Pro-tip: How to Enhance Fish Flavor and Texture

Try this simple technique to make your favorite fish dish infinitely better. In just 45 minutes and two ingredients, you can enhance the flavor and firm up the texture of any fish. It works weather you plan to prepare the fish raw or cooked – you got to try this!

The Dry Brine Technique

Professional chefs often use dry brining when prepping meat, but it also works for all kinds of fish! This secret brine concoction is just salt + sugar. That's it! the ratio should be 2:1 salt to sugar; double the salt per sugar. For example, add 1/2 cup salt to every 1/4 cup sugar. Mix together well.

Keep in mind that we are not "curing" the fish. Which is another yummy technique, but not our goal today. Curing is a process of fermentation, pickling, smoking, or some combination of these before something is eaten and can include adding salt and sugar. Today, we are brining.

Method

1. Prep your fish. It's best to remove any skin (if there is any). If you have large fillets, cut them into half pound portions first to allow a more even coating.
   
   
2. Coat the fish completely with the salt/sugar mixture, then place in a pan and rest for 45 mins in the refrigerator.
   
   
3. Remove fish and gently rinse the salt/sugar mixture off with cold water. Then pat the fish dry with paper towels. This step is important as soggy fish will not cook properly. 

Now your fish is ready for your culinary magic! Enjoy!