Apparently, the proteins present in milk can bind to the fatty acids that have been exposed to air and give salmon its fishy odor or taste and mitigate them to be more neutral. (Fishiness is caused by the oxidation of fatty acids.)
Before cooking, soak the fish in milk for 20 minutes
In this scenario, the protein in the milk binds with the compounds that cause that fishy odor, in essence extracting if from the fish. What's left behind is sweet-smelling, brighter flesh with clean flavor.
Do you need to rinse fish after soaking in milk? There's no need to rinse off your fish once you've soaked it in milk!
We've found an easy way to eliminate the smell: Soak the fish or the shellfish meat in milk for 20 minutes and then drain and pat dry. The casein in milk binds to the TMA, and when drained away, it takes the culprit that causes fishy odor with it. The result is seafood that's sweet smelling and clean-flavored.
The firemen there soaked salmon fillets in milk for several hours before grilling. It worked like a charm and the fish was incredibly tender. I used coconut milk for my recipe.
Rinse salmon in cold water, peel off skin if any. Soak salmon for 1-24 hours in milk, refrigerated.
Online research had recommended letting the fish soak submerged in milk for around 20 minutes, before rinsing and cooking in your preferred fashion.
For smaller fish, like a delicate tilapia or a flaky cod, it's best not to soak them for more than 2 hours. For larger fish like tuna or salmon fillets, it is safe to soak for up to 8 hours without impacting taste and texture. For best results, you will want to use cold milk.
Marinate your fish in buttermilk for 1 hour to develop more flavor. Use canola or vegetable oil instead of peanut oil. Use your favorite all-purpose seasoning or old bay seasoning instead of Cajun seasoning. Feel free to use whole milk or evaporated milk as a swap for buttermilk.
First, try rinsing the fish in cold water and then patting it dry with a paper towel. This will remove some of the surface bacteria that can cause the fishy taste. Next, soak the fish in milk for about 30 minutes. The milk will help to neutralize the strong fishy taste of the fish.
Soak Salmon In Brine
Simply soak the salmon in a basic salt solution (one soup spoon of salt per cup of cold water) for 10 minutes – it's that easy! The salt breaks down some of the muscle fibres on the outer side of the fish so that when you cook the salmon these outer muscles tighten less.
Poultry and fish
Not only does it not eliminate any bacteria or pathogens off of your food, it can actually increase your risk of contamination.
This is why lemon and fish can go so well together. The salt and the acid balance each other while doing a little flavor dance on the palate. When we squeeze citrus onto our fish platters, you are setting up a reaction that neutralizes the fishiness, thus greatly improving the taste of the fish.
That white gunk seeping from your salmon is called albumin. It's a protein—not fat—that pushes to the surface of the fish when you heat it. "Once this protein reaches temperatures between 140 and 150 degrees, its moisture is squeezed out, and it congeals and turns white," according to America's Test Kitchen.
Milk is the simplest way to counteract a strong fishy odor and taste in a less-than-super-fresh piece of fish. The casein protein in milk binds to the trimethylamine, facilitating removal.
Soaking Fish in Buttermilk
It's a bit tangier and more acidic, and it's even better at quelling unwanted flavors in your fish.
By giving a fillet a vinegar rinse (or even a full-on soak while you prepare the rest of your meal's components), you can bring out all of the fish's best qualities and textures, neutralizing any fishy scents while seasoning it.
Poaching your fish in milk will up your flavor, texture, and creaminess. You've most likely been poaching your fish in wine, butter, or oil. And these liquids work just fine.
Can a Fish Survive in Milk? Fish cannot live in milk. Fish are unable to breathe well in milk because of the low oxygen levels in the milk and also the high level of impurities in milk. Thus, fish can get buried in milk within only a couple of minutes.
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.
No you do not rinse the catfish off after soaking it. In fact, the buttermilk brine is part of the breading process. It will help the dry ingredients, such as the cornmeal, stick to the fish so it can fry.
Follow this tip: Unless you're poaching the salmon, leave the skin on. It works as a protective barrier between the delicate flesh and a hot pan, baking sheet, or grill.
While marinating is not necessary to cooking salmon, it imparts much more flavor than seasoning alone. Salmon fillets are somewhat mild in taste and benefit from strong flavors, such as soy sauce, garlic, lemon juice, lime juice, and orange juice.
If you marinate salmon in an acid based marinade for longer than 24 hours, it will begin to break done the fish and make it mushy.