Salted and baked until crisp outside and juicy inside, this whole Japanese Baked Sea Bream makes a stunning centerpiece to serve on Oshogatsu (Japanese New Year) and other celebratory occasions. Follow my recipe and cook it perfectly every time!
Prep Time15 minutesmins
Cook Time45 minutesmins
Rest Time30 minutesmins
Total Time1 hourhr30 minutesmins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Japanese
Keyword: fish
Servings: 4
Calories: 225kcal
Author: Namiko Chen
Ingredients
1red sea bream(madai 真鯛, cleaned and gutted; 17 inches (43 cm); 3 lbs (1.4 kg) whole or 2.8 lbs (1.3 kg) gutted)
Rinse 1 red sea bream, both inside and outside, under cold water. Pat dry with paper towels.
Sprinkle 1½ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt all over the fish and inside the fish. Why salt? Please read the blog post on why salting is important. Let sit for 30 minutes on the kitchen counter.
After 30 minutes, preheat the oven to 425ºF (220ºC). For a convection oven, reduce cooking temperature by 25ºF (15ºC). Use paper towels to pat dry all the moisture that has oozed out from the fish.
Score the thickest part of the flesh. Score an X on the front (presentation side), with the fish head pointing left. Make 2–3 slashes on the back (fish head pointing right). The depth of the lashes is usually midway between the skin and the bone, just enough to opening up the flesh for the heat to get through the flesh more efficiently. Read more about it in the blog post.
Coat the fins (3 locations) and tail with 2 Tbsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt to prevent them from burning. Spread out the fins when sprinkling and press the salt down with your fingers.
Find a pointy object like an ice pick (I use a takoyaki pick). Make a puncture near the tail so a bamboo skewer can go through (unfortunately, a bamboo skewer is not strong enough to puncture through the fish).
Insert the bamboo skewer through the hole in the tail, then puncture through the upper eyes.
Cover the tail and fins with aluminum foil.
Put the foil-wrapped pectoral fin on the bamboo so that it will stand up after being baked.
Place the fish on a wire rack in a baking sheet so the air will circulate underneath the fish. Place oven-safe ramekins under the fish head and tail for support.
Here’s the closer look.
To Bake
Insert an oven probe (like a Thermoworks Chef’s Alarm) into the thickest part of the flesh (through the score). Transfer the baking sheet to the oven and attach the probe to the oven.
Bake the fish at 425ºF (220ºC) until the thickest part of the fish registers 145°F (63°C) on the oven meat probe or on an instant-read thermometer, about 40–45 minutes (for a 3-lb fish).
Remove from the oven. Remove the skewer and the aluminum foil (be careful as the fins and tail may be stuck to the foil). Decorate the fish (read the blog post for some ideas) and serve immediately.
To Store
You can store the leftover in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.