How can I cook cod without lemons?
I have cod and every recipe that I can find says to use lemon juice, but I personally hate lemons. What can I cook the cod with, other than lemons? I don't want it to be dry and I want to bake the cod.
Best Answer
Lemon is used as a flavoring, not as a cooking liquid, it's not going to keep the fish moist. The secret of having moist fish is the same as having moist beef, chicken or any meat or poultry: don't overcook it. Cooking releases moisture from the flesh, so cooking it well is all about timing - getting it cooked enough to have the internal temperature and consistency you want and no more as every extra second means more moisture lost. Fish is especially sensitive to timing, but with a bit of practice anyone can cook fish well.
Fish, meat or poultry will have a juicy mouth feel when there is enough moisture stored in the flesh after cooking. Overcooked fish in a pool of sauce will still have a dry mouth feel, whereas perfectly cooked fish with no sauce at all will have a moist mouth feel.
As for what to cook cod with as a replacement for lemon the answer is nothing. Fish has enough moisture to begin with, and when baking you don't need to assist heat transfer. Lemon is simply a flavoring, so replace it with flavoring you like. This could be browned butter (or just a bit of butter) if you want richness, or herbs if you like, or you could just season it with salt and pepper.
If you want to get more fancy you could seal it up in parchment paper or foil (oil the foil so it doesn't stick) with a tiny bit of water or butter and some herbs and bake it that way, it seals in the moisture and creates a sauce - delicious!
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What do you put in cod when cooking?
Arrange the cod fillets in baking tray. Drizzle the olive oil onto the fish, follow by lemon juice, salt and cayenne pepper. Bake the cod in the oven for 10 - 12 minutes, depends on the thickness of the cod. Garnish with parsley and serve immediately.What can I put on my cod?
Olive Oil: Helps bake the cod filets and gives extra flavor plus a crispy outside. Garlic Cloves: Garlic adds in more flavor to the cod. Cajun Seasoning: A little spicy seasoning that gives the cod a rich, strong flavor.What tastes good with cod?
Best Side Dishes for Cod Fish: 12 Classic PairingsHow to Perfectly Cook Cod 3 Different Ways
More answers regarding how can I cook cod without lemons?
Answer 2
You could bake it in an orange sauce with orange juice, thyme and orange zest
- 1?2 cup fresh orange juice
- 1?2 tablespoon dried thyme or 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
- chopped 1?2 tablespoon orange zest
Answer 3
There's certainly no requirement to use lemons if you don't care for them or simply don't have any. Here's a batch of cod that I just baked tonight:
Placed on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, drizzled with some olive oil and seasoned with salt, pepper, garlic powder and Old Bay seasoning — but use what ever appeals to you.
Bake in a moderate oven (385F) for about ten minutes, until the thickest part of the fish flakes apart easily like you can see in the picture. Don't overcook the cod and it won't get dried out.
Baking on parchment paper also makes cleanup very easy!
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Sarah Chai, Klaus Nielsen, Klaus Nielsen, Karolina Grabowska