Campfire Pan-Seared Fish
This campfire pan-seared fish is made with fish seared in butter and oil cooked over a fire (or on a camp stove). Make this on your next camping trip!
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 237kcal
Equipment
- heat-resistant glove For handling hot pan
- plates + forks
Ingredients
- 1 pound fish fillets (4-5 fillets) Cleaned, pin-bones removed. If frozen, thaw before preparing. See Recipe Notes "Types of Fish"
- ¼ cup flour (You will likely have extra) Use gluten-free AP flour if needed.
- pinch salt, pepper
- pinch French or Italian herb mixture
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil Or another oil with a high smoke-point
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 lemon, cut into wedges
Instructions
- Prepare fish: Pat fillets dry. Dust heavily with flour, and shake off any excess. Sprinkle them on both sides with salt, pepper and herb mixture.Prepare campfire + pan: Prepare a heavy pan with the avocado oil. Place pan on campfire grate over indirect heat until the oil is hot and shimmers.
- To cook the fish, work in batches and avoid crowding the fish. You want to have plenty of room to flip the fish.Place the 2-3 fillets skin-side down in the pan. (If your fillets don't have skin, it doesn't matter which side you cook first.) Cook until the bottom is golden, about 3 minutes for thin fillets or longer for thicker fillets. For thicker fillets, you can also observe the sides of the fillets to know when to flip. The fish will turn opaque from the bottom up. When it's halfway opaque, it's probably time to flip. Use a thin metal spatula to test the fish. If you can slide the spatula under the fish without the fish sticking to the pan, it's ready to flip. If the fillets won't release, give them another 30 seconds. They'll release when they've finished cooking.After flipping, divide the butter over both fillets. (Or place butter in between multiple fillets.)
- Cook fish another 2-3 minutes until done. Fish will be golden on both the top and bottom and opaque all the way through when finished cooking.Transfer the fish to plates, leaving the excess butter and oil in the pan. Cover fish to keep warm. Repeat with remaining fish, only adding additional oil or butter if the pan seems dry. Serve fish hot with lemon wedges.
Notes
Types of Fish: The type of fish you cook will affect the cook time and how delicate the fish is. Here are some basic guidelines:
- Thin, lean, white fish: Will cook quickly, and will be ready to flip once the bottom side is golden. Often extremely flaky and delicate. (Examples: bass, tilapia, branzino, flounder, sole)
- Thicker cuts of lean white fish: Keep the heat low to avoid over-cooking. Watching the sides of the fish will help you know when to flip, because the fish will go from translucent to opaque. Often, thicker cuts of white fish are pricey, so use extra care when cooking over unpredictable campfire heat. (Examples: haddock, halibut, cod)
- Oily fish: Less likely to stick to the pan. Watching the sides of the fish will help you know when to flip, because the fish will become opaque from the bottom up. (Examples: trout, salmon)
- Pat the fish dry before adding flour. Wet or damp fish won't sear well.
- Make sure the oil and pan are both hot before adding the fish.
- Because campfires can cause the pan to get incredibly hot, make sure to start the fish in oil, not butter. (Butter will likely burn if added directly to the hot, empty pan.) Butter is added only after flipping the fish.
- If at all possible, it would be helpful to practice pan-searing fish on your stovetop at home before attempting it on a campfire. The technique isn't difficult, but can take some practice to get right.
Nutrition
Calories: 237kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 72mg | Sodium: 200mg | Potassium: 356mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 0.2g | Vitamin A: 175IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 14mg | Iron: 1mg