Haddock Falling Apart
I coated a haddock filet in flour and then fried it in olive oil. I let it reach 120 degrees Fahrenheit. When I went to flip it it fell apart and broke into sections. What do I need to do to cook a fish so that it binds together? What chemical processes cause this to happen? Why did my fish not bind?
Best Answer
Your fish didn't "bind" because cooking fish actually breaks down the muscle fibres. Some fish have denser flesh that holds up better to frying and grilling. Tuna and swordfish are two common examples. Other fish have a flakier flesh such as haddock and red snapper.
Haddock is a good fish for deep frying. You can also bake it to have it maintain its form. If you wish to fry it you need something thicker than a coating of flour to help it hold together. You can coat it in batter or do a flour/egg wash/corn meal coating. If you really want just a flour coating you should probably start by cutting the fillets in half.
In terms of equipment and technique you should have a wide fish spatula and, with the fish lying lengthwise across the pan, you flip the fish away from you. You can even stabilize it with your fingers as it rolls over.
Alternatively, you could pan fry a fish more suited to the application.
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Quick Answer about "Haddock Falling Apart"
Steaming and microwaving cook fish slowly and gently. As a result, the muscle fibers of the fish stay together instead of falling apart. The technique works well for tender, flaky fish, but you still need to be careful not to overcook the fish -- overcooked fish falls apart no matter how you cook it.Why is my fish falling apart?
How can I pan fry without the fish falling apart? There could be lots of reasons - oil not hot enough, oil too hot, wrong pan, too much handling... You may need to tell us how you are doing it.Does fresh fish fall apart?
They taste great, but the flesh tends to fall apart in a way that doesn't happen with fish from the super market. It's often barely even possible to get them out of the pot without them completely coming apart.Why do fish break while frying?
If you are asking why your fish is falling apart while pan frying, then you're overcooking it or over handling the filets. To successful pan fry a fish filet you should first consider the type of fish before choosing a technique.How do you keep fish from falling apart on the grill?
Brush the Fish with Oil If grilling fish that are in thinner fillets, lightly oil both sides of the fish, and place on aluminum foil, which will act as a buffer between the grill grate and the fish.Falling Apart
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