Many people love to cook fish. It is healthy and tasty. But often, the fish sticks to the frypan. This makes it hard to flip or serve. The fish breaks and looks bad. Do not worry. This happens to everyone. Here, we explain why it happens and how to stop it.
Why Does Fish Stick?
Fish sticks because of two main things: water and heat.
First, fish has a lot of water. When you put wet fish in the pan, it steams instead of frying. The water makes the fish touch the metal too much. Then, the proteins in the fish stick to the pan.
Second, the pan is not hot enough. If the pan is cold or just warm, the proteins change shape and bond to the metal. This makes the fish stick hard.
Other reasons:
- Not enough oil.
- Moving the fish too soon.
- Using the wrong pan or old pan.
Easy Tips to Stop Fish from Sticking
Follow these steps. They are simple and work well.
- Dry the Fish Well Take the fish out of the water or fridge. Use paper towels to pat it dry. Remove all water from both sides. Dry fish cooks better and does not stick.
- Heat the Pan First Put the frypan on medium-high heat. Let it get hot for 2-3 minutes. Test it by dropping a little water. If the water jumps and dances, the pan is ready. Hot pan helps the fish make a crust fast. Then it releases easily.
- Add Oil the Right Way After the pan is hot, add oil. Use oil with high smoke point like vegetable oil, canola oil, or olive oil. Add enough oil to cover the bottom. Do not use too little. Butter is not good alone because it burns fast.
- Do Not Move the Fish Too Soon Put the fish in the pan. Let it cook without touching. Wait 2-4 minutes. The fish will form a golden crust. Then it will come off the pan easily. If you flip too early, it sticks and tears.
- Use the Right Pan Non-stick pans are easy for beginners. But for crispy skin, use stainless steel or cast iron. They give better taste. Clean the pan well before use.
- Extra Tricks
- Dust the fish lightly with flour. This makes a thin layer.
- Add a little salt to the fish. Salt helps pull out water.
- For skin-on fish, cook skin side first. Press gently with a spatula.
Final Words
Fish sticks because of water and low heat. Dry the fish. Heat the pan. Use oil. Wait for the crust. These steps make cooking fish easy and fun. Try them next time. You will get perfect fish every time.
Enjoy your meal!
By day, I’m a Doctor of Clinical Psychology student (Psy.D.) at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine – basically learning how the brain works while drinking way too much coffee.
By night (and weekends, and lunch breaks…), I’m a total kitchen geek. I’m that person who gets excited over a new spatula, owns three different vegetable choppers “for science,” and has strong feelings about which nonstick pan actually stays nonstick.