Grilled Haddock Fillets are easy and versatile, take less than 10 minutes to cook and you can serve them with a wide variety of sides. Here I'll show you how to cook Haddock fillets under a grill, on a BBQ or outdoor grill, or bake them in foil in the oven. I've included a simple lemon and herb dressing as well as many other suggestions.
Haddock is a delicately flavoured, slightly sweet white fish. It's widely available and pairs well with lots of flavours. Part of the cod family, but with thinner and more delicate fillets. It's lean, mild, and low in mercury.
This recipe uses 'plain haddock'. For recipes that use 'smoked haddock', try my Smoked Haddock Fishcakes or for a rice-based dish, Kedgeree with Smoked Haddock is perfect. For hearty thick broths, you'll love Cullen Skink, a traditional Scottish dish, or Smoked Haddock and Prawn Chowder.
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Ingredients
- Haddock fillets - fresh haddock should smell of the sea and not have a 'fishy' smell. As a guide, use 170-225g or 6-8oz of fillet per person. Cut larger fillets in two.
Select your preferred cooking method from the list below. Mix the sauce ingredients together, pour over the fish, and cook.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to prepare Haddock for grilling and cooking
Haddock fillets are not as thick or dense as cod fillets and it is best to leave the skin on whilst cooking so the fish doesn't fall apart.
Check your fillets for bones by running your finger the length of the fillet. Remove any bones with fish tweezers or give a firm tug straight up with your fingers. You can also use ordinary tweezers. Fish tweezers are thicker and make this job easy. If you have a large fillet, turn a bowl upside down and drape the fish fillet over the bowl flesh side up. This will help you easily spot any small bones.
Pat your fillets dry before cooking. This stops them from having a mushy texture.
Season with a little salt and pepper or spices. (see the list below for suggestions)
The cooking time will depend on the thickness of your haddock fillets. One-inch thickness takes around 8-10 minutes.
Cooking under a grill or broiler (USA)
Cooking haddock under a grill or broiler (US) is straightforward.
Mix a simple grilled haddock marinade of olive oil, lemon juice, zest, garlic, and fresh chives together in a bowl.
Place the fillets on a baking tray, season, and drizzle the dressing over the top to stop them drying out. Cook for 8-10 minutes under the grill on the middle shelf until the fish is opaque. Thicker fillets will take slightly longer.
How to grill Haddock on the BBQ or grill (USA)
Tear off a length of tin foil, twice the width of the haddock fillet. Use a heavy-duty foil or double-layer it. Drizzle with a little oil. Place the fillet in the centre of the foil and drizzle with a little dressing. Bring up the short sides then scrunch the long sides together along the top of the fillet to make a parcel.
The foil parcel will allow the haddock to steam over the BBQ or grill and stop it from getting stuck to the wire rack or falling down the grill grates. Over a medium heat, bake the haddock for 6-8 minutes until it flakes easily. Cooking the haddock in foil pouches like this means you don't need to flip or turn the fish and it will stay warm.
How to bake Haddock in the oven
Baking is a great method if you're using a marinade
Preheat the oven to 160°C or 325°F. Place your haddock fillets in an oven-proof dish.
Pour over the marinade. Bake for 25 minutes.
Seasoning ideas
Haddock has a delicate flavour and easily takes on the flavours of seasoning. These are some seasoning suggestions that go well with Haddock.
- Lemon Zest and juice
- Minced garlic
- Dill
- Rosemary
- Chives
- Thyme
- Curry powder
- Spices
- Seafood rubs
- Cajun seasoning
Marinades
Marinading is a great way to infuse haddock with some delicious flavours.
When marinating in lemon juice, you should only marinade for 10 -15 minutes maximum, or the acidic lemon juice will start to cook the fish.
For a more Asian flavour, I like this Ginger and soy marinade from Platter Talk.
For more ideas, check out these 5 Mouthwatering Marinades for Fish from Better Fish
What to serve with grilled Haddock
You can serve haddock with a wide variety of side dishes. Here are some suggestions.
- Vegetables - green beans, asparagus, tender stem broccoli, garden peas, grilled courgette (zucchini), grilled aubergine (eggplant)
- Sauces - lemon sauce, tartare sauce or a ratatouille sauce
- Carbs - new potatoes, roasted potatoes, sweet potato wedges or fries, rice, couscous.
- You could also try this Stuffed Pepper and Couscous recipe for something a bit special.
Sustainability
Buy Haddock from a sustainable source to helps protects fish stocks and ensure it is sourced in a way that doesn't harm other marine life. The easiest way to know is to look out for the blue Marine Conservation Society logo. The Marine Conservation Society monitors the sustainability of different fish stocks. Their Good Fish Guide has all the up-to-date information.
Storage
Fish is always best served fresh but you can store cooked haddock in the fridge for up to 2 days. Store in an airtight container to stop the smell from contaminating other food in your fridge.
Top tip
Don't overcook your fish. Fish is cooked when the flesh turns opaque and flakes easily.
FAQ
It is always best to thoroughly defrost Haddock before cooking as the excess water will give the fish a mushy texture. You should defrost the fillets overnight in a refrigerator. Haddock shouldn't be defrosted in a microwave as the fish is too delicate and even on a defrost setting parts of the fish will start to cook.
Related
Looking for other easy white Fish recipes? Try these:
📖 Recipe
Grilled Haddock
Ingredients
- 680 g Haddock Fillet 170g-225g / 6-8oz per person skin on, bones removed
- 1 lemon juice and zest
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 clove garlic minced
- 4 teaspoon Fresh Chives
Instructions
- Mix the sauce ingredients together in a bowl1 lemon, 2 tablespoon olive oil, 2 clove garlic, 4 teaspoon Fresh Chives
- Select a cooking method for your haddock from the list below.680 g Haddock Fillet 170g-225g / 6-8oz per person
Under a Grill or Broiler(USA)
- Place some tin foil or baking parchment on a baking tray and drizzle with a little olive oil.
- Place the fillets on the tray, season, and drizzle a little dressing over the top to stop them drying out. Cook for 5-7 minutes under the grill until the fish is opaque. Thicker fillets will take slightly longer.
On a BBQ or Grill (USA)
- Tear off a length of tin foil, twice the width of the haddock fillet. Use a heavy-duty foil or double-layer it. Drizzle with a little olive oil. Place the fillet in the centre of the foil and add the dressing. Bring up the short sides then scrunch the long sides together along the top of the fillet to make a parcel.
- The foil parcel will allow the haddock to steam over the BBQ or grill and stop it from getting stuck to the wire rack. Over a medium heat, bake the haddock for 6-8 minutes until it flakes easily. Cooking the haddock in foil pouches like this means you don't need to flip or turn the fish and it will stay warm.
How to Bake In the Oven
- Baking is a great method if you're using a marinade. Pre-heat the oven to 160°C or 325°F.
- Place your haddock fillets in an oven-proof dish and pour over the marinade. Bake for 25 minutes.
Notes
Ingredient Notes
Haddock fillets - fresh haddock should smell of the sea and not have a 'fishy' smell. As a guide, use 170-225g or 6-8oz of fillet per person. Cut larger fillets in two.Seasoning Ideas
Haddock has a delicate flavour and easily takes on the flavours of seasoning. These are some seasoning suggestions that go well with Haddock. Lemon Zest and juice, minced garlic, dill, rosemary, chives, thyme, curry powder, spices, seafood rubs, cajun seasoning.Marinades
Marinading is a great way to infuse haddock with some delicious flavours. When marinading in lemon juice, only marinade for 10 -15 minutes maximum, or the acidic lemon juice will start to cook the fish. For a more Asian flavour, I like this Ginger and soy marinade from Platter Talk. For more ideas, check out these 5 Mouthwatering Marinades for Fish from Better FishStorage
Fish is always best served fresh but you can store cooked haddock in the fridge for up to 2 days. Store in an airtight container to stop the smell from contaminating other food in your fridge.Nutrition per serving
The Nutritional Values are computer generated estimates based on industry standards and are provided as a helpful guide only.
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