You Shouldn't Reheat Fish In The Microwave. Here's Why

It's basically everyone's habit to throw leftovers into the microwave to reheat. Sure, things might be a bit drier afterward, but it's a lot better than eating cold food, right? Well ... if what you're trying to reheat just so happens to be fish, you might want to think twice before nuking it.

Fish is one of those things that should never be microwaved, as it's a rather delicate protein. Fish have short muscle fibers and very little connective tissue, meaning it doesn't handle heat as well as, say, a cut of steak. The microwave's heat is very intense, so if you try to zap it, the microwave would vaporize whatever moisture is left within the meat. From the succulent, tender cut of pan-seared rockfish you started with, you'd end up with a dry, chalky block of protein that's going to be a tough challenge to chew and swallow.

Also, have you ever heard of the horror stories of someone nuking their tuna lunch in the rec room and stinking the place up for the whole day? If you haven't lived through it before, then no, that's not a myth. The high heat of the microwave can oxidize the heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids inside the fish, turning it into a food-based stink bomb. That should be enough reasons to keep fish out of your microwave!

Now here's a little bit of good news: you don't have to eat your fish cold after all. For a thicker cut of fish that's about an inch or thicker, your best bet is going to be an oven. Once fired up and preheated to 275 degrees Fahrenheit, place your fish in a lightly oiled baking sheet and spritz a bit of water onto the fish for some extra moisture. Spear it with a thermometer probe and wrap in foil to keep all the juices locked in. Bake for around 15 minutes until the fish's core reaches a safe temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit — tada, it's now ready to eat.

Compared to the microwave, the heat that an oven generates is much gentler, so the texture of the fish isn't going to suffer as much. There's less of a chance the fatty acids in the fish would break down and stink up your kitchen, as well.

For thinner filets, the unfortunate news is that even an oven might not be able to save them without ruining the texture. So here's a different idea: forget about reheating and repurpose the fish into another dish. Cold tuna can be turned into a pretty nice tuna sandwich, and salmon can be tossed into a salmon and squash salad with roasted pear dressing. Just think of it as an opportunity to flex your creative muscle!