How to Make Butter Poached Fish
This Butter Poached Fish recipe will teach you everything you need to know for how to poach fish in butter, which is actually really simple. The fish is delicate, rich and so delicious.
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There are a lot of different ways to cook fish, but poaching fish in butter is a delicious, yet simple cooking technique.
It's one of the fancier cooking methods, but it also happens to be one of the easiest. Lobster, shrimp, clams, crab, and any firm, meaty fish can be butter poached, and I've poached them all while working as a private chef. It's such a foolproof method that ensures the seafood turns out perfect every time.
The key to perfect butter poaching fish is to never let the butter boil. That will be your biggest challenge. Tiny bubbles around the edges of the pan should be the hottest you ever let it get, and you should even try to avoid that.
A really nice, slow poach in butter will result in fish that's incredibly tender and rich with the perfect delicate and supple texture. Keep reading to learn my secrets to perfect butter poaching!
For more great fish recipes, try this simple Flounder Meuniere recipe or this Easy Baked Flounder Oreganata. Both recipes work well with different types of fish!
Why This Recipe Works
- It's almost impossible to overcook.
- Fish cooks in about 15-20 minutes.
Dry white wine - Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, unoaked Chardonnay, Soave, Picpoul, and Grenache Blanc are a few types of dry white wines that can be used.
Butter - Use a good quality salted European butter since they have a higher butter fat content and more flavor than standard American butters. I prefer salted butter over unsalted butter for the best flavor.
Seasonings - I like garlic and thyme, but you can play around with other spices if you’d like.
Vegetables - Use any vegetables you would like. I recommend choosing vegetables with similar cooking times.
Fish - This cooking method can be applied to any type of firm fish. Look for something sustainable and fresh. Cod, halibut, sea bass, grouper, rockfish, tilefish, and barramundi are all great options. If you use fish with skin on, remove it before cooking.
*Find the full ingredient list in the recipe card below!
Helpful Equipment
Large sauté pan - You'll need a pan with high sides to hold the fish and poaching liquid.
Slotted spoon - A slotted spoon helps to get the veggies out of the cooking liquid. You can also use a slotted spatula or a fork.
Fish spatula - If you have thicker fish, you may need to flip them. A fish spatula makes flipping easy.
How to butter poach fish: Step by Step Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Pour white wine into a large sauté pan with high sides and place over medium-low heat. Slowly melt butter with the garlic, and thyme. Swirl the pan around to allow the butter to slowly melt.
Optional: Cook the veggies
- Add the vegetables, then gently toss to coat with butter.
- Poach for about 5 minutes, then use a slotted spoon to transfer the vegetables to a roasting pan and finish cooking in the oven (leave the garlic and thyme behind). Cook-time will vary depending on the vegetables and their size.
- Check after 10 minutes - they’ll be done when a fork can easily pierce the center.
Poach the fish
- Pat the fish dry with a paper towel and carefully place in the butter.
- Season with salt and pepper, then swirl the pan around so butter coats the top of each fillet.
- Adjust the heat to keep the butter just below a simmer in order to prevent it from breaking.
- Allow the fish to poach slowly until it becomes opaque. Thicker fillets may be flipped over to finish cooking on the other side.
Plate and Serve
- Spoon vegetables onto a plate, then carefully place a barramundi fillet over top.
- Drizzle some of the butter sauce around the plate, then sprinkle the fish with flaky sea salt and parsley.
- Serve with lemon wedges on the side if desired.
Tips for Success
- Pat fish dry with a paper towel before placing in the poaching liquid.
- Don’t let the butter boil. Keep it just below a simmer.
- The fish is done when it becomes opaque. If you prefer a more concrete way to know when it's safe to eat, the internal temperature on an instant-read thermometer will be 145 degrees F in the thickest part of the fish.
- Leftover butter may be frozen and used to poach fish again at a later date.
- A number of different vegetables work well with this preparation. Try broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, asparagus, parsnips, winter squash, radishes, turnips, or your favorite vegetable. Root vegetables may require a bit more time in the oven.
What to serve with butter poached fish
This dish is a complete meal all on its own, with the fish, vegetables and butter sauce. However, it's nice to start with an appetizer like crispy fried calamari or baked Italian clams oreganata.
You can never go wrong serving an extra side of greens like this recipe for sautéed broccoli rabe, parmesan spinach or Neapolitan style escarole.
Don't forget to end your meal with a special dessert like these chocolate soufflé cakes or a homemade cannoli!
butter poached fish FAQ
Store leftover fish in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Reheat in the oven at 275 degrees F, in a covered oven safe dish with a bit of water in the bottom for about 10 minutes. You can also enjoy the cold fish over a salad.
Fresh fish is best, but you can use frozen fish for this recipe. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and pat dry before using.
Add to an airtight container, like a freezer bag, and save it for next time. It can be used 3 or 4 more times.
You can use clarified butter, but the milk solids in regular melted butter give the fish a necessary richness you won't get with clarified butter.
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How to Make Butter Poached Fish (Recipe with Video)
Ingredients
- ¼ cup dry white wine
- 14 tablespoons good quality salted butter
- 1 clove garlic smashed
- 1 sprig fresh thyme
- 4 cups assorted vegetables such as carrots baby potatoes and/or zucchini*
- 4 6- ounce skinless firm white fish fillets such as barramundi, cod, halibut, sea bass or grouper
- salt and pepper
- flaky sea salt for serving
- Minced fresh parsley for serving
- Lemon wedges for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Pour white wine into a large sauté pan with high sides and place over medium-low heat. Add the butter, garlic, and thyme, then swirl the pan around and allow the butter to slowly melt.
- Add the vegetables, then gently toss to coat with butter. Poach for about 5 minutes, then use a slotted spoon to transfer the vegetables to a roasting pan and finish cooking in the oven (leave the garlic and thyme behind). Cook-time will vary depending on the vegetables and their size. Check after 10 minutes - they’ll be done when a fork can easily pierce the center.
- Carefully place the fish fillets in the butter. Season with salt and pepper, then swirl the pan around so butter coats the top of each fillet. Adjust the heat to keep the butter just below a simmer in order to prevent it from breaking. Allow the fish to poach slowly until it becomes opaque. Thicker fillets may be flipped over to finish cooking on the other side.
- Spoon vegetables on to a plate, then carefully place a barramundi fillet over top. Drizzle some of the butter sauce around the plate, then sprinkle the fish with flaky sea salt and parsley. Serve with lemon wedges on the side if desired.
Notes
- Pat fish dry with a paper towel before placing in the poaching liquid.
- Don’t let the butter boil. Keep it just below a simmer.
- The fish is done when it becomes opaque. If you prefer a more concrete way to know when it's safe to eat, the internal temperature on an instant-read thermometer will be 145 degrees F in the thickest part of the fish.
- Leftover butter may be frozen and used to poach fish again at a later date.
- *A number of different vegetables work well with this preparation. Try broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, asparagus, parsnips, winter squash, radishes, turnips, or your favorite vegetable. Root vegetables may require a bit more time in the oven.
I made this tonight and I had a few thoughts. First... I thought had barramundi in my freezer... turns out I only had cod. "How much different could it possibly be," I thought. Turns out... a LOT! Cod shrinks up quite a bit and has a tendency to get a tough/dry texture. At least it did with me. Second... The veggies I had on hand that I thought would be great were not willing to be roasted at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes (parsnips, baby carrots, beets made into matchsticks and zucchini, although the zukes cooked much more quickly than the others). I upped the temp in the oven to 400 and added an additional 15 minutes. Third... when I was poaching all the veggies in the butter sauce, due to the beet I added, everything turned a hot pink! Hehehe!! During the roasting process and poaching the fish, everything calmed down quite a bit and returned more to their true colors (whew!). Now the sauce... O-M-G!!! SOOOOOO good! It made all my other mistakes go away! Next time (and there will definitely be many more times) that I make this, I'll make it with barramundi. I did make the right choice of butter... Finlandia was what really brought out all the delicious flavors! Hubby LOVED it, too! Thanks for another REALLY great recipe!
Thanks for the feedback, Joy! I'm glad you enjoyed the recipe overall though. 🙂
Where has this been all my life?
Right??