Though it can seem somewhat intimidating, cooking a whole fish is actually one of the easiest ways to enjoy seafood – even easier than my favourite method for cooking a fish fillet in foil or even my Mediterranean-style fish!
Evenly seasoned with a quick soak in a brine and then filled with lemon and herbs, this fish is then cooked in a foil packet – which contains the moisture.
Requiring only about 5 minutes of active prep time, this is one of the easiest meals you could make – and it’s so impressive-looking that you may feel like a fancy chef when serving it!
How to Bake a Sea Bass in Foil
Before you begin, let’s briefly discuss how to select your fish! For optimal freshness, look for a fish with clear eyes and that smells sweet and briny – there should not be a pungent fishy smell at all!
I developed this recipe using a barramundi – also referred to as Asian sea bass – which is widely available here in Australia. Elsewhere, this is best made with sea bass, branzino, bream or snapper.
That being said, now let’s get to the recipe! The first step is to make a quick brine for the fish – this really ensures that it’s thoroughly seasoned throughout – rather than just the skin.
Dissolve some salt in a large bowl of water and place the fish inside. Allow it to soak for about 10 minutes – no need for any longer – it will be nice and seasoned with just a short soak.
You can take this time to slice up a lemon and get the herbs together – I like using a mixture of parsley, thyme and oregano, but go ahead and use whatever you’d like!
Once your fish has finished soaking, make sure to thoroughly dry it off with some paper towels and then rub the skin with some olive oil. Set the fish on a large piece of aluminium foil.
Now, all you need to do is stuff the cavity of the fish with the herbs and lemon slices. Drizzle with a bit more olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Tightly crimp the foil around the fish and transfer it to a rimmed baking tray.
Move the fish to a 200°C/400°F oven and cook until the internal temperature registers at 55°C/130°F when an instant-read thermometer is inserted into the thickest part of the fish – you can test it through the foil so as not to uncrimp it right away! This will take roughly 25 minutes.
I highly recommend using an instant-read thermometer to gauge doneness rather than relying on time alone for the best results.
Once the fish is done, remove it from the oven and allow it to rest for about 10 minutes before uncrimping and serving!
If you’re after a great side dish to go alongside this lovely whole sea bass, consider making a fresh shopska salad, whipping up some Croatian blitva or sauteeing some kale and chard.
Whole Sea Bass Baked in Foil
Equipment
Ingredients
- 30 g (5 tsp) salt
- 1 whole sea bass about 1kg or 2lbs
- 2 tbsp olive oil divided
- 1 lemon cut into slices
- 2-3 sprigs flat-leaf parsley
- 2-3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2-3 sprigs fresh oregano
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200°C/400°F. Add the salt to a large mixing bowl along with 1 litre (4 cups) of water. Stir to dissolve the salt and then add the fish. Allow the fish to soak in the water for 10 minutes.
- Thoroughly dry the fish and discard the water. Rub the skin with 1 tbsp of olive oil and place on a large piece of aluminium foil. Place the lemon slices and herbs into the cavity of the fish. Drizzle the fish with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Crimp the foil tightly around the fish and move to a rimmed baking tray.
- Move to the oven and cook until the fish registers at 55°C/130°F when an instant-read thermometer is inserted into the thickest part of the flesh – about 25 minutes (see notes). Allow the fish to rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Disclaimer: Nutritional information is automatically generated and provided as guidance only. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
Cooking a whole fish is so simple but it looks so impressive. With only a few minutes of active prep time, you can enjoy an incredible Mediterranean meal with very little effort!
Are you looking for a great whole fish recipe? Have any questions? Let me know in the comments!
