by Elisabeth Duckeck
I love air fryer recipes, especially when it comes to avoiding cooking smells and the feeling that you have to give the kitchen a thorough clean afterwards.
This dish definitely falls into that category.
Why I prefer cooking sea bream in the air fryer
Until now, I had always cooked whole sea bream in a Teflon-coated frying pan. The only advantage of this method is that it requires no additional fat. As sea bream is a relatively fatty fish, you can simply place it in a very hot pan and let it cook away. In my experience, by the end of the cooking time, the fish’s own fat collects in the pan.
The downside of cooking sea bream in a frying pan is that the fat splatters all over the hob and the wall behind it. The smell of frying fish also spreads throughout the kitchen and even into the rest of the house. Unless you clean everything immediately afterwards, the smell tends to linger until you finally get around to cleaning the kitchen and washing the pan.
Why air frying sea bream is so much easier
Not so with the air fryer. I was actually a little hesitant to try air fryer sea bream at first because I was worried that these strong cooking smells would linger inside the air fryer unless I practically put the whole thing in the dishwasher afterwards.
But that is not the case at all! I was really surprised after the first time I tried it – not only by how little smell and cleaning there was, but also by the cooking result.
Compared with cooking the fish in a frying pan, there is hardly any strong fish smell in the kitchen, and the hob stays perfectly clean. Surprisingly little fat splatters around inside the air fryer, so after letting it cool down for a short while, you can easily wipe the interior clean while it is still slightly warm. (Don’t forget to unplug the air fryer first!)
The biggest surprise, however, was that compared with pan-fried sea bream, the fish comes out beautifully crispy on the outside while remaining tender and juicy on the inside.
Choosing the right size of air fryer
An important consideration when cooking whole fish in an air fryer is making sure that the fish has enough space. If you have an XL air fryer, you can usually fit two sea bream weighing up to around 500 g each. As I use a Cosori Turbo Tower, I can divide larger fish between the two cooking baskets or even cook three sea bream at once.
Tips for the success of your cooking
To ensure that the fish cooks evenly, I recommend making several diagonal cuts on both sides. The cuts can be slightly deeper here, allowing the heat to penetrate the fish more evenly.
For extra juiciness, I recommend placing a few lemon slices inside the cavity. For a lovely aroma, you can also add a sprig of fresh rosemary, oregano or thyme, and press a few more sprigs into the cuts.
Cooking tip: Check the internal temperature
The fish is perfectly cooked when it reaches an internal temperature of at least 67°C (153°F). My fish usually reaches 70–75°C (158–167°F), but it is still beautifully juicy and the flesh comes away from the bones wonderfully easily.
Last but not least:
The air fryer sea bream has definitely changed the way I cook whole sea bream. Less mess, hardly any lingering smell and, most importantly, beautifully crispy and juicy fish – what more could you ask for?
AIR FRYER SEA BREAM
Equipment
- air-fryer
- Kitchen scissors or poultry shears
- Chopping board
- Sharp kitchen knife
- Lemon squeezer or fork
- Olive oil spray bottle
- Kitchen paper
What you need
- 2 whole sea bream cleaned and ready to cook
- 1-2 lemons
- Fresh rosemary sprigs
- Salt
- Olive oil in a spray bottle
How to prepare
- Rinse the sea bream under cold running water. Using kitchen scissors or poultry shears, remove the dorsal, pectoral, pelvic and tail fins.
- Pat the fish dry with kitchen paper and make several diagonal cuts into both sides of each fish using a sharp knife.
- Spray both sides of the fish with olive oil and drizzle with lemon juice. Season generously with salt, both inside and out.
- Cut one lemon into thin slices. Depending on the size of the fish, place 1–2 lemon slices inside the cavity of each sea bream.
- Press fresh rosemary sprigs into the cuts on both sides of the fish and place another 1–2 rosemary sprigs inside each cavity.
- Place the fish in the air fryer basket.
- Cook at 180°C (356°F) for 15–20 minutes using the air fryer setting. The fish is ready when the internal temperature reaches at least 67°C (153°F).
Loved this Sea Bream Air Fryer recipe? Find more ideas for dishes and follow this link to Fish dishes
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