Oven-Baked Tench: A Deliciously Tender River Fish

Not a fish, but a masterpiece! Youʼll be hooked from the first bite! Baked tench in the oven will be an excellent lunch or dinner for those who love river or lake fish. The resulting fish is tender, juicy and does not smell like mud at all due to processing with milk, adding lemon and herbs.
cook time: 3h
Hazel Farrow
Oven-Baked Tench: A Deliciously Tender River Fish

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

66
Calories
3g
Fat
5g
Carbs
3g
Protein

Ingredients (2 portions)

Basic:

Salt to taste
Ground black pepper to taste
Milk 500 ml
Dill to taste
Lemons 20 g
Thyme, thyme to taste
Tench 300 g

Recipe instructions

Step 1

Step 1
How to make tench in the oven, baked whole in foil? Prepare all ingredients. Ideally, the tench should be freshly caught, but if this is not the case, the fish should be defrosted on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator. Fresh tench have a golden or copper color, but fish that have been lying around for a while change color to dark or change color in spots. This is how they got their name. You can take not only fresh thyme, but also dried branches are quite suitable.

Step 2

Step 2
Wash the fish under cold water and remove the scales. This can be done using a special device or simply with a knife. Tench have small scales and are usually easy to clean, but if difficulties arise, you can pour hot water (NOT BOILING WATER) over it for just a few seconds. The scales will clear faster. Then remove the eyes, gills and entrails. Rinse the fish thoroughly and dry with a paper towel.

Step 3

Step 3
Since this fish prefers a muddy bottom, and they are also often caught in lakes, the meat may have a slight smell of mud. To get rid of it, place the gutted fish in a bowl and cover with cold milk for 2 hours.

Step 4

Step 4
Remove the fish from the milk and pat dry with a paper towel or napkin. Make diagonal cuts along the surface, without cutting all the way through, this is necessary to cut through small bones. Salt and pepper the fish outside and inside.

Step 5

Step 5
Place a sprig of thyme (optional) and a slice of lemon into the belly.

Step 6

Step 6
Also insert a sprig of dill into the belly. This will give the finished fish aroma and taste.

Step 7

Step 7
Lay out the baking foil and place the line on it. Cover the fish completely with foil, each one separately. Read more about using aluminum foil in a separate article at the link at the end of the recipe.

Step 8

Step 8
Place the fish on a baking sheet in one layer so that the fish do not crowd each other, otherwise the skin will stick to the foil and fall apart when taken out.

Step 9

Step 9
Bake the fish in a hot oven at 180 degrees for 20 minutes. The exact time depends on your oven. You can learn about the operating features of ovens by reading a separate article, link at the end of the recipe. Then remove the baking sheet with the fish and open the foil.

Step 10

Step 10
Place the tench back in the oven and cook for another 10 minutes until the fish is baked and nicely crusted, but do not dry it out.

Step 11

Step 11
Remove the fish from the oven, transfer to a plate and serve. Very tasty with boiled new potatoes, sprinkled with fresh dill.

Step 12

Step 12
Bon appetit!

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