The Trick To Cooking Fish Without Stinking Up Your House

Fish may not be the cheapest protein you can get, but it is easily one of the most nutritious. As an example, a half wild Atlantic salmon filet has 280 calories and 12.5 grams of fat — and not just any ordinary fat, but omega-3 fats, which have a host of health benefits (via Very Well Fit). You could even consider fish to be the perfect protein if it didn't stink up your living space while you were preparing it. 

Turns out, there are ways to prepare and cook fish without leaving your home smelling unpleasant, and it starts with getting a really fresh piece of seafood. "The best way to have fish not smell is to work with your fishmonger and get really fresh fish. The bottom line is that fish should smell like the sea — not fishy," Ohio chef Joshua Dalton tells Eat This, Not That! Visit the fishmonger when you're ready to cook your fish on the same day, because as Delish warns, the longer fish sits in the refrigerator, the more smelly it becomes. Once you're ready to cook, you may also want to soak the fillet in milk, because it binds with a compound known as trimethethylamine; once you drain the milk, you're also left with a less stinky piece of fish.

There are several ways to prepare fish without leaving your home smelling of cooked fish. We do not jest! Delish suggests cooking your fish while it is wrapped in parchment paper or foil, because the smell isn't as likely to permeate through something solid. You might also want to poach your fish fillets (the smell gets trapped in the water), and if you have an outdoor grill, that would be an option, too. At least the smell is outdoors!

Bon Appetit's Molly Baz says if you really want to keep your kitchen smelling fresh and fish-free, the best way to go about it is to use what she calls the "low and slow" method.  Heat your oven to 300 degrees, place a seasoned fillet on a tray, drizzle with olive oil, then top with spices, or flavors from citrus slices, to smashed garlic. Bake until the fish fillet flakes under the pressure from the back of a spoon. Enjoy!