Baked Blackened Cod

A quick and easy recipe for baked cod seasoned with blackening spices – using a prepared blend or the included Blackening Seasoning Recipe – that’s ready in under 15 minutes!

JUMP TO RECIPE

Growing up, one of my favorite things to eat was Blackened Rockfish. Rockfish is what we call large striped bass here in my neck of South Carolina and we caught ours in the Congaree River which starts in Columbia where the Saluda and Broad Rivers come together and runs to Lake Marion (or Santee as we call every bit of water in that area).

Maybe I loved it so much because it is so perfectly delicious or maybe I loved it because cooking it was somewhat of an event. Or maybe I loved it because if we were cooking rockfish that meant we’d been fishing!

I loved fishing for rockfish. We’d start the day fishing for bait like little bream along the banks and creeks of the Congaree in Daddy’s little johnboat (as he would say, ya can’t have too big 'a boat or you can’t get up in the creeks). Once we had our bait, we’d anchor in the middle of the river, throw out lines, then eat canned sardines and Vienna (VIE-eenie) sausages and wait for a monster to hit a line. 

I’ve got to walk down memory lane for a quick second here... At the mention of all this, I am reminded of the last time Daddy and I went fishing (just the two of us). I was nine months pregnant with The Boy and somehow talked him into taking me down to Santee to go fishing in Stump Hole, which is a cypress swamp known for alligators and the cypress roots that grow up out of the black water like some mysterious little swamp creatures.

Because isn't that what every pregnant woman dreams of doing in her ninth month of pregnancy? In the heat of the summer?

Everything was going great until I, well… until my big pregnant behind had to tinkle. Can you imagine the pair of us? Me, as big around as a house, trying to hang my inflated arse over the side of the boat without falling in and him, trying to help me while simultaneously diverting his eyes, fussing the whole time about what a bad idea it was? And then doing it three more times before we called it a day? Oh, we laughed!

Anyway... to blacken the rockfish, we’d get a giant cast iron skillet white-hot over a propane cooker outside, dip the fish in butter, coat it in blackening seasoning and throw it in the pan. Smoke would engulf everything, and you couldn’t see or breathe for what felt like 10 minutes, but what came out of that pan a few short minutes later was pure gold. 

We haven’t tried to make it since Daddy passed away a few years ago (seriously, I’m pretty sure we’d burn the house down and without Daddy, there’s no more fishing the river) but I sure have missed it! So I decided to try to create a recipe with the same flavors.

This, obviously, isn’t truly blackened fish (the “blackened” part comes from literally burning the spices onto the fish) and store-bought cod will never hold a candle to fresh-caught rockfish but this recipe is SUPER easy and very delicious so I couldn’t be happier!

TIPS FOR COOKING BAKED BLACKENED COD

• Try to buy thicker pieces of cod such as Alaskan (or Pacific) or cod loins (sometimes called “captain’s cut"). For this recipe try to find cod that’s about an inch thick. If using something thinner, cook for 2-3 minutes less and sprinkle the seasoning on instead of coating it.
• Cooking the fish on the lemon slices will make it taste fabulous and, more importantly, keep the fish from soaking in the fishy juices that will cook out of the cod. Like it or not, most store-bought fish (even that we buy from the seafood counter in the fancy grocery stores) has been frozen so it will put out quite a bit of moisture when cooked.
• I mostly use a prepared blackening seasoning blend but the spice mixture listed below is one my family has used for years when blackening seafood.
• Haddock or pollock are great substitutes for cod but really, any thick, flaky white fish will work.  

HOW TO MAKE BLACKENING SEASONING 

I often use Paul Prudhomme’s Blackened Redfish Magic seasoning blend but I can’t always find it. The spice mixture listed below is one my family has used for years when blackening seafood.

1 tablespoon paprika
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3/4 teaspoon white pepper
3/4 teaspoon black Pepper
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon oregano

HOW TO TELL WHEN COD IS DONE?

The best way to tell if your fish is done is by cutting with a fork at the thickest point (see photos directly above and below). The fish will flake easily when it's done and it will lose its translucent or raw appearance. 

Cod can overcook quickly and become dry so err on the side of caution with it. Like with a good steak, a thick piece of cod will continue to cook once removed from the oven or grill. 

WHAT TO SERVE WITH BLACKENED FISH?

French fries are an obvious good choice (hey, Fish n’ Chips is a popular menu option for a reason – they’re delicious together!). I typically serve baked fish with my Greek Potatoes or baked potatoes and a green veggie like broccoli or asparagus.

But blackening seasoning reminds me of Louisiana which makes me think of Southern food. I served this batch with Charleston Red Rice and a mess of Southern-Style Collard Greens and it was divine!

Recipe for Cupboard Casserole

Baked Blackened Cod

Yield: 6-8 pieces

Author: Mandy Rivers | South Your Mouth

Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 10 MinTotal time: 15 Min

A quick and easy recipe for baked cod seasoned with blackening spices – using a prepared blend or the included Blackening Seasoning Recipe – that’s ready in under 15 minutes!

Ingredients

• 8 cod fillets (about 2 lbs)
• 1 stick of butter, melted
• 3 tablespoons blackening seasoning
• 2 lemons

Blackening Seasoning Spices

• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 3/4 teaspoon white pepper
• 3/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano

Instructions

1. See notes before proceeding with recipe. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Cut lemons into slices then arrange on a baking sheet. The fish shouldn’t stick but if the pan you’re using is prone to sticking, spray lightly with cooking spray before adding lemons.
3. Melt butter in a pie plate or other shallow dish; set aside.
4. Add blackening seasoning to a separate, similar size dish; set aside.
5. Pat cod fillets dry with paper towels or a clean kitchen towel. Working one at a time, dip fillets in butter, coating both sides, then allow excess butter to drip off each piece.
6. Gently lay the fish in the dish with the blackening seasoning to coat one side of the fish with seasoning.
7. Place the cod, seasoned side up, in the pan on top of the lemon slices.
8. Repeat until all pieces of cod are seasoned and arranged evenly in the baking dish.
9. Bake at 450 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until fish is cooked through.

Notes

• I use Paul Prudhomme’s Blackened Redfish Magic seasoning blend but the spice mixture listed above is one my family has used for years when blackening seafood if you’d like to make your own seasoning.
• Try to buy thicker pieces of cod such as Alaskan (or Pacific) or cod loins (sometimes called “captain’s cut). For this recipe try to find cod that’s about an inch thick. If using something thinner, cook for 2-3 minutes less and sprinkle the seasoning on instead of coating it.
• Cooking the fish on the lemon slices will make it taste fabulous and, more importantly, keep the fish from soaking in the fishy juices that will cook out of the cod. Like it or not, most store-bought fish (even that we buy from the seafood counter in the fancy grocery stores) has been frozen so it will put out quite a bit of moisture when cooked.
• The best way to tell if your fish is done is by cutting with a fork at the thickest point. The fish will flake easily when it's done and it will lose its translucent or raw appearance. 
• Haddock or pollock are great substitutes for cod but really, any thick, flaky white fish will work.

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Images and text © South Your Mouth LLC 2021

Cod, fish, redfish, bass, haddock, pollock, blackened, blackening, paul Prudhomme, cajun, creole, lemon, chili, fillet, filet, loin, Alaskan, pacific, lime, baked, easy, quick, best, how to

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