We don’t own a grill and until I figured out this broiling technique, I was at a loss for how to cook fish. Baking always produced dry fish and I always destroyed the fillet when I tried pan-frying. It was frustrating. Enter the easiest way to cook fish — under the broiler!
Halibut is unquestionably my favorite fish, its firm texture is perfect — not too flaky or meaty, and it never tastes fishy. Preparing halibut under the broiler is so simple and consistent. I use the recipe below and then top with cilantro pistachio pesto or a flavorful compound butter, but the fish will easily stand alone, especially with a lemon wedge or two to squeeze on top.
Another reason I prefer halibut is that in the U.S., the North Pacific halibut fishery is Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) Certified, meaning that the fishery has been studied and evaluated for sustainable harvesting practices. Theoretically MSC certification is a good way to ensure you’re not purchasing fish from a depleted fishery and causing undue environmental stress and damage. If you’re curious about the quality of your fish choices, check out the Monterey Bay Seafood Watch site (they also have a great app) which has a searchable database that uses a number of different evaluation criteria to tell you the “best”, “good”, and “avoid” fish.
- 8oz Halibut fillet
- 1 tsp Avocado oil
- salt and pepper to taste
- If using frozen halibut, pull fish out of freezer and place it in the refrigerator about 12 hours before meal time. Alternatively, you can safely thaw fish under cold running water in the sink.
- Make sure a rack in the oven is on the highest level possible and then turn oven onto high broil.
- Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
- Place halibut fillet onto aluminum foil.
- Brush or rub on the avocado oil.
- Sprinkle with salt and fresh ground pepper.
- Slide into oven on top rack, under the broiler.
- Cook for 6-8 minutes depending on how done you prefer your fish and the thickness of the fillet.
*Not all calories are equal.