Butter-Poached Halibut

  • Level: Easy
  • Yield: 4 servings
  • Total: 40 min
  • Active: 30 min
I like to serve my halibut simply poached in butter, with some fresh wedges of lemon, crunchy salt, and a bit of dill for color. Adapted with permission from "Taste & Technique: Recipes to Elevate Your Home Cooking," by Naomi Pomeroy, © 2016. Published by Ten Speed Press, a division of Penguin Random House, Inc.
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Ingredients

2 pounds unsalted butter

2 teaspoons salt

4 5-oz halibut fillets

Garnish

Lemon wedges

Crunchy salt

dill

Directions

  1. Clarify the butter: Preheat oven to 350 F. In a 4-quart, oven-safe saucepan, melt butter over medium heat and bring to a simmer, 5-7 minutes. Once white foam (milk solids) begins to form on the top, skim it off with a small ladle or spoon. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue skimming the milk solids until the butter is clear. Pour the clarified butter through a cheesecloth-lined strainer to catch the smaller milk solids. Set aside to cool to 155 F.
  2. Poach the fish: Season the fish on all sides with salt, about ¼ teaspoon per fillet. Gently lower the halibut into the clarified butter so all four fillets are submerged. Place the fish in the oven and bake, uncovered, 8 minutes.
  3. Assemble the dish: Fish is done when it’s firm but not hard to the touch. Use a slotted spoon to remove the fish, drain off the butter, and plate. Serve with lemon wedges, crunchy salt, and dill.

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Halley Reis

Easy!!!! I’m not a fan of fish and found the recipe on the bland side, but the beauty of this simple recipe is that it versatile and gives me room to expand my flavoring. It was a hit with the picky eaters in our house, so this will definitely get recreated for us

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