Monkfish rewards a little know-how: how to choose it, cook it, store it, and substitute in a pinch. Browse 18 recipes to cook with it.

What is monkfish?

Monkfish is the firm, sweet tail meat from an alarmingly ugly bottom-dwelling fish. The cook never sees the head; only the boneless tail is sold, and its dense, meaty texture has earned it the nickname "poor man's lobster."

The flesh is white and lean, remarkably solid, with a single central bone and no small pin bones to fuss over. It really does eat like shellfish, sweet and springy and substantial enough to fill a plate.

That density makes monkfish unusual among white fish. Where flounder flakes and falls apart, monkfish holds its shape through a hard sear or a long simmer in a stew.

How to Cook Monkfish

Treat it more like a piece of meat than a delicate fillet. Roasting, searing, and braising all play to its firm texture.

For a roast, sear the tail in a hot pan to brown it, then finish in a 400°F (205°C) oven, roughly 15 to 20 minutes depending on thickness, until the center turns opaque. Monkfish with Garlic & Herb Butter takes that route.

Monkfish is one of the few fish that genuinely thrives in a stew or curry. It will not disintegrate the way cod or haddock does, so it anchors Bombay Monkfish and Monkfish Stir Fry, and holds up in the seafood mix of classic Seafood Pancakes.

Cut into medallions or chunks, it skewers cleanly for the grill, as in Monkfish Kebabs. Whatever the method, the flesh tightens and firms as it cooks, so it is easy to read for doneness.

Removing the Membrane, and Other Notes

Raw monkfish is wrapped in a thin grey-blue membrane that turns tough and rubbery in the heat and shrinks the meat into a curl. Pull or trim it off before cooking.

Slide a thin knife under the membrane and peel it back like skinning a fillet. It is the single step that most affects the result.

Monkfish gives off a fair amount of water as it cooks. Pat it dry, do not crowd the pan, and use high heat so it browns instead of poaching in its own liquid.

Its sweet, firm flesh stands up to bold flavors: garlic, white wine, tomato, saffron, curry, bacon, and brown butter all flatter it. The garlic-herb butter and the saffron of Best Monkfish with Almonds, Sweet Red Peppers & Saffron both show that range.

What to Use Instead

For that lobster-like sweetness and bite, large shrimp or sea scallops are the closest match in spirit, if not exactly fish. Among fish, a thick halibut or a firm cod loin comes nearest in texture, though neither is quite as dense.

For a stew where the fish must hold together, swordfish chunks or grouper work well. Avoid a flaky fillet, which will break up and lose the whole point of the dish.

Buying and Storing Monkfish

Monkfish is almost always sold as skinned, boneless tail fillets, fresh or frozen. Look for firm, pearly white flesh with no grey haze and a clean, sweet smell. If the membrane is still on, that is fine; just plan to remove it at home.

Pass on any tail that looks dull and slack, or smells of ammonia. The flesh should feel dense and springy to the touch.

Cook fresh monkfish within a day or two, kept cold and wrapped in the coldest part of the fridge. Its low fat and firm structure mean it freezes better than most fish. Wrap it airtight and use within three months, thawing overnight in the fridge before you cook it.

Quick facts

In Chinese

安康鱼

British (UK) term

Monkfish

en français

lotte de mer

en español

rape

Recipes using monkfish

There are 18 recipes that contain this ingredient.

All 18 recipes