This Crispy Broiled Rainbow Trout recipe was my grandfather’s specialty. We used to beg him for this delicacy every time we went to his house for lunch!
As a child, I always imagined a lot of magic and secret ingredients went into his famous fish. One day, I finally arrived early and caught him cooking it. “This is it?” I asked. It turned out the secret wasn’t a complicated method at all; it was in the fish’s simplicity and its freshness—truly the best fish I had ever tasted.
I honor him for figuring out exactly what you don’t need to do: add too many ingredients to hide a good thing. The secret to cooking the best rainbow trout is its elegant simplicity, resulting in that perfectly crispy edge we all crave.
The secret to cooking the best rainbow trout is in its simplicity.
Expert Tips for the Crispiest Trout
My grandfather’s secret wasn’t a hidden ingredient; it was all about understanding the few simple steps. Follow these tips to guarantee that perfect, crispy edge every single time:
- Pat It Bone Dry (Crucial!): After rinsing the trout, lay the fillets on paper towels and pat them completely dry—top and bottom. Moisture creates steam, and steam prevents crisping. A dry fillet is a crispy fillet!
- The Broiler Method is Key: We use the broiler because the intense, direct heat cooks the delicate trout quickly (just 5 minutes!) before it can dry out, resulting in that slightly browned, crispy exterior you’re looking for. Keep a close watch; broilers work fast!
- Use Quality Paprika: The paprika does more than just add color; it helps create a delicious, savory crust. We use a generous amount to give the fish a beautiful reddish-gold hue as it crisps under the heat.
- Don’t Skimp on the Oil: Drizzling the fish with high-quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil not only adds richness but also ensures the seasoning sticks and assists in the broiling process, helping the edges achieve that satisfying crispiness.
Crispy Rainbow Trout
Servings
Ingredients
- 6 rainbow trout fillets about 3 pounds
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- ¾ teaspoon coarse black pepper
- 4 ½ teaspoons paprika
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat broiler. Spray a broiler pan with non-stick cooking spray.
- Rinse trout and pat dry. Arrange fillets in prepared pan.
- Season with salt, pepper and paprika. Drizzle olive oil over fish.
- Broil for 5 minutes or until slightly brown and crispy at edges.
- Place trout on a platter and serve immediately.
- Serve over Crispy Onion Strings.
- Recipe Courtesy of QUICK & KOSHER Recipes From The Bride Who Knew Nothing by Jamie Geller (Feldheim 2007) – BUY NOW
I’m going to try this tonight but my hubby isn’t a big fan of fried onions so his fave tater tots will have to do 😊
This was really great! I dried the skin of my steelhead trout fillets really well (scrape a few times w/ the back of a knife, then pat dry with a paper towel), then put the flesh side down in some marinade I poured into a shallow glass dish (just a mix of soy sauce, terriyake sauce, sweet chili sauce, and some scallions). I let that hang out while I prepped my sides, then removed from the marinade and placed them flesh side down onto a lightly-oiled foil-lined baking sheet. Rubbed a bit of olive oil and sprinkled some salt onto the skin, and popped it all into the oven. While it broiled, I brought the remaining marinade to a boil (to kill any pathogens) to make a glaze, which I spooned over the cooked fish. It was so fast, the skin so crispy, and the fish perfectly cooked. Definitely will use this method again, thank you!
It will not freeze well, if you can’t eat it in the next day I would consider crumbling it and making some sort of fish cake, those can then be frozen.
Question. I made too much. Can I freeze the leftovers? Or will it not freeze well?
Sure, any similar white fish will work the same. I think Snapper and bass would work well, but really any white fish should work with this simple recipe, the trick is using really fresh, good quality fish.
Does this work with other fish and if so, what kind?
How’d it come out?
*Tamar Genger MA, RD | **Executive Editor *
Kosher Network International | JOYofKOSHER.com [email protected]
904.580.7050 ext 250
im going to do it today 🙂 so easy, fast 🙂 and looks yummy
YAY! It’s a quickie (but goodie)!
This dish took really fast!!!! Thanks
Hey there it all really depends on how strong your broiler is and how many inches away your rack is. I broil skin side down and do not turn over. Again depending on the strength of your heat and rack positioning you may need another 5 to 10 minutes – the good part though is you can easily tell when the fish is done – the flesh will be stark white and spring back slightly to the touch and flake with a fork and the edges of the skin will be golden and crispy
(YUM YUM YUM!)
Hi – Do you broil it skin up or skin down? And do you turn it over? I’m wondering if 5 minutes broiling without turning over will get it cooked through? Thanks!
check ’em out right here: http://www.joyofkosher.com/recipes/spicy-fried-onions/
On your video you showed some delicious looking crispy red and white onions
How do you make them
Thank you
sorry – can you be more specific? not following what you are looking for…
lol don’t be jealous – join us!
Hi, Do you have a recipe for cooked rainbow trout? I want to cook it for shabbos like people would normally Cook Salmon or white fish. Or maybe I should tty it with out the sugar? Just salt and pepper.
Thanks Jamie… So jealous you did alyiah….
Hi Herzl thank you so much for taking the time to comment!!! so glad you liked it — one of my favorite easy healthy recipes!!!
This was my first time trying to cook trout. I am just starting to try to add fish to my cooking skills. This was extremely easy and came out tasting great. I just followed the directions exactly and it was delicious.