If you briefly marinate that fillet in lemon or lime juice before cooking it, it becomes much more flavorful without tasting acidic. And if you add a little salt to the marinade, the fish will be quickly and deeply seasoned, as well.
Before frying, you can soak your fish in a buttermilk marinade or an ice water marinade. The buttermilk will make your fish tender and add a tangy taste to it. While the ice water marinade is a great way to add flavor to large fish fries. You will have to over season the water to get maximum flavor.
Marinate the fish in the lemon juice for at least 30 minutes and up to 6 hours, in a covered bowl. Place the bowl in the refrigerator at 40 degrees F, or lower.
As fish is more delicate than chicken or beef, avoid leaving strong citrus-based marinades on fish for more than 10 to 15 minutes or you will end up with ceviche. The acid in ingredients such as lemons or limes will “cook” the fish if given the time. Season the fish with salt and pepper just before adding the marinade.
The simplest fix is to reach for acid. At the very least, a cooked fish fillet will always benefit from a spritz of lemon or lime. If you briefly marinate that fillet in lemon or lime juice before cooking it, it becomes much more flavorful without tasting acidic.
Since the acid will not cause the evaporation of any moisture, the fish won't be as prone to drying out. That said, it is possible to 'overcook' ceviche! If the proteins remain in the acid for too long, or if the acid is very acidic, the proteins will curdle and unfold too much.
The acid in the lemon juice denatures the protein in the fish. You can see a visible difference if you've ever put lemon juice on raw fish: the fish turns opaque and firmer. A more common way to denature proteins is to use heat.
Also, you can marinate the fish in a mixture of lemon juice, vinegar, and water for 30 minutes. This will help to neutralize the fishy taste. Cooking the fish using a cooking method that will not allow the fishy flavor to become pronounced, such as grilling, baking, or steaming can help as well.
Raw Fish Cooked In Lemon Juice
Fish can be roasted or grilled in a lemon or herb mixture for a delicious flavor. Marinades containing citrus should not be used on fish for an extended period of time because too much of the citrus can make the fish too dry.
Albumin is a liquid protein that solidifies when the fish is cooked, seeping out as the muscle fibers contract under heat, becoming thick and a bright white.
At its core, ceviche is basically fresh seafood steeped in an acidic marinade, most commonly lime or lemon juice. The acid in the citrus forms an extremely low pH condition to denature the fish protein networks, much the same as heating would. This results in the seafood becoming opaque and more firm in texture.
As the pieces of fish sit in the marinade, the citric acid from the juice slowly causes the flesh's proteins to denature, in very much the same way that heating will. The result is raw fish with the opaque appearance and firmed texture of cooked fish.
Rub lemon juice on fish before cooking. This will help the fish maintain its color and add to its flavor.
However, all too often, it is far less subtle and tends to take over. On a really strong fish like mackerel, it might work. Yes you can substitute lime for lemon, it is better with fish like Salmon, Tuna, Bass, Mackerel and Herring.
All fish smell "fishy" because they contain unpleasant-smelling substances called amines (which are bases). When lemon juice (an acid) is squeezed on to the fish, this smell disappears.
It is a good option to substitute lime for lemon in place of lemon, as it is better with fish such as salmon, tuna, bass, mackerel, and herring. It is preferable to use less white fish.
Soaking fish in brine or water before cooking to remove any muddy taste is not necessary. We prefer never to wash or soak whole or filleted fish in water or any other solution (except a marinade) before cooking as it affects the texture, and ultimately, the flavour of the fish.
Typically, it will take about 30 minutes to an hour for the marinade to cook the fish. However, it will continue "cooking" as it sits in the marinade. While it might still be safe to eat, after sitting in the marinade for about two hours, the fish will begin to change in texture, and not in a good way.
Because lemon offers a bright, acidic flavour that balances the delicate flavour of the fish, people enjoy squeezing lemon on fish. While bringing out the fish's inherent sweetness, the acidity of the lemon helps to cut through the fat and oils in the fish.
Soak fish in 1/4 cup vinegar, lemon juice or wine and water before cooking it for a sweet tender taste. Remove the fishy smell from your hands by washing with vinegar and water or salt and water. When baking whole fish, wrap it in well-oiled cheesecloth.
The upshot is that a squeeze of lemon is as good as a dash of salt in bringing out the flavor of just about any food. Besides making your mouth water, acidity cuts greasiness and heaviness and gives food a fresh, clean taste.