The strong fishy smell is one of the hardest things for home cooks to deal with when they are making fish. A lot of people use vinegar, lemon juice, or even booze to get rid of the smell, but these things can change the fish’s natural flavour. Take off the thin white muscle that runs along the fish’s back. This simple trick can make a big difference.
The smell of fish comes from this muscle, and cutting it out can greatly reduce the smell without changing the taste or texture of the fish. But why does this tendon smell so bad? The answer is in the way fish are chemically made.
Trimethylamine oxide (TMAO), which is found in fish, turns into trimethylamine (TMA) after the fish is caught. The characteristic fishy smell comes from TMA. Rinsing the fish with vinegar or letting it soak in alcohol can help get rid of TMA, but they may leave behind their own tastes. Taking out the white muscle, on the other hand, goes straight to the smell’s source.
Start by cutting a small hole just behind the fish’s head to remove the muscle. After that, find the tendon and use your fingers, tweezers, or a small pair of pliers to gently pull it out. Be careful not to break the muscle, because that could make it harder to take off.
Taking this easy step can really change how your fish meals taste and smell. By cutting out the tendon, you get rid of the smell’s source instead of covering it up with acidic or alcoholic substances. This means that every bite will taste better and fresher.
There are a few other things you can do besides taking off the muscle to make sure your fish is as fresh and smell-free as possible. Pick out fresh fish from a reputable seller, wash it well, and pat it dry before cooking. You can also soak the fish in water with a little salt to get rid of the smell even more.
When you use these tips along with the trick for removing muscle, you can cook fish that is fresh, tasty, and doesn’t have strong smells. No matter if you’re pan-searing fillets, cooking whole fish, or making a fish stew, this method works well every time.
Taking off the white muscle is an easy step that anyone can do with some time and care. This is a powerful tip that can greatly improve the taste and smell of your fish meals. So the next time you’re cooking fish, find the muscle and pull it out. You’ll enjoy the food more.
