How To Cook Trout: A Recipe To Give You The Inspiration & Confidence To Cook That Amazing Meal For Your Special Someone

There are many different types of trout available. Brown, marble, Adriatic, apache, Ohrid, Sevan, and cutthroat trout are just a few types, and many more exist. However, when it comes to cooking, the main thing to note is whether your fish is a sea, river, or rainbow trout, the three main categories trouts. More importantly, you should determine if you want to cook trout whole or fillet. There are probably thousands of unique how-to cook trout recipes available, featuring traditional herbs and spices and various new flavors, and finding one is as simple as an online search. In the next sections, you’ll find insights about cooking trout, including different ways of cooking and some of the best recipes.

Table of Contents

Preparing Trout before Cooking

It is essential to clean and prepare the trout before you start cooking. If your cook your catch, you probably already know how to tell fresh trout. On the other hand, if it is your first time buying one, ensure the fish is still fresh. Here’s how you can tell you are buying fresh whole trout.

The eyes should be clear and bright
The gills should be bright red, although older trout may have darker gills
The trout should be firm to touch and have natural slime
It should have a natural fishy smell without being unpleasant

Once you have fresh trout, the next step is to decide whether you want to cook it whole or fillet. Cooking whole will require removing the gut content and a butterfly cut if you intend to stuff the fish. The butterfly cut is simply done along the spine of the trout on both sides. On the other hand, if you choose to fillet, you’ll need to learn how to fillet trout, which should be effortless once you get the hang of how it’s done. Once you are done cutting your trout, rinse clean with warm water to remove all residue and spillage.

Choosing Flavours

Now that you have fresh trout, you should decide on the flavours you want. Rainbow trout are known for their tender flesh and nutty, sweet taste. They mainly dwell in the sea but swim to the rivers to spawn. Other trout dwell in the sea their entire life and tend to have vivid pink flesh. Sea trout are considered the most flavourful and also cost more fresh or at a restaurant. The flavour you choose will depend on which trout breed you have and the cooking style you are going for.

You can pair trout with anything from simple browned butter to lime, oranges, tomatoes, basil, dill, fennel, parsley, chive sauce, garlic, and more. Personal preferences come into play, so you can go with your favourite fish herbs, depending on the dish you are serving and accompaniments. Elite chefs will think about how the different herb and spice combine across the served meal. That said, trout pairs with various herbs and spices, including cloves, thyme, hot chilli pepper, lovage, rosemary, ginger, nutmeg, chiffonnade, raspberries, oregano, and more.

Different Ways to Cook Trout (With Recipes)

As aforesaid, there are two primary ways to cook trout: Whole and Fillet. Below is an overview of both methods and a recipe each.

Cooking the Whole Trout

The traditional way to cook the whole trout would be to drench it in olive oil, and wrap it in a foil with some common flavours like lemon juice, garlic, parsley and fresh herbs, then bake it. It is a simple method and works for quick meals. Alternatively, you could go with the grills and barbeque approach. Make sure to slash the trout’s flesh as necessary on both sides to allow for better penetration and even cooking. There are many unique recipes from different regions. Here’s one for whole sea trout.

Ingredients:

Butterfly-cut trout
Olive oil
Lemon
Fresh parsley or dill sprigs
Ground black pepper

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to about 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Next, cut a sheet of aluminium foil and place it on a flat surface. Place your trout on the foil, skin side facing down.
Oil both sides of the trout lightly using olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Make sure the seasoning is on both sides, inside and outside.
Take the parsley or dill sprigs and lemon slices and place them down the middle of the trout. Next, fold up the fish by grabbing the edges and crimping them together to form a packet.
Place the trout packet on a baking sheet and let it bake for at least 10 to 15 minutes. Next, remove it from the oven and open the foil packets. Be careful not to get burned by the hot steam.
The flesh should pull out easily with a fork if well cooked. Splash with some juices and serve while hot with more fresh herbs and lemon slices.

Cooking Trout Fillets

If you choose to fillet your trout, make sure all bones have been removed. Fillets offer more cooking options, including pan-frying, en papillote, steaming, grilling, poaching, etc., and each provides a unique flavour. For instance, steaming helps retain the trout’s flavour and moisture, and is the choice method for most East Asian dishes, often served with vegetables and herbs. You can also marinade the fillets with your chosen flavours and go for the ceviche. Below is a simple recipe for cooking rainbow trout fillets.

Ingredients:

Rainbow trout butterfly fillet
Coriander
Garlic powder or paste
Sweet paprika
Flour
Extra virgin olive oil
Lemon juice

Instructions:

Pat the fillets dry using a paper towel, then add salt and paper for seasoning. Next, sprinkle a spice mix that features coriander, paprika, and garlic. Do this for both sides.
Dredge the spiced fillets in flour on both sides and shake well to remove the extra flower, which can burn your pan.
Add four tablespoons of the olive oil into a pan and heat over medium-high heat. Let the oil come to appropriate heat, which you can tell by wave-like ripples. If in doubt, throw a little flour and wait for it to start bubbling. Ensure the oil isn’t burning when you start searing.
Set the fillet on the pan gently, starting with the skin side, and let it sear for three minutes. Next, flip it gently to the flesh side and sear for another three minutes.
Remove the fillets from the pan and place them in a baking sheet lined with paper towels. After the towels absorb extra oil from the fish, splash some fresh lemon juice and serve while hot.

Summary

Trout is a delicious fish and comes with natural sweetness, so you don’t always need pairings. Good old butter may be all you need to release the flavours. However, there are many how to cook trout recipes available from different regions and cuisines. You can find thousands of trout recipes, books and videos using a wide variety of spices, herbs, flavours and pairings. There’s no single best recipe, and you can always work with what you have. Whichever method you prefer, make sure you are working with fresh trout. It should also cook properly to unlock the natural sweetness. Once you know how each breed or type tastes, it will be easier to find the best flavours.

Sources

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/235851/how-to-cook-trout/

https://www.greatbritishchefs.com/how-to-cook/how-to-cook-trout