The Best Grilled Tilapia Recipe (15-minute recipe!) (2024)

FAQs

Do I need to soak tilapia before cooking? ›

To minimize the fishy odor, you may soak the tilapia fillets in salted ice water or rub the fish lightly with lemon or lime juice.

Before cooking, soak the fish in milk for 20 minutes

In this scenario, the protein in the milk binds with the compounds that cause that fishy odor, in essence extracting if from the fish. What's left behind is sweet-smelling, brighter flesh with clean flavor. (Just make sure you pour that milk down the drain.

It is completely unnecessary to rinse any type of protein — fish included — unless you feel it's starting to smell off, in which case rinsing is sort of a last-ditch effort to get one more day out of it.

In a 3-quart bowl, soak fish in milk for 15-20 minutes. The casein protein in milk binds to the trimethylamine in the fish flesh, reducing the “fishy” odor.

If you want to grill fillets, skin-on helps to lessen sticking. Place the fish fillet skin-side down, perpendicular to grates. Then, cover the grill and cook it as directed until the skin is browned and the fish releases easily when lifted with a thin, metal spatula.

Be sure to stick with the general rule of thumb that allows for 8-10 minutes of grill time per inch of fish. Therefore, if your fish is an inch in thickness, grill each side for about three to four minutes.

Online research had recommended letting the fish soak submerged in milk for around 20 minutes, before rinsing and cooking in your preferred fashion.

Don't Thaw Your Frozen Tilapia Fillets

Low water and fat content is a hallmark of tilapia. Because of this quality, tilapia doesn't render out excess moisture as it cooks, which in other, fattier fish, can result in oversaturation and leave your fillets soggy and mushy – not appetizing at all.

Overcooked fish loses its natural moisture, which can result in a dry and chewy texture. The proteins in the fish also begin to tighten, which can make the fish tough and rubbery. In addition, overcooked fish can have a severe lack of flavor, as the heat causes the natural oils in the fish to evaporate.

Tilapia has a mild, slightly sweet flavor, and the white meat has a flaky texture. A unique aspect of tilapia is that its taste fluctuates greatly based on the water quality and feed. A key aspect of tilapia is that it doesn't have much of a fishy taste.

Should I rinse frozen tilapia before cooking? ›

Give your frozen fish a quick rinse and thorough drying

This will remove the thin layer of ice crystals on the outside of the filet that would otherwise prevent the outside from browning. Once you rinse them, make sure to thoroughly dry them with a paper towel to remove any excess moisture.

Lisa Featherby, Gourmet Traveller food editor, writes: Soaking fish in brine or water before cooking to remove any muddy taste is not necessary.

Don't let your fish soak in water for long, even if it's ice-cold water. This will soften the flesh and eventually you'll have a mushy fillet.

Brining fish with salt before cooking is a helpful, but not crucial, step. The brine mixture adds flavor and firmness to the fish as it extracts excess moisture from the flesh which can make it stick to the pan during cooking. Lean white fish like cod and rockfish benefit greatly from a quick, dry brine.

Soaking fish in a 6 percent salt brine before frying it firms the fish, causing it to hold up better in the fryer. The salt in the brine enhances the flavor and keeps the meat from drying out.