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When most people think of sardines, a can of salty, marinated fish probably comes to mind. But did you know that it’s easy and quick to cook fresh sardines, too? Sardines contain high levels of healthy Omega-3 fatty acids, making the tiny fish a nutritious addition to your favorite meals. In this article, we’ll show you the best ways to prepare these tasty fish on the grill, in the oven, and more. Let’s dive in!
Steps
Buying & Prepping Fresh Sardines
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1Buy fresh sardines at the grocery store or fish market.[1]
- Look for whole fish that smell clean. Avoid bruised sardines-you want the best product when you make sardines.
- Stay away from old fish. Aged sardines will have "belly burn," a condition where the guts start to come out of the fish.
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2Scale the sardines by holding them under cold running water. When you prepare sardines, you want to remove all the rough skin. Rub your fingers back and forth over the sides, brushing off any remaining scales.Advertisement
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3Gut the sardines 1 at a time by holding the fish in one hand with the belly facing up. To prepare sardines, cut the entire length of the fish's belly with a sharp fillet knife. Remove the innards and discard them.[2]
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4Remove the bones from the fish.[3]
- Use the fillet knife to slice along each side of the backbone behind the ribs.
- Cut underneath the ribs of the fresh sardine and slice upward, away from the backbone.
- Use sharp scissors to snip the backbone where it connects to the head and where it meets the tail.
- Remove the backbones with your thumb and forefinger before you cook sardines. Start at the tail and move your hand along the bone toward the head. As you move along the spine, lift the bone from the fish.
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5Rub the fish with lemon juice. To prepare sardines, add a little seasoning, such as salt and pepper.
Grilling Sardines
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1Turn your grill on. If you use briquettes, give them plenty of time to heat up. The briquettes will be ready when they are almost completely gray.[4]
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2Brush grape leaves with olive oil. When you make sardines, you want to keep them moist and juicy. Wrap each fish in a grape leaf.
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3Cook sardines for 5 to 6 minutes on 1 side and then gently turn them over with kitchen tongs.[5]
Frying Sardines
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1Coat a frying pan with olive oil.
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2Turn a stove burner on medium and place the pan on it. Let the pan warm up for 3 to 5 minutes. To prepare sardines with a little more zest, dice up an onion and sauté it for 4 minutes before you add the fish.
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3Put the sardines in the frying pan, taking care not to splatter the hot oil. Cook sardines on each side for 2 to 4 minutes, turning them over gently with kitchen tongs or a spatula.
Broiling Sardines
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1Turn your oven to broil and let it warm up for 10 minutes. Prepare sardines for broiling by rubbing them with olive oil.
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2Set the fresh sardines on a double-broiler pan and then put them in middle rack of the oven.
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3Cook sardines for 5 to 10 minutes, watching them to make sure they do not burn.[6]
Baking Sardines
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1Heat the oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).
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2Brush an oven-safe pan with olive oil while the oven warms up.
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3Place your fish side-by-side in the baking pan.
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4Cook sardines in the preheated oven for 10 minutes.[7]
Community Q&A
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QuestionDo I have to gut sardines?
Community AnswerIf you are cooking them whole as in the photo, you do not need to gut them. Just rub off the scales with a cloth or paper towel, then wash and pat dry. If they are not too big, you can eat everything; otherwise, they come off the bone easily once cooked. -
QuestionWhat do I do with the heads?
MicheleTop AnswererYou can cook and eat the heads of sardines. There are a number of Chinese recipes that call for fish heads or deep fry them. You can make a fumet or fish stock from the heads and bones. You can feed them to your cats or dogs, or you can throw them out, which would be a waste. -
QuestionDo I need to gut the sardines before I cook them?
Community AnswerIf you are cooking them whole as in the photo, then you do not need to gut them. Just rub off the scales with a cloth or paper towel. Wash and pat dry. If they are not too big, you can eat everything, but otherwise they come off the bone easily once cooked.
Warnings
- Be careful when you cook with oil. If it splatters, it can cause severe burns or start a fire.⧼thumbs_response⧽
- Never freeze fresh sardines.⧼thumbs_response⧽
Things You'll Need
- Fresh sardines
- Cold running water
- Sharp fillet knife
- Sharp scissors
- Lemon juice
- Grill or oven
- Olive oil
- Grape leaves
- Salt
- Pepper
- Frying pan, double-broiler or baking dish
- Onion
- Kitchen tongs
- Spatula
- Oven mitt
References
- ↑ http://seafood.edf.org/buying-fish-what-you-need-know
- ↑ https://www.seriouseats.com/2018/04/how-to-clean-and-fillet-fresh-sardines.html
- ↑ https://www.seriouseats.com/2018/04/how-to-clean-and-fillet-fresh-sardines.html
- ↑ https://www.artofmanliness.com/articles/the-art-of-summer-grilling/
- ↑ https://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2012/10/grilled-sardines-lemon-garlic-paprika.html
- ↑ https://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-broiled-15167
- ↑ https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/baked-sardines-in-pepperonata
- http://fishcooking.about.com/od/littlefish/p/sardine_profile.htm
- http://chestofbooks.com/food/recipes/How-To-Cook-Fish/Twenty-Ways-To-Cook-Sardines.html
About This Article
To cook sardines, start by getting fresh sardines that smell clean and don't look damaged. Rinse the sardines by holding them under running water and rubbing your fingers back and forth across their skin to remove their scales. You should also remove the guts and backbone with a pair of kitchen shears or a sharp knife. Once they are prepped, rub the fish with some lime juice and season with salt and pepper. Then, place them in a hot pan with some olive oil, cooking for 2 to 4 minutes per side or until the flesh is flaky. To learn how to bake or grill sardines, scroll down!
