Skip to main content
Epicurious
Cookbooks

Fish Brine

By Barton Seaver

5.0

(2)

This image may contain Food Confectionery Sweets and Bread

Fish deserve some salty foreplay just as much as pork and poultry. Every type of seafood is different in terms of density of the flesh, so different brine times are needed for different fish.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    Makes enough to brine fillets for 4 people; for whole fish, double the recipe

Ingredients

2 cups warm water
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon sugar

Preparation

  1. Mix all the ingredients and stir until the salt and sugar are dissolved. Submerge the fish in the brine, weighting it down with a plate if need be, and brine according to these guidelines:
    • Trout, shrimp, sardines, and other delicate seafood: 15 minutes
    • Bass, barramundi, sablefish, and other flaky fillets: 20 minutes
    • Halibut, mahimahi, bluefish, and other flaky, meaty fillets: 30 minutes
    • Salmon, mackerel, Arctic char, and other meaty, full-flavored fish: 35 minutes
    • Amberjack, cobia, swordfish, and other dense, steak-like fish: 40 minutes

Reprinted with permission from Where There's Smoke: Simple, Sustainable, Delicious Grilling by Barton Seaver. Copyright © 2013 by Barton Seaver. Photography by Katie Stoop. Published by Sterling Epicure, an imprint of Sterling Publishing Co., Inc.
Tags5 Ingredients or FewerEasyCookbooks
Read More
The Only Frittata Recipe You’ll Ever Need
Keep this easy frittata recipe on hand for quick breakfasts, impressive brunches, and fridge clean-out meals.
José Andrés Recipes Worth Bookmarking
Like carrot farro salad and chicken paella.
The Most-Saved Recipes in the Epicurious App in May
Like miso-peanut hibachi chicken and spring orzotto.
Caramelized Onion Pasta
Turn humble onions into this thrifty yet luxe pasta dinner.
Paella de Pollo con Verduras
A crowd-friendly, crisp-edged chicken and vegetable rice from chef José Andrés.
13 Types of Nuts and How to Cook With Them
Filberts, goobers, scaly bark nuts: Explore the world beyond almonds in this guide.
31 Spring Cocktails for Warmer Days Ahead
Think a Hugo spritz, a gin basil smash, and plenty more patio-ready pours.
Golden Mushroom Soup With Orzo & a Pat of Butter
This is the type of soup that, at first glance, might seem a little…unexciting. But you’re underestimating the power of mushrooms, which do the heavy lifting.