What is the best way to cook a bluefish? I have been told they are very oily and have a strong fishy taste.

 We will not regale you with the story of our first bluefish, which involved a cleaver and several big knives, multiple cutting boards, quite a bit of blood, several inept adults — and all this after the fish was already dead! Suffice it to say, we were not very experienced at filleting fish at that time in our lives.

Bluefish are fairly oily, and because of this, are good candidates for grilling. They can be marinated or sprinkled with chopped herbs such as marjoram, thyme, or rosemary. Turn them carefully on the grill or use a grill basket, or they will tear. Smaller bluefish, sometimes called blue snappers, and fillets can also be panfried.

Bluefish do have a strong taste, an "acquired taste," some would say. But you can take steps to tone down that fishiness. The first, if you catch it yourself or get to it soon thereafter, is to bleed it quickly by making a cut above the tail or behind the gills, and gut it quickly. The second step, a recommendation by James Peterson, author of Fish & Shellfish, is to brine the fillets.

To brine 2 pounds of bluefish fillets, prepare a solution of 1 cup of kosher salt, 2 cups of water, 2 bay leaves, and a dozen fresh thyme or marjoram sprigs in a saucepan. Simmer for 5 minutes until the salt dissolves. Let it cool to room temperature, then stir in a quart of cold water and a dozen ice cubes. After the ice cubes melt, pour the solution over the fish in a nonreactive container (glass, stainless steel, or porcelain), and refrigerate it for an hour. Pat the fillets dry before cooking.

Peterson says not only will this give the bluefish a milder taste. it will improve the texture, as well.

Submit your question
to Ochef