How to Bake Mullet

By: Eric Mohrman

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Mullet has a fairly pronounced earthy flavor. Because of its strong taste, it holds up well to potent or strong seasoning; in fact, many cooks heavily season mullet to temper its fishy flavor. Acidic marinades and sauces also help pacify the taste. Prepare your mullet filets quickly and easily by roasting them in the oven. Keep a close eye on them as the end of the estimated cooking time approaches to prevent overcooking and drying out the fish.

Step 1

Defrost frozen mullet overnight in the refrigerator. If your fish is frozen the day you're cooking it, however, submerse the fish in its airtight packaging in cold water for an hour or two; every half hour, replace the water with new, colder water.

Step 2

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Turn it on at least 20 minutes before the fish goes in to ensure it's hot enough. Line a baking tray with aluminum foil and coat the foil with nonstick spray.

Step 3

Drizzle the mullet with melted unsalted butter or cooking oil. Pat on a liberal amount of the seasonings you've decided to use. Salt and pepper are standard, followed by blackening seasonings, curry powder, coriander, turmeric, chili pepper powder or other strong spices. Alternatively, apply herbs like minced garlic, minced ginger, rosemary, thyme, dill or basil if you don't like a spicy preparation. Squirt on some lemon juice, soy sauce or another liquid, if you like.

Step 4

Lay the mullet on the lined baking tray and put it into the middle of the oven. Roast the fish for about 15 minutes. Cut into its center with a fork; when the flesh is uniformly opaque and it flakes without resistance, the fish is fully cooked.