minutes. The exact time depends on the size and thickness of the pieces.
Step 5:

To keep the fish juicy, spoon the oil from the bottom of the pan over it now and then as it fries.
Step 6:

Once the fish has turned opaque halfway up and the underside is golden, gently flip it with a spatula. Don't try to turn the pieces before they've formed a crust, or you'll tear the fillet. Fry the other side for another 4 to 5 minutes, until done. Don't overcook it, or the fish will dry out.
Step 7:

Carefully lift the cod onto a plate and sprinkle with lemon juice. Serve the fish hot with a side of potatoes, grains, or fresh vegetables. Enjoy!

For this recipe, fresh fish works better than frozen — otherwise the finished dish is more likely to come out dry.
Here's an easy way to tell whether the oil is hot enough: dip a wooden spatula into it. If bubbles gather around it, you're ready to start frying.
Use an oil with a high smoke point for frying. Any oil is only good up to a certain temperature — its smoke point — beyond which it starts to burn and forms harmful compounds. Unrefined oils, with rare exceptions, have a low smoke point; they're full of unfiltered particles that scorch quickly. Refined oils stand up to heat better and have a higher smoke point. If you're cooking in the oven, in a skillet, or on the grill, use an oil with a high smoke point. The most common ones are refined sunflower, olive, and grapeseed oils.