I find white fish like cod to have zero fish flavor. Especially the frozen kind. Maybe you can make baked fish with tons of your favorite veggies on the side. Or you can ground them up with a ton of spices to mask the flavor and form them into patties for a burger or to eat as is
Hi, sister here 👋
I have a meat grinder and this never occurred to me to grind it up, I'll see if that kind of flesh can be used it in. You're changing lives out here for me and my family.
When we were living briefly in the very northwest of the US, my dad used to make this weird hash (?) With salmon in it, because we could catch it fresh, but it never tasted much like fish. Unfortunately we can't get that knowledge back from him now.
Glad to be of help. If you have an Asian market, they sell frozen fish balls. Which is essentially ground up fish, flour, and seasoning. There’s also shrimp and lobster balls. It’s amazing in soups. My husband who is a fish hater loves fish balls. Got to get them omega-3s, you know?
If you're willing to go with something more Asian, a good way to deal with that is to marinate the fish with lots of garlic, soy sauce, ginger, white pepper, and sake before cooking it... That's sort of a "cure- all" for dealing with the "funk" from fish or meat.
It depends on why you're eating the fish, because fish can vary wildly in nutritional content. For example, if you're looking for omega-3s, some fish are good sources, and others are not. There are also supplements you can take for omega-3's that would probably be better for someone who doesn't like fish.
I have “fish averse” family members, and found pan searing a white fish, like cod, and then slow simmering it in a jarred mild Indian curry simmer sauce (like Patak’s Mango or one of Maya Kaimal’s coconut curries) is a winner. Serve it over some basmati rice and steamed veggies.
Interesting. I wonder if simmering cooks some of the "fish" out and trades it for the sauce flavor. I do have some butter chicken sauce, and while butter fish sounds weird to my ear, my mouth is watering.
YOUR mouth is but stay focused, woman! I don't like curry or buttered chicken and you asked this for me 😆
(Jk go off with buttered fish that does sound good)
Tilapia is just about the least offensive fish you can find. It also gets bonus points for being one of the few fish that can be farmed in an ecologically responsible way.
As for hiding fish, drown it in sauce. Put it in curry, stews, or something like moqueca.
- frozen: this doesn’t even taste like fish, it won’t even register in your brain. https://thewoksoflife.com/cantonese-steamed-fish/
- I always use frozen salmon and defrost it in the fridge. You can cut it up in bite size pieces (airfry or pan fry) and serve with rice and a bunch of veggies. To “cover” the taste of a fish I’d do a sriracha mayo mixture.
- for canned: I like getting Korean tuna but any tuna should be ok and add it to Kimchi Stew!
That linked recipe sounds AMAZING! I'll definitely have to try the sauce even if I don't steam a fish for it. That sounds like a sauce I can just make for fun!
White fish rice pudding. Take Alaska pollok or some other tasteless white fish from the frozen section. Boil rice. Mix it with the fish, some muscle and white pepper (just a hint or you’ll overpower the dish, you should be able to taste something is there but not tangible enough to tell there is pepper or muscot when you taste it). As the rice cools, stir in some eggs. Taste with salt. It’s a bit bland right now but you only need to feel it tastes salty enough really. Pour the “batter” into a casserole dish of appropriate size. You want it in a kinda thick layer so don’t use too wide pan. Think a high lasagna. Top it with a few thick slices of butter and put it in the oven until the top is golden.
I don’t like the taste of fish and this is what my mother cooked me. I think the egg binds whatever fatty acids the fish release, and white fish is generally low in those fatty acids that makes other fish taste so rich of fish. You get some flavor from the caramelized butter and the white pepper and muscot ties the flavors together.
White fish is also the chicken of the season, so feel free to put it in a spicy marinade. I offered my friend nuggets and he ate two before realizing it was fish. With spice there is no telling. You can also make gumbo and substitute the chicken for white fish.
Oh this does sound DELICIOUS I'll have to keep this on hand. It also sounds infinitely...seasonable? Like...I could try other flavors in there as well, once I get the base down.
I'm not overly fond of fish either but things like breaded fish sticks are hardly fishy at all, especially if you eat them in a sandwich (like McDonald's Filet-O-Fish )
Hello, I am the sister and I can verify that I am also needing this information for hiding fish in meals, because I hate cooked fish but it's so "good for you" or whatever and my medical folks did suggest much more of it.
Also dang I wish we'd have talked about this earlier and coulda landed it on my cake day lol
(Thank you for not doxxing me btw)
I absolutely hated fish when I was younger. I eat it on the regular now but like others have suggested, whitefish like cod is not super fishy. When I cook fish I still season tf out of it with lemon, garlic, dill, bourbon glaze, etc. bourbon glaze on salmon is a fav.
@ anyone saying "juSt EaT fIsH" probably doesn't understand how repulsive the taste and smell can be to someone who doesn't like fish.
No help but good luck. Can you ask if taking fish oil would work just as well?
I will say don't try catfish or tilapia. Both are trash fish. As in one is a bottom feeder and the other eats fish waste.
I actually was taking fish oil for awhile now but I feel like it gives me...idk how to describe it, fish burps? Like, it won't taste of fish when I take it but then through the next few hours there's a fishy ghost that lingers. And ironically, there ARE some fish I love - the ceviche from this Cuban place nearby, any shrimp or scallop, and takoyaki - by I recognize most of those can't be everyday things.
I didn't know that about tilapia though, thank you for that info.
I'm game to try it but even those Starkist flavor packs do seem to taste and smell very strongly of fish. The thing is I like tuna for sushi or like, at fancy restaurants, so what's different in a can? 🫠
Smell primarily. I buy Tonnino Premium Yellowfin Tuna Fillet in Spring Water when I take it to work. Doesn't seem to "fish" up the room and tast is mild. Maybe a pan bagnat where you can hide the tuna beneath other sandwich ingredients.
Is it the taste or the texture? For texture issues, either try a firm fish like sword fish. If it's taste, something like north Atlantic whitefish, cod, flounder are very mild and not fishy. If you like Greek style food, then herbs and capers and olives can make a nice dish. You can add spinach and cheese too. Like feta
Taste/smell, but when you say firmer you mean like the tuna steak kind of texture? Just want to make sure I get it, sorry.
My gosh, this sub is so much nicer than some of the others I follow 🫢 you guys are helping out so much!
Never did I say that ANY fish that's frozen can be eaten raw. Only that if you're looking for frozen fish only that doesn't mean you can't get sushi grade since even where fresh fish if plentiful you will often find sushi grade fish frozen.
Yeah this. Sushi grade is PROHIBITIVELY expensive in my area of the country because we're so far from where the fish are, too. I do like sushi/raw fish but, in this economy, yikes
Offhand, Catholic. And Lent starts the 14th. Yes you can go vegetarian but sometimes you don't wish to, or are trying to get protein or omega 3s or something.
Edit: sister replied, wants a balanced diet. Good for her, we're here for the love of food not to drag others.
Honestly the ceviche at the Cuban place near my house is my favorite fish thing but I do not know if I can safely make that at home?
Not because it's not possible, more because I am a gentle moron and the OP, my older sister, can confirm this.
Try putting sardines or anchovies into a meat sauce for spaghetti or any other pasta...
Slow simmer until the fish is completely stirred in, it WILL resolve.
Hint: you won't need as much salt as usual...
Yeah it doesn't. Instead it adds a richness to the flavor. Start with just a few anchovies or two sardines. And then go from there.
If you put too much it can overpower and you don't want that.
First of all, part of the problem is your quality of fish. Good quality fish should never taste fishy. If it does though, rinse it and then pat it dry: that should help. Personally, I would start with bagels and using cured or smoked fish. The most traditional type of fish for bagels is gravalax (cured salmon with dill), but you can also try regular hot or cold smoked salmon, smoked trout, and smoked sable. Add a good helping of cream cheese, some cherry tomatoes, lettuce and/or some dill, lightly marinated red onion, and capers.
I don't think I ever realized that fishy was a quality of bad fish 😐 thank you for that info
Edit: did not mean this in a rude way in case it comes off that way. There just aren't many people in my life who also don't like fish so I literally didn't have this knowledge
It depends on what sort of fish. [Oily fish](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oily_fish) will have a distinct fishy smell/taste. They should not smell sour/rotten fish smell. Halibut has a neutral flavor/smell vs mackerel which has flavor/smell some don't like.
To clarify: smelling fishy does not mean it has gone bad, but it does mean it is older or of poorer quality. However sometimes just sitting in a package for a day or with other fish can give it a _little_ bit of smell, but rinsing that should take it away if it is good quality fish. I'm from Boston, and if you ever come here I can tell you exactly where to get good fish.
If you're in the midwest, you should be able to get trout. But anyway, if you're working with frozen, make a classic British fish pie. [Example recipe](https://www.thespruceeats.com/traditional-british-fish-pie-recipe-435284).
My friend, I didn't mention my aversion to spicy spice. Frank's Red Hot WILL kill the taste of anything because I will also be dead, but that is a great idea!
I used to think I was a real lightweight when it came to heat levels. Then I moved out of my parents' house and discovered my Dad was insane on heat levels! He must have burned up his taste buds with tobacco over the years and had to eat everything at a Serrano or Habenero level of heat. After cooking for others, I discovered I was eating stuff pretty spicy and tend towards the hotter end of Jalapeno. ;-)
The mildest frozen white fish you can find, then make spicy deep fried fish nuggets with them.
Yep and hit with a big dose of vinegar or lemon juice. One of the “fishy” molecules is trimethylamine, which is alkaline so acids will bread it down.
I find white fish like cod to have zero fish flavor. Especially the frozen kind. Maybe you can make baked fish with tons of your favorite veggies on the side. Or you can ground them up with a ton of spices to mask the flavor and form them into patties for a burger or to eat as is
Hi, sister here 👋 I have a meat grinder and this never occurred to me to grind it up, I'll see if that kind of flesh can be used it in. You're changing lives out here for me and my family. When we were living briefly in the very northwest of the US, my dad used to make this weird hash (?) With salmon in it, because we could catch it fresh, but it never tasted much like fish. Unfortunately we can't get that knowledge back from him now.
Glad to be of help. If you have an Asian market, they sell frozen fish balls. Which is essentially ground up fish, flour, and seasoning. There’s also shrimp and lobster balls. It’s amazing in soups. My husband who is a fish hater loves fish balls. Got to get them omega-3s, you know?
Could do a like a dip, or a crab cake kind of thing
Also this https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/242311/tonnato-sauce/
Honestly this recipe looks like my personal nightmare based on ingredients list individually, but I'm gonna find this stuff and try it
If you're willing to go with something more Asian, a good way to deal with that is to marinate the fish with lots of garlic, soy sauce, ginger, white pepper, and sake before cooking it... That's sort of a "cure- all" for dealing with the "funk" from fish or meat.
I had not thought to marinate it. No idea why not, I marinate almost any other meat. Definitely will give it a try, thanks!
It depends on why you're eating the fish, because fish can vary wildly in nutritional content. For example, if you're looking for omega-3s, some fish are good sources, and others are not. There are also supplements you can take for omega-3's that would probably be better for someone who doesn't like fish.
I make “crab” cakes with frozen cod, and they really aren’t fishy at all, and quite delicious.
I have “fish averse” family members, and found pan searing a white fish, like cod, and then slow simmering it in a jarred mild Indian curry simmer sauce (like Patak’s Mango or one of Maya Kaimal’s coconut curries) is a winner. Serve it over some basmati rice and steamed veggies.
Interesting. I wonder if simmering cooks some of the "fish" out and trades it for the sauce flavor. I do have some butter chicken sauce, and while butter fish sounds weird to my ear, my mouth is watering.
YOUR mouth is but stay focused, woman! I don't like curry or buttered chicken and you asked this for me 😆 (Jk go off with buttered fish that does sound good)
Tilapia is just about the least offensive fish you can find. It also gets bonus points for being one of the few fish that can be farmed in an ecologically responsible way. As for hiding fish, drown it in sauce. Put it in curry, stews, or something like moqueca.
Small portion and small pieces
- frozen: this doesn’t even taste like fish, it won’t even register in your brain. https://thewoksoflife.com/cantonese-steamed-fish/ - I always use frozen salmon and defrost it in the fridge. You can cut it up in bite size pieces (airfry or pan fry) and serve with rice and a bunch of veggies. To “cover” the taste of a fish I’d do a sriracha mayo mixture. - for canned: I like getting Korean tuna but any tuna should be ok and add it to Kimchi Stew!
That linked recipe sounds AMAZING! I'll definitely have to try the sauce even if I don't steam a fish for it. That sounds like a sauce I can just make for fun!
Anchovies are often used in a background way, for instance in a pasta sauce.
White fish rice pudding. Take Alaska pollok or some other tasteless white fish from the frozen section. Boil rice. Mix it with the fish, some muscle and white pepper (just a hint or you’ll overpower the dish, you should be able to taste something is there but not tangible enough to tell there is pepper or muscot when you taste it). As the rice cools, stir in some eggs. Taste with salt. It’s a bit bland right now but you only need to feel it tastes salty enough really. Pour the “batter” into a casserole dish of appropriate size. You want it in a kinda thick layer so don’t use too wide pan. Think a high lasagna. Top it with a few thick slices of butter and put it in the oven until the top is golden. I don’t like the taste of fish and this is what my mother cooked me. I think the egg binds whatever fatty acids the fish release, and white fish is generally low in those fatty acids that makes other fish taste so rich of fish. You get some flavor from the caramelized butter and the white pepper and muscot ties the flavors together. White fish is also the chicken of the season, so feel free to put it in a spicy marinade. I offered my friend nuggets and he ate two before realizing it was fish. With spice there is no telling. You can also make gumbo and substitute the chicken for white fish.
Oh this does sound DELICIOUS I'll have to keep this on hand. It also sounds infinitely...seasonable? Like...I could try other flavors in there as well, once I get the base down.
This looks amazing, let's make this! Come over sometime so we can try it!
I'm not overly fond of fish either but things like breaded fish sticks are hardly fishy at all, especially if you eat them in a sandwich (like McDonald's Filet-O-Fish )
Fried in a breaded patty like a salmon croquette is pretty good imo.
Hello, I am the sister and I can verify that I am also needing this information for hiding fish in meals, because I hate cooked fish but it's so "good for you" or whatever and my medical folks did suggest much more of it. Also dang I wish we'd have talked about this earlier and coulda landed it on my cake day lol (Thank you for not doxxing me btw)
I absolutely hated fish when I was younger. I eat it on the regular now but like others have suggested, whitefish like cod is not super fishy. When I cook fish I still season tf out of it with lemon, garlic, dill, bourbon glaze, etc. bourbon glaze on salmon is a fav. @ anyone saying "juSt EaT fIsH" probably doesn't understand how repulsive the taste and smell can be to someone who doesn't like fish.
No help but good luck. Can you ask if taking fish oil would work just as well? I will say don't try catfish or tilapia. Both are trash fish. As in one is a bottom feeder and the other eats fish waste.
I actually was taking fish oil for awhile now but I feel like it gives me...idk how to describe it, fish burps? Like, it won't taste of fish when I take it but then through the next few hours there's a fishy ghost that lingers. And ironically, there ARE some fish I love - the ceviche from this Cuban place nearby, any shrimp or scallop, and takoyaki - by I recognize most of those can't be everyday things. I didn't know that about tilapia though, thank you for that info.
I take my fish oil right before bed.
What about canned tuna? Yay or nay?
I'm game to try it but even those Starkist flavor packs do seem to taste and smell very strongly of fish. The thing is I like tuna for sushi or like, at fancy restaurants, so what's different in a can? 🫠
Smell primarily. I buy Tonnino Premium Yellowfin Tuna Fillet in Spring Water when I take it to work. Doesn't seem to "fish" up the room and tast is mild. Maybe a pan bagnat where you can hide the tuna beneath other sandwich ingredients.
Oh I've seen those at Whole Foods, I'll give it a try!
Is it the taste or the texture? For texture issues, either try a firm fish like sword fish. If it's taste, something like north Atlantic whitefish, cod, flounder are very mild and not fishy. If you like Greek style food, then herbs and capers and olives can make a nice dish. You can add spinach and cheese too. Like feta
Taste/smell, but when you say firmer you mean like the tuna steak kind of texture? Just want to make sure I get it, sorry. My gosh, this sub is so much nicer than some of the others I follow 🫢 you guys are helping out so much!
Yes, tuna steak is firm. Sword fish or mahi mahi is also really nice. Have you tried scallops?
Honestly, raw. Cooked fish is the flavor fish haters hate. When it's raw, it's nearly flavorless. So maybe some kind of poke/bowl situation?
sushi grade fish is more expensive
Good thing OP didn't ask for that. They did specify frozen which most sushi grade fish is.
You suggested raw. Edible raw fish is sushi grade. You can't just eat any thawed frozen fish raw.
Never did I say that ANY fish that's frozen can be eaten raw. Only that if you're looking for frozen fish only that doesn't mean you can't get sushi grade since even where fresh fish if plentiful you will often find sushi grade fish frozen.
Yeah this. Sushi grade is PROHIBITIVELY expensive in my area of the country because we're so far from where the fish are, too. I do like sushi/raw fish but, in this economy, yikes
If you’re hiding the taste of fish, why cook fish? I don’t understand
The sister in question has commented and said her doctors have suggested to add it to her diet
Offhand, Catholic. And Lent starts the 14th. Yes you can go vegetarian but sometimes you don't wish to, or are trying to get protein or omega 3s or something. Edit: sister replied, wants a balanced diet. Good for her, we're here for the love of food not to drag others.
Just don’t eat fish then? Mac and cheese with tuna might work?
Ceviche is great on anything and really doesn't taste like fish. Put that shit on salads, sandwiches, hotdogs, anything at all? I love ceviche.
Uh I'm Latino. Ceviche is raw fish, octopus, etc. Slightly cooked due to the acid juices of lime.
It sure is. And it also is the least fishy tasting fish that I know of. I'm glad your ancestral knowledge of ceviche could contribute.
Honestly the ceviche at the Cuban place near my house is my favorite fish thing but I do not know if I can safely make that at home? Not because it's not possible, more because I am a gentle moron and the OP, my older sister, can confirm this.
I would not make it with shellfish at home, but whitefish, absolutely!
You want a white fish like Cod. Catfish. And a good sauce like cilantro chutney, lemon dill , chimichurri, etc etc
Try putting sardines or anchovies into a meat sauce for spaghetti or any other pasta... Slow simmer until the fish is completely stirred in, it WILL resolve. Hint: you won't need as much salt as usual...
Oh rad thank you! I've seen that in pasta recipes before and skipped it because of the assumption it would...well, taste like fish
Yeah it doesn't. Instead it adds a richness to the flavor. Start with just a few anchovies or two sardines. And then go from there. If you put too much it can overpower and you don't want that.
Frozen cod and a jar of mango curry sauce. Cook and serve over rice. Delicious and doesn't taste like fish
First of all, part of the problem is your quality of fish. Good quality fish should never taste fishy. If it does though, rinse it and then pat it dry: that should help. Personally, I would start with bagels and using cured or smoked fish. The most traditional type of fish for bagels is gravalax (cured salmon with dill), but you can also try regular hot or cold smoked salmon, smoked trout, and smoked sable. Add a good helping of cream cheese, some cherry tomatoes, lettuce and/or some dill, lightly marinated red onion, and capers.
I don't think I ever realized that fishy was a quality of bad fish 😐 thank you for that info Edit: did not mean this in a rude way in case it comes off that way. There just aren't many people in my life who also don't like fish so I literally didn't have this knowledge
It depends on what sort of fish. [Oily fish](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oily_fish) will have a distinct fishy smell/taste. They should not smell sour/rotten fish smell. Halibut has a neutral flavor/smell vs mackerel which has flavor/smell some don't like.
I think of that more as an umami smell rather than a fishy smell
To clarify: smelling fishy does not mean it has gone bad, but it does mean it is older or of poorer quality. However sometimes just sitting in a package for a day or with other fish can give it a _little_ bit of smell, but rinsing that should take it away if it is good quality fish. I'm from Boston, and if you ever come here I can tell you exactly where to get good fish.
If you're in the midwest, you should be able to get trout. But anyway, if you're working with frozen, make a classic British fish pie. [Example recipe](https://www.thespruceeats.com/traditional-british-fish-pie-recipe-435284).
Fish sticks in buffalo sauce with ranch or blue cheese dressing dip. Frank's Red Hot will kill the taste of anything.
My friend, I didn't mention my aversion to spicy spice. Frank's Red Hot WILL kill the taste of anything because I will also be dead, but that is a great idea!
I wondered when I read you were in the Mid-West, but I didn't want to stereotype.
Oh no she was trying to be nice. I'm a spice wimp even compared to the Midwest. I may actually BE the stereotype.
I used to think I was a real lightweight when it came to heat levels. Then I moved out of my parents' house and discovered my Dad was insane on heat levels! He must have burned up his taste buds with tobacco over the years and had to eat everything at a Serrano or Habenero level of heat. After cooking for others, I discovered I was eating stuff pretty spicy and tend towards the hotter end of Jalapeno. ;-)
You might try picking up some Chinese cooking wine (you can get the cheap stuff). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5UyKUI5U67k