# Baked Stuffed Haddock



## peggyd (Apr 29, 2009)

I am wondering if someone who works in a seafood restaurant can tell me about their process for cooking stuffed fish.  We would like to offer it at our restsurant but maybe we dont have the right equipment or are not the right type of restaurant.  We have a stuffing that we love our problem is cooking.  To cook it to order with the equipment we have it takes 30 mins or more to get to the right internal temp (Our customers will not wait that long). Also the fish is getting very dry to get the stuffing to the right temp. If we cook a batch ahead and store in the steam table the fish is dry and stuffing is wet and mushy.  We are not a fancy restaurant so maybe we are not right for finer foods but I dont want to give up just because we dont know what to do.  Any advice would be very appreciated.


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## cascadecatering (Feb 10, 2010)

A well known jewish dish is called "gefilte fish".  Literally "stuffed fish".  There are as many ways of making it, as there are jewish grandmothers.  My grandmother, cuts the fish into portions, and uses a fish mince based stuffing to stuff each portion, then bakes the whole lot in the oven.

My point, is, consider not using the whole fish, but rather portions.

Another option, might be to pre cook a few, half way, then finish to order.  If you have the capacity, precook at a lower temperature, say 68 deg for 30 minutes , and finish at 100 deg steaming for 8 minutes, or as soon as the filling, (which is now precooked), reaches a warm temperature to serve.

Let me know how you go.


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## peggyd (Apr 29, 2009)

I guess I didnt explian enough.  We use a filet and roll it around the stuffing.  I am told by my boss that the internal temp needs to be 165.  I have been baking it to 145 in my effort not to dry out the fish but it is drying out anyway.  At home I wouldnt worry so much about the internal temp but at work I must so I guess I wonder what seafood restaurants do.  It is one of my favoites that I order when I go out to eat and the fish is nice and the stuffing is nice and buttery but not wet and mushy.  That is my aim and I keep screwing it up


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## chefedb (Apr 3, 2010)

Peggy Is the stuffing that you are using precooked like crab or shrimp or lobster?    

if not try cooking 3/4 way in a slow oven with liquid on the pan and covered. If the filling you are using is precooked you do not have to cook to 165 internal.temp


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## peggyd (Apr 29, 2009)

shrimp and egg is raw.  I will try to precook it an see how it goes.  thanks


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## chefbillyb (Feb 8, 2009)

Don't use egg, and use cooked shrimp. I used to make a seafood stuffed sole topped with Bearnaise sauce. If its not working  good as rolled then just put the stuffing on top of the fillet and bake. If you need a binder for the stuffing use melted butter. I have used this stuffing in fish and stuffed mushrooms and it works well.......................Chef BillyB


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