How to Cook Trout Fillets

Well you have bought the fly fishing gear you have the rod, reel, line and flies. You have gone out fishing and now have caught your trout, well done to you. Now you bring it home and wonder how do I cook this trout. Well search no further I have compiled a few recipes for how to cook trout fillets. Any of these are delicious and well worth a try.

Recipe 1 – Baked trout in foil parcel

This is the basic trout fillet recipe. It is plain and simple but tastes great.

1) Take your trout and after gutting and washing place on a sheet of foil and a sheet of baking paper and place on a baking try.

2) Apply seasoning to taste salt and pepper.

3) Add a knob of butter and rub all over the skin and flesh.

4) Squeeze some lemon juice into the middle if using full trout

5) Wrap up the foil to form a pouch and place in a hot oven 200 deg centigrade for 10-12 mins.

If using full trout increase time by about 10 mins. You can open the pouch half way to check fish is cooking through. The flesh should start to look more crumbly and opaque in colour.

Recipe 2 – Grilled whole trout parsley and lemon

1) Take two trout 300-400 gms and slash about ten times 0.5 cm deep on both sides.

2) Rub the trout with olive oil and season with the sea salt and pepper.

3) Stuff the belly of the trout with cut parsley and lemon slices.

4) Place the trout on an oven rack over a tray on a lower shelf to catch the juices.

5) Put some lemon zest on top of the trout lemon wedges in the tray.

6) Put some butter drops on top of the trout and place the rack about 2-3 inches from the grill.

7) Cook on both sides for 5-6 mins until nice and crispy.

8) When ready squeeze the roasted lemon wedges over the trout and serve with rice or salad.

(Recipe 2 – Courtesy of Jamie Oliver the naked chief)

Recipe 3 – Trout fillet en papillote (in parchment or pouch)

This recipe is a variation of recipe one but well worth a try as the arrangement of ingredients make it delicious.

1) Take two fillets of trout about 200 gms each and wash gently and pat dry.

2) Take two squares of foil and baking paper aprox 16 inches in length. Lay the baking paper on top of the foil.

3) Fry for about 2-3 min until soft a quarter sliced fennel bulb and half an onion seasoned with salt and ground pepper.

4) Divide the onion and fennel between the two potions and put on the baking paper. Add one sliced tomatoes over the mix.

5) Place trout fillets on top of the tomato, drizzle a tablespoon of olive oil, a squeeze of lemon, a teaspoon of chopped dill, a bit more seasoning with salt and pepper and a tablespoon of capers (not essential).

6) Fold up the parcels with a double fold leaving a small gap to poor in the dash of dry white wine. Seal up the parcels allowing room to swell and place in the oven on a baking tray for about 10-12 mins until flesh is opaque and cooked.

7) As an eye pleasing experience serve the parcel intact on the plate for the consumer to open with a fresh crunchy salad or steamed rice. The rush of smells and flavor adds to the dish.

Tip: If a bit squeamish when it comes to cleaning out a trout for cooking here is something you can do to make things a bit easier. First off freeze the trout when you bring it home after being caught. Keep the trout whole don’t touch it at this point.

Then when you want to cook bring it out a few hours before hand and let it defrost for about half an hour or so until the outside starts to go soft. Then taking a sharp filleting knife cut the trout from the anus up to the neck and you should be able to remove the guts in one piece as they will still be frozen and there will be almost no blood.

Once removed take off the head tail and fins and let the rest thaw out until ready to cook. Job done and no mess. 🙂

If you have any other recipes that are worth tasting let me know below. I am always looking for new ways to cook trout fillets.