This site uses only a few technical cookies necessary for its operation. By continuing to browse, you accept their use.
To find out more...
To find out more...
Fish in a salt crust
Fish cooked in a salt crust is simply baked in the oven, surrounded and completely covered by a layer of coarse salt. This allows the fish to cook gently and it should be eaten as soon as the salt crust is opened. In this version, it is stuffed with lemon and herbs. Using a thermometer is the best way to ensure that the fish is cooked to perfection.
177 K 3.9/5 (23 reviews)
1 hour 8 min.
Easy
1 fish
5 IngredientsLast modified on: January 29th 2012
For 1 fish, you will need:
- 1
1 Fish - 2
½ lemon - 3
herbs of your choice - 4
pepper - 5
1 kg coarse salt - Total weight: 2,065 grams
Change measures:
Times for this recipe
Preparation: 40 min.
Cooking: 30 min.
All in all: 1 hour 8 min.
If you start now, at , you will finish around : ?.Change start time
To finish around 7pm, you'll need to have started before: .Change end time
Step by step recipe
Stage 1 - 8 min.
Prepare your whole fish (cleaned by the fishmonger, but no need to remove scales): wash the inside thoroughly to remove any traces of blood.
It is better to use a whole fish, but if this is not the case, as in the photos, you will see how to allow for this later.
It is better to use a whole fish, but if this is not the case, as in the photos, you will see how to allow for this later.
Stage 2 - 3 min.
Dry the inside of the fish with absorbent paper and fill the cavity with thin slices of lemon and the herbs of your choice (parsley, thyme, bay, etc.). Pepper, but do not salt.
Stage 3 - 1 min.
Close the fish well over the stuffing.
Preheat the oven to 180°C (360°F).
Preheat the oven to 180°C (360°F).
Stage 4 - 3 min.
Spread an even layer of coarse salt ½ cm ( ¼ inch) a little larger all round than the fish on a baking sheet.
If you are using Guérande sea salt, this is easy to work as it is very slightly damp. But if you are using ordinary white coarse salt, I advise you to humidify it a little with a glass of water.
If you are using Guérande sea salt, this is easy to work as it is very slightly damp. But if you are using ordinary white coarse salt, I advise you to humidify it a little with a glass of water.
Stage 5 - 1 min.
Place the fish on the bed of salt.
If your fish no longer has its head, seal the end with a small piece of aluminum foil. It is important to do this, or your fish will be too salty.
If your fish no longer has its head, seal the end with a small piece of aluminum foil. It is important to do this, or your fish will be too salty.
Stage 6 - 1 min.
Insert the probe of the thermometer into the centre of the thickest part of the fish.
Stage 7 - 5 min.
Then cover the fish completely with more salt until you can no longer see it (apart from the tail).
Stage 8 - 30 min.
Bake in the oven until the thermometer reads 60°C (140°F), at which moment the fish will be perfectly cooked.
Heat the serving plates.
Heat the serving plates.
Stage 9 - 3 min.
Break open the salt crust...
Stage 10 - 3 min.
...and lift off the fish skin, which should be easy to remove now.
If possible, scrape off and discard the brown part, indicated by the arrow, which is not good to eat.
If possible, scrape off and discard the brown part, indicated by the arrow, which is not good to eat.
Stage 11 - 10 min.
Remove all the flesh (watch out for bones) and arrange on the serving plates beside the stuffing.
Serve immediately with just a squeeze of lemon juice, olive oil with herbs, or a more sophisticated sauce, such as a Béarnaise.
Serve immediately with just a squeeze of lemon juice, olive oil with herbs, or a more sophisticated sauce, such as a Béarnaise.
Remarks
The choice of fish is up to you, depending on what you can find at your fishmonger's. In the photos I am using line-caught sea bass. Almost any fish will work, but salmon and sea bream are particularly good.
If you do not have a thermometer, your can calculate the cooking time by the weight of the fish: 1kg = 30 to 40 minutes cooking.
If you do not have a thermometer, your can calculate the cooking time by the weight of the fish: 1kg = 30 to 40 minutes cooking.
Keeping: Should be eaten right away, less good if reheated.
Source: Home made.
Nutritional information
| Proteins (gr) | Carbohydrates (gr) | Fats (gr) | Energy value (in k-calories) | Energy value (in k-joules) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whole recipe | 180 RDI=70 % | 5 RDI=1 % | 0 | 750 RDI=40 % | 3,120 RDI: 40 % |
| Per 100 g | 8 RDI=3 % | 0 | 0 | 40 RDI=2 % | 150 RDI: 2 % |
How much will it cost?
- For 1 fish : $12.50
Change currency: 
Note: Be careful, these prices are only an estimate, you can consult the table of prices by ingredients used for this estimate.
This recipe uses (among others)
Coarse salt
Like these other recipes: Pickled gherkins, Roast potatoes "à la provençale", How to prepare endives , How to prepare Jerusalem artichokes, How to prepare broccoli, ... See them all 16
Fish
Like these other recipes: Seafood sauerkraut, Quiche Bretonne, Fish in a sesame crust, Pollack Parmentier, Fish petals, vegetables julienne, and beurre blanc, ... See them all 8
Lemon
Like these other recipes: Brussels sprout salad, Chicken and mushroom brik rolls, Windfall apple jelly, Koulibiak in pie dish, Pears and caramelised walnut samosas , ... See them all 124
Herbs of your choice
Like these other recipes: Warm white bean salad with smoked trout, Seafood feuillantines, Tabbouleh, Beetroot and cream cheese verrines, Crispy smoked salmon and herb rolls, ... See them all 57
Other recipes you may also like
French croissants
In this famous and highly technical recipe from a piece of yeast-based flaky dough we are going to cut and shape ("roll") croissants. June 26th 2019640 K 24.4 2 hours 35 min.
Leavened bread
It might be harder to achieve good results than with traditional yeast bread, but what a flavour! It also keeps better. This recipe is designed for baking bread in a wood-fired oven but, of course, you can use the conventional oven in your kitchen. May 23th 20171.22 M 23.8 6 hours 30 min.
New tiramisu
This new version of tiramisu is easier, and in my opinion much better. You will certainly appreciate, like me, the light creamy taste, this time presented in brandy goblets. January 19th 2015406 K3.3 55 min.
Gratin Dauphinois
This recipe is a bit sensitive for people from Dauphiné (a French area around the city of Grenoble), many of them are sure to have the "true" recipe. Here is the version of the famous French chef Michel Guérard. The most interesting thing about gratin Dauphinois, is that it has a delicate hint of cheesy flavour, without cheese in it. August 13th 2016398 K 25 1 hour 3 min.
Bolognaise lasagne
Lasagne is an Italian pasta that comes in rectangular sheets. These are used to separate layers of filling, like a large savoury oven-baked millefeuille. A bolognaise lasagne combines bechamel sauce, minced meat and tomato sauce. February 27th 2011251 K4.4 2 hours 3 min.
News list of cooking-ez.com
Sign up to receive the latest recipes (next batch due to be sent on 2025-09-21)
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Post a comment or question
Follow this recipe
If you are interested in this recipe, you can "follow" it, by entering your email address here. You will then receive a notification immediately each time the recipe is modified or a new comment is added. Please note that you will need to confirm this following.
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Alternatively: you can subscribe to the mailing list of cooling-ez.com , you will receive a e-mail for each new recipe published on the site.