Cod Fish oven-roasted is delicate in texture with filets that create flaky layers that everyone loves. It's perfect for any occasion, whether you're hosting an elegant dinner party or wanting to cook up something quick and easy.
Success comes from using the proper techniques. Cooking fish might be one of the most challenging proteins to cook correctly. Baked Cod Fish can be a very easy weeknight dinner plan.
⬇️ Table of Contents
🥘 Ingredients
- 4 Filets Cod Fish 4oz / 5oz
- 2 Tablespoon Honey Mustard or favorite mustard (substitute: soy sauce)
- 1 Tablespoon Sea Salt
- 1 teaspoon White Pepper, optional
- Old Bay Optional - To Taste
Avocado Crema
- 2 Avocado
- 2 Tablespoons Half & Half or Whole Milk
- 1 ½ teaspoon Apple Cider Vinegar
- ½ teaspoon Creole Seasoning
- ½ teaspoon Sea Salt
🐟 About Cod Fish
The cod is a saltwater fish that is commonly found in the Northern Atlantic and the Pacific. It travels in large schools and eats shrimp, squid, worms, crabs, clams, and snails.
The Genus: Gadus belongs to the Gadidae family, which includes species such as halibut, sole, flounder, or turbot, among others.
It can grow up to 6 feet long -- yet usually is about 1 to 2 feet when caught.
The cod has white meat with a butter texture. Most people cook it by baking or frying.
📖 How To Bake Cod Fish
Shopping, if possible, select wild-caught Cod Fish. The overall flavor is better from the fish-eating a natural diet in the wild.
When was the last time you checked the temperature of your oven? Test it with a temperature probe, place it in the middle of the oven, then set your oven to 400 degrees.
Pick one up at your grocery store for a few dollars. You might be surprised what you find out. Most ovens are not exactly on temperature.
🔪 Instructions
Step 1
When shopping for cod, look for thick-cut filets from the fish's mid-section. Buying thick filets will help protect the cod while roasting.
Step 2
Inspect the Cod, looking for any pin bones that the fishmonger might have missed. Remove them using kitchen or even self-care tweezers.
Step 3
Give the fish the sniff test. The Cod should smell clean, fresh, and of the ocean. If you smell a very strong fish aroma, the odds are very good the fish filet has expired. Tip: Non-frozen fish lasts up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
Step 4
Prepare the Cod Fish by first seasoning the fish with sea salt and white pepper, making sure to season on all sides. Black pepper will ruin the presentation, so skip the pepper if you do not have any white pepper.
Next, paint on the honey mustard, you can switch it to soy sauce if you do not like mustard. I will often this advice when mustard is cooked the favor tastes almost nothing like raw. Add some old bay seasoning to taste. Less is more in this case.
Step 5
To oven roast, the Cod Fish, move the roasting rack to the middle of the oven to promote even cooking.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit / 204°Celsius. Oven-roasted Cod prepared using high heat prevents drying out and preserves moisture. The reasoning is restaurant chefs know that longer cook times inevitably lead to sacrificing tenderness for crispiness.
Cook the Cod Fish in a casserole baking, use glass if possible. Cover the bakeware with olive oil to ensure the fish does not stick.
The Cod will roast and create a beautiful golden brown crust on the presentation side. The natural sugars in the honey mustard caramelize while baking. Be warned, that the soy sauce does not cook to a golden brown.
👪 Cod Fish Serving Per Person
The suggested serving portion is 5 to 6 inches in length and weighs around 6oz.
⏲️ How Long To Bake Cod Chart
The baking chart is based on cod filets 5 to 6 inches in length and weighing around 6oz.
Baking times will vary depending on the size and thickness
| Number of Pieces Of Cod | Filet - Size/Inches | Cook Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Piece of Cod | 5 to 6 inches | 8 to 10 minutes |
| 2 Pieces of Cod | 5 to 6 inches | 12 to 15 minutes |
| 3 Pieces of Cod | 5 to 6 inches | 16 to 19 minutes |
| 4 Pieces of Cod | 5 to 6 inches | 20 to 24 minutes |
| 5 to 6 Pieces of Cod | 5 to 6 inches | 22 to 25 minutes |
The number of minutes needed to bake Cod Fish increases due to the volume of protein being added to the oven.
💭 How To Tell Cod Fish Is Cooked?
The Department of Agriculture (USDA) guideline for cooking fish states an internal temperature of 145 °F (62.8 °C). You can read more about fish safety here. (USDA-FISH)
A very important point of consideration when cooking fish is the carryover cooking that happens from when you take the Cod out of the oven to when it is served and eaten.
For example, tonight's dinner will be 4 baked pieces of Cod, each piece 6 inches long.
True to False? If four pieces of Cod Fish have been baked for 20 minutes. Is the Cod done and ready to be removed from the oven and served?
Answer: Maybe? What's the internal temperature of the fish? Are you sure?
How do you know for sure the fish's internal temperature reached 145 °F (62.8 °C)? Answer: A thermometer probe is used to check the internal temperature.
Chef Notes: If you remove the fish from the oven at 145 °F (62.8 °C) internal temperature the fish will be overcooked. Why? Answer: Carryover cooking...
Every time you remove protein from the oven the internal temperature continues to increase/rise, it simply does not stop cooking just because it was removed from the heat.
Tip: Remove the Cod Fish at (140°F / 60°C) internal temp to achieve (145°F / 62.8°C). This counterbalances the carryover cooking. The carryover cooking time will finish the remaining 5 degrees.
📖 Recipe
Baked Cod Fish Recipe
Suggested Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 Filets Cod Fish 4oz / 5oz
- 1 Tablespoon Honey Mustard or favorite mustard (substitute: soy sauce)
- 2 teaspoons Sea Salt
- ½ teaspoon White Pepper optional
- 1 teaspoon Old Bay optional
Avocado Crema
- 2 Avocado
- 2 teaspoon Shallot
- 2 Tablespoons Half & Half or Whole Milk
- 1 ½ teaspoon Apple Cider Vinegar
- ½ teaspoon Creole Seasoning
- 1 Lime
- ½ teaspoon Sea Salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Move the oven rack to the middle position. This will promote even cooking of the fish.
- Inspect the Cod for any pins bones. Remove any you find with kitchen tweezers or personal care tweezers.
- Pat the Cod dry using a paper towel. This is very important to allow the fish to take on color from the roasting. Wet or moist fish will only steam in the oven.
- The Cod should still have a chill on it from the refrigerator when it goes into the oven to roast, but not refrigerator cold.
- Start seasoning the Cod Fish with sea salt and white pepper, making sure to cover all sides. Then paint on the honey mustard, followed by a sprinkling Old Bay seasoning. Use as little or as much as you enjoy.
- Next, place the Cod into a casserole baking dish covered with olive oil. This will ensure the fish will not stick. Make sure to not place the fish exactly next to each other. Place the fish about 3 inches apart.
- How Long To Bake Cod Fish:The baking chart is based on cod filets 5 to 6 inches in length and weighs around 6oz.Baking times will vary depending on the size and thickness of your fish filets.1 Piece of Cod - (5 to 6 inches in length) Bake 8 to 10 minutes2 Pieces of Cod - (5 to 6 inches in length) Bake 12 to 15 minutes3 Pieces of Cod - (5 to 6 inches in length) Bake 16 to 19 minutes4 Pieces of Cod - (5 to 6 inches in length) Bake 20 to 24 minutes5 or 6 Pieces of Cod - (5 to 6 inches in length) Bake 22 to 25 minutes
- How To Know When The Cod Is Cooked:The USDA (Department of Agriculture) states an internal temperature of 145 °F (62.8 °C)How do you know for sure the fish's internal temperature reached 145 °F (62.8 °C)? The use of a thermometer probe to check the temperature.If you remove the fish from the oven at 145 °F (62.8 °C) internal temperature the fish will be overcooked. Why? Answer: Carryover cooking...Chef Tip: Every time you remove protein from the oven the internal temperature continues to increase. Remove the Cod Fish at (140°F / 60°C) internal temp to achieve 145 °F (62.8 °C) once the carryover cooking completes.There comes a point of diminishing return when increasing the cooking time and all ovens cook differently. Think, less time is better until you get the hang of cooking the desired number of pieces of Cod in your oven. Just keep an eye on it. You can use your fingers to lightly press the Cod and see hows the cook is going in the oven. Should feel somewhat firm with a little spring when coming out of the oven.
How To Make Avocado Crema
- Slice and remove the avocado pit. Add chopped shallot to a food processor and pulse a few times to break up the shallot. Then add the avocado along with the half & half, apple cider vinegar, salt and creole seasoning. Combine until smooth. Add more half & half if needed.Blend together, take a taste, then add the lime juice to taste.
Notes
- Cod fish, also known as Atlantic saltwater cod, has many names, including Mother of Fish, Saltfish, and Sea Chicken.
- Its scientific name is "Gadus morhua". It belongs to the family "Gadidae," Order "Gonorynchiformes," and Class "Pisces."
- This fish's main geographical distribution includes Norwegian coasts, the Baltic Sea, North Atlantic (North America), etc. You can find it in water bodies which are not more than 200 meters deep.
- Its average life span is 20 years in nature.
- This fish feeds mainly on smaller fish like herrings.
- It spawns 450000 eggs every year.
- Its non-edible parts include the head, bones, and skin.
Martha Dackowski says
Just found this site. I follow, for health reasons, the Mediterranean Diet way of eating (woe). As a retired senior, I am always looking for delicious recipes for one. This is one! I.had already bought a small, thinning cod filet before I found/read this recipe and tips. I was hesitant about the honey mustard also so I used somewhat sparingly. Cooked in my toaster oven and it was delious!!! Can't wait to do again with a thicker, center cut, filet. Even if you are not an avid fan of mustard, I am not, it is delicious!!! Thank you! Looking forward to trying other recipes.
Steven Pennington says
Most welcome, Martha. Being open-minded with food is a gift. Glad you enjoyed it!