The Best Way To Cook Trout For Maximum Nutritional Value

Many of us are trying to eat healthier, from turning our yards into plots to grow our own veggies to eating two portions of fish per week, as recommended by the American Heart Association. Now, we're suckers for a slab of salmon, but trout is just as succulent and tasty and is packed full of vitamins, minerals, and omega-3 fatty acids. The best way to ensure as much of that good stuff as possible makes it to your plate is to use a gentle cooking method like steaming your trout. You can use a bamboo steamer, make one yourself in a pan, or seal your fillets in foil or parchment paper with a little liquid before baking them.

Done right, all three methods will give you delicious, juicy fish that are served with most of their precious nutrients intact. The reason steaming preserves trout's essentials such as omega-3 and vitamin D so well is because it's a lower-temperature form of cooking. High-heat methods, such as pan frying or broiling, can damage omega-3 fatty acids in some fish, with one study finding that tuna lost up to 85% of that nutrient when fried (via Journal of Food Science and Technology). Likewise, cooking at a high temperature for a long time can also reduce omega-3 and omega-6 levels in fish (per the Food Chemistry: X). Steaming trout not only retains more of its precious nutrients, but it also helps ensure a succulent fillet for your dinner.

While steaming is possibly the best method to maximize the nutrition of trout, hot on its heels are microwaving and baking. The former is a quick 'n' easy way to cook a trout fillet without making it dry 'n' yucky, allowing fish to hang on to almost all its omega-3 fatty acids. It does the same for salmon, too. Unlike pan-searing or broiling, microwaving your trout won't create potentially harmful compounds. Then there's baking — sans covering — which, while you might think is a high-heat way to go, also cooks the fish in just a few minutes, which still helps to maximize your trout's essential vitamins and minerals.

Steaming trout isn't just a great way to lock in all its nutritional benefits; it's also an incredibly flexible way to enhance the fish's delicate flavor. Cooking "en papillotte" (wrapping fillets in foil or parchment paper) is one of our favorite methods, because it offers a chance to play around with added ingredients before the parcel is closed up. A slice of lemon, a slug of wine, and torn-up basil leaves make for a delicious sauce — and the smell when the paper or foil is opened is out of this world! If you prefer your trout served with spice, a splash of sriracha will do the trick, while this smoky condiment, perfect for pizzas, will bring brightness, too. Just make sure it's enough to complement and not overwhelm the more delicate flavor of your trout.