How to Cook Whiting

Co-authored by Hannah Madden

Last Updated: January 19, 2021 References Tested

Whiting is a tasty dish that can be part of the main course or its own meal. These tiny fish are packed with flavor—plus, they’re low in calories! If you’d like to cook up some whiting, you can use a barbeque, a broiler, or a frying pan for a delicious dish in minutes.

Ingredients

¹⁄₄ c (59 mL) of olive oil or 30 g (2 tbsp) of melted butter
8 to 10 whole whiting or fillets
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tsp (8.4 g) of dried oregano
Zest from 2 to 3 lemons

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Preparation

1
Cut the fish open from the top to the tail. If the fish still have the heads and tails attached, use a sharp knife to cut them both off. Flip the fish over and cut straight down from the top to the bottom, but don’t cut all the way through.^{[1]
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- This is called butterflying a fish.
- Have your fishmonger gut and scale the fish before you bring it home.
- If you’re working with fillets, don’t worry about cutting or flattening them.
2
Flatten the fish by pressing on its spine. Turn the fish over again and press down hard on the back of the fish. Spread the fish flat to turn it into one butterflied piece instead of a whole fish.^{[2]
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- Whiting are pretty small, so it’s not hard to manipulate them into the butterfly shape.
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3
Brush butter or olive oil onto the skin. Use ¹⁄₄ c (59 mL) of olive oil or 30 g (2 tbsp) of melted butter to coat the outside of each fish. You can use a pastry brush or a napkin to spread your oil or butter evenly.^{[3]
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- Olive oil is a little bit lighter, while butter adds a creamier, richer taste to each fish.
4
Season the fish with salt, pepper, oregano, and lemon zest. Sprinkle salt and black pepper liberally over each fish to give them an extra kick. Then, turn each fish over and sprinkle them with 2 tsp (8.4 g) of dried oregano and the zest of 2 to 3 lemons.^{[4]
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5
Place the fish in the fridge for 1 hour. Cover the fish with plastic wrap to let the seasoning soak in. Take the fish out 15 minutes before you start cooking and let them sit at room temperature to warm up just slightly.^{[5]
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- If you cook the fish while they’re still cold from the fridge, they might cook unevenly.

Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Grill

1
Set the grill to high heat. You can use a barbeque or a grill top inside. Set your device to high heat and let it warm up for about 5 minutes while you prepare your fish.^{[6]
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- Charcoal barbeques might need a slightly longer time to heat up.
2
Reduce the heat to medium and place the fish on the grill skin-side up for 1 minute. Use tongs to carefully place each piece of fish onto your grill. Set your timer for 1 minute, and watch the edges of the fish as they turn white.^{[7]
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- Whiting is so small and thin that it doesn’t take long to cook at all.
3
Flip the fish and cook them for 1 more minute. Use your tongs to flip each piece of fish so the skin faces down, then set your timer for another minute. When you see steam starting to rise from the fish, they’re done!^{[8]
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- You might also see a few burnt patches on the skin-side, which is fine.
4
Transfer the whiting to a plate. Grab your tongs one more time and put your pieces of whiting on a plate. You can serve them with freshly sliced cucumbers, a salad, or white rice.^{[9]
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- You can put the fish on the plate any direction you’d like, but skin-side down usually looks the best.

Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Broiler

1
Preheat the broiler in your oven. Hit the broiler button on your oven to turn it on and let it heat up for 5 to 10 minutes. The broiler is the top of your oven that gets super hot, usually around 500 °F (260 °C).^{[10]
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- Broiling is better than baking because the broiler is super hot. Low temperatures and long bake times can dry the whiting out and make it too crunchy to eat.
2
Place the fish on a rack skin-side down. Place a metal rack on a baking tray, then carefully arrange your whiting skin-side down. Make sure they don’t overlap or touch so that each piece gets cooked evenly.^{[11]
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3
Slide the tray under the broiler and set a timer for 1 to 2 minutes. Try to leave around 1.5 to 2 in (3.8 to 5.1 cm) of space between the tray and the broiler. Set a timer for 1 to 2 minutes, and keep an eye on the fish as they cook.^{[12]
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- When the surface of the fish becomes white and the ends start browning, it’s time to flip them.
4
Flip each fish and broil them for another 1 to 2 minutes. Grab the tray and quickly turn each fish over so the skin-side faces up. Put the tray back into the oven and set a timer for 1 to 2 minutes.^{[13]
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- When the skin starts blistering with burnt patches, the fish is done!
5
Take the tray out and put the whiting on a plate. Use your tongs to transfer the fish onto a plate. Serve the fish while it’s still hot, either on its own or with rice.^{[14]
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- You can also serve it with roasted vegetables or a salad.

Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Frying Pan

1
Heat ¹⁄₂ US tbsp (7.4 mL) of olive oil in a pan over high heat. Use a medium or large frying pan. Place it on your stovetop and let it heat up for about 5 minutes before you add your fish.^{[15]
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- If you’re worried about the fish sticking to your pan, you could also crinkle up a piece of aluminum foil and put it in your pan. It may take the fish a little longer to cook, but they won’t burn or stick.
2
Set the fish on the pan skin-side up for 2 to 3 minutes. Use tongs to gently lay the fish down on the pan without overlapping each other. Keep an eye on your fish, since they’ll cook quickly!^{[16]
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- You may hear a crackling as the fish hit the pan, but that’s normal.
3
Flip the pieces and cook them for another 2 to 3 minutes. Use your tongs to flip each piece of fish over. Set a timer for another 2 to 3 minutes, then take the fish off when they start steaming.^{[17]
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- Whiting are very thin, so they’ll start to get crispy right away.
4
Transfer the fish to a plate before serving. Grab your tongs one more time and use them to transfer the fish onto a plate. Eat the whiting while it’s still warm for the best flavor and texture.^{[18]
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- Add some extra citrus by drizzling lemon juice over your whiting before you eat it.