Is Your Slow Cooker The Key To Tender, Flaky Fish Or A Recipe For A Mushy Seafood Mess?

Everyone loves a good slow cooker. If you want to use a CrockPot like a pro, though, there are rules you've got to adhere to. Namely, don't use it to cook fish. While slow-cooked fish may sound delicious, it could end in disaster. Katie Lee Biegel, FultonFishMarket.com's culinary curator, gave Chowhound the rundown.

"Fish is just too delicate," she said. "It cooks so fast that putting it in a slow cooker can make it rubbery or mushy." Fish is unique in this way. It cooks a lot faster than beef or pork, for example. When it comes to preparing fish, the 10-minute rule is gospel. Meaning: for every inch of thickness, cook a fish for 10 minutes, and only flip it once. Too much cooking and flipping makes the meat fall apart. So, what should you put in your CrockPot instead? "Save the slow cooker for your short ribs," Biegel advised.

Like any rule, there are exceptions. Seafood stews can be made in slow cookers, though only if you add the fish at the end, Katie Lee Biegel warned. This will lightly poach the meat without going overboard. Waiting times vary, but it's generally safe to add fish to your stew after 30 minutes, if it's not frozen. Unless you're a CrockPot connoisseur, it might be best to stay away.

Thankfully, those still dead-set on a fish dinner have options. "I love slow-roasting fish in the oven at a low temp around 300 degrees Fahrenheit," Biegel said. "I'll lay the fish in a baking dish with some olive oil, lemon slices, fresh herbs... maybe a few cherry tomatoes." The result? "It comes out tender, flaky, and super flavorful." This meal sounds delicious, regardless of what fish you use, though mackerel and grouper are among the best cheap fish to buy. To make, Biegel recommends a baking dish. If you're a beginner, however, a sheet pan can be an easier way to cook fish.