minimize fishy odors Start with very fresh fish and wash it well to remove oxidized fats and bacteria-generated amines from the surface Enclose the fish in a covered pan, or pastry crust, or parchment or foil envelope, or poaching liquid, to reduce the exposure of its surface to the air; frying, broiling, and baking all propel fishy vapors into the kitchen And let the fish cool down to some extent before removing it from its enclosure; this will reduce the volatility of the vapors that do escape Heat and Fish Texture The real challenge in cooking both fish and meat is to get the texture right And the key to fish and meat texture is the transformation of muscle proteins (p 149) The cook’s challenge is to control the process of coagulation so that it doesn’t proceed too far, to the point that the muscle fibers become hard and the juice flow dries up completely Target Temperatures In meat cooking, the critical temperature is 140ºF/60ºC, when the connective-tissue collagen sheath around each muscle cell collapses, shrinks, and puts the squeeze on the fluid-filled insides, forcing juice out of the meat But fish collagen doesn’t play the same critical role, because its squeezing power is relatively weak and it collapses before coagulation and fluid flow are well underway Instead, it’s mainly the fiber protein myosin and its coagulation that determine fish texture Fish myosin and its fellow fiber proteins are more sensitive to heat than their land-animal counterparts Where meats begin to shrink from coagulation and major fluid loss at 140ºF/60ºC and are dry by 160ºF/70ºC, most fish shrink at 120ºF/50ºC and begin to become dry around 140ºF/60ºC (Compare the behaviors of meat and fish proteins in the boxes on pp 152 and 210) In general, fish and shellfish are firm but still moist when cooked to 130–140ºF/55– ... Where meats begin to shrink from coagulation and major fluid loss at 140ºF/60ºC and are dry by 160ºF/70ºC, most fish shrink at 120ºF/50ºC and begin to become dry around 140ºF/60ºC (Compare the behaviors of meat and fish proteins in the boxes on pp... Temperatures In meat cooking, the critical temperature is 140ºF/60ºC, when the connective-tissue collagen sheath around each muscle cell collapses, shrinks, and puts the squeeze on the fluid-filled insides,... Instead, it’s mainly the fiber protein myosin and its coagulation that determine fish texture Fish myosin and its fellow fiber proteins are more sensitive to heat than their land-animal counterparts