You can’t beat the taste and smell of a perfectly cooked piece of kingfish. Whether caught by yourself or bought from the fish monger – you want to make the most of this delicious chunky fish. Listed below you will find various methods on how to cook kingfish.
Depending on where in the world you are from, the term kingfish applies to many large game fish. The Yellowtail Amberjack or Silver Gemfish from Australia and New Zealand. The King Mackerel from the Western Atlantic Ocean. The White Croaker or Opah from the United Kingdom and much more.
A good alternative to tuna or salmon, kingfish meat is chunky, with a darker color and stronger taste. This stronger flavor especially comes through when cooked on the bone. Some people love the extra flavor of kingfish steaks cooked on the bone. Others not so much and prefer fillets instead.
If you’re dealing with a whole kingfish then you need to decide whether you want steaks, fillets or a bit of both. You can even slice up the fish into steaks and push out the segments to create kingfish nuggets! To see the difference on Youtube click here for Kingfish Fillets. And here for Kingfish Steaks & Nuggets.
If following a recipe check if you need to use fillets or nuggets, as steaks can be impractical sometimes. Take note that the cooking time can alter depending on the thickness of the cut. Frying kingfish steaks or fillets on a medium heat usually only takes 4 or 5 minutes each side. Be careful not to overcook the meat or you will dry it out and ruin the tenderness – remember, gently does it.
This is making me hungry so let’s crack on and get into the different ways to cook kingfish. Presuming your fish is already gutted and cleaned. If not here are some videos showing How To Gut Kingfish and How To Clean Kingfish. Sliced ‘n’ dice that fish into steaks, fillets or nuggets as you like and we are ready to get started!
Kingfish Cooking Methods
Pan Fried Kingfish
- If required marinate 30-60 minutes before
- Place in a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat
- Add a little olive oil, 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons over a medium heat
- Fry the Kingfish until the bottom turns golden brown (4-5 minutes)
- Turn it over and fry the other side (again for 4-5 minutes)
- Remove and place on a paper towel to soak up excess oil
- Add garnish if desired (e.g. tomatoes, lemon wedge, herbs, onions etc)
Shallow Fried Kingfish
- If required marinate 30-60 minutes before
- Add a liberal amount of cooking oil
- Enough to immerse the fish halfway
- Heat on high until the oil starts smoking
- Reduce the heat and gently place the fish in to fry for 4 to 5 minutes
- Carefully turn the fish over and repeat for 4 to 5 minutes
- Once golden brown remove and place on a paper towel to soak up excess oil
- Add garnish if desired ( e.g. tomatoes, lemon wedge, herbs, onions etc)
You can deep fry the Kingfish if you like, but this needs a lot more oil which seems like a waste. It’s up to you and your cooking preference.
Grilled Kingfish
- If required marinate 30-60 minutes before
- Preheat the grill to a medium/high heat (400F-200C)
- Coat the grill bars with a little olive oil to stop the fish from sticking
- If desired sprinkle a little olive oil on the fish and add any herbs, seasoning or salt and pepper
- Place the Kingfish on the grill and cook for 5-8 minutes? each side until cooked all the way through
- Remove the fish and allow to rest (reabsorb juices) for a few minutes before serving
BBQ Kingfish (Medium Fire)
- If required marinate 30-60 minutes before
- Place the fish on the grill and cover with a pan for 8-10 minutes
- Remove the pan and turn the fish over, cook for 5-7 minutes
- Once fish separates/flakes off with a fork, remove from BBQ
Oven Baked Kingfish
- If required marinate 30-60 minutes before
- Preheat oven to 350F-175C
- Coat inside of baking dish with a little olive oil
- Place the fish into the baking dish
- Mix water and seasoning, bring to the boil and then simmer for 15 minutes on a low heat
- Heat a little oil in a non-stick pan and brown both sides of the fish
- Place browned fish into baking dish and pour in seasoned water mixture
- Bake in oven for around 15-30 minutes depending and enjoy
Broiled Kingfish
- If required marinate 30-60 minutes before
- Preheat broiler and coat with a little olive oil to stop the fish from sticking
- If desired season the kingfish say with salt and pepper
- Place the fish on the broiler and put the pan in the oven for about 4-5 minutes each side until cooked
- Leave fish to rest for a few minutes and before serving
- Add garnish if desired (e.g. tomatoes, lemon wedge, herbs, onions, salt, and pepper etc)
Poached Kingfish
- If required marinate 30-60 minutes before
- Using a skillet prepare stock poaching liquid and seasoning
- Bring to the boil for a few minutes to mix the flavors and then reduce to a low simmering heat
- Place the kingfish into the skillet with the poaching stock
- Let the fish simmer for around 15 minutes, turning once while cooking
- Once cooked through and flaky remove the fish, discard the liquid and serve
- Add garnish if desired (eg tomatoes, lemon wedge, herbs, onions, salt and pepper etc)
As you can see, when it comes to cooking kingfish there isn’t really anything you can’t do. If you fancy something a bit more interesting check out the recipes below.
Kingfish Recipe Ideas
Jamaican Fried King Fish Recipe
Indian Tamarind Kingfish Curry
And just in case, Kingfish Recipes on Pinterest
I hope this post has answered some of your questions on cooking kingfish. And helped by giving you some recipes to make a tasty meal out of kingfish – good luck and bon appétit!