It may depend on where you live, such as in Saskatchewan or on Vancouver Island; different types of fish can make for different kinds of burger experiences. But trust me, making a fish burger with fresh pickerel you caught from the prairie lake can be just as rewarding, tasty, and very comparable to a fresh halibut burger when you are at the beaches in Tofino on Vancouver Island. Nevertheless, choose a fish that has a more solid texture. Using really soft-textured fish such as sole or flounder can make it difficult for your burger to hold together. This happens when you squeeze the buns to take a bite, and the fish simply falls apart or even falls out of the burger. That’s not ideal, and you can save yourself the hassle if you choose a better fish.

One of the favorite burgers for BBQ Brian is a fish burger. In a wrap or on a bun, it doesn’t matter. It’s rewarding and tasty, and it can be super moist for texture. The toppings can add a lot of variety as well.

For this recipe, our pal Steve Waldron must have known BBQ Brian loves fish burgers. Steve crafted this recipe which is simple, easy to do, tasty and of course super moist!

What Kind of Fish?

It may depend on where you live such as in Saskatchewan or if you are on Vancouver Island, different types of fish can make for different kinds of burger experiences. But trust me, making a fish burger with fresh pickerel you caught from the prairie lake can be just as rewarding, tasty and very comparable to a fresh halibut burger when you are at the beaches in Tofino on Vancouver Island. Nevertheless, choose a fish that has a more solid texture. Using really soft textured fish such as sole or flounder can make it difficult for your burger to hold together. This happens when you squeeze the buns to take a bite and the fish simply falls apart or even falls out of the burger. That’s not ideal and you can save yourself the hassle if you choose a better fish.

Think of Texture

If your fish burger is between two soft buns or wrapped in a tortilla, there is opportunity to have a world of fun ingredients to be along for the party. These toppings can be something crunchy like some pickles, coleslaw, lettuce or even some sliced onion. But then to help contrast that crunchiness there is opportunity for something creamy like tartar sauce, a tasty aioli like a jalapeno mayo as an example or the entire world of different creamy cheeses. Phew! With some thinking and looking around the pantry or the fridge we are sure you will be able to find some tasty additions that you like on your fish burger.

To Air-fry, Bake or Grill?

There are indeed options when you get to cooking. One of the common and popular appliances in many households today are air-fryers. These devices are easy to use, fast to cook seemingly anything and they are easy to clean. An air-fryer can do a great job to craft a crispy coated fish for your burger.

The commonplace cooking appliance that could also be used is your countertop or conventional oven. Use a baking sheet when you cook your fish to crisp the coating. If using an oven, consider turning the fish over halfway through the cooking time so the underside can crisp at the same rate as the top side.

The last option we wanted to share is using an outdoor grill. Can you cook coated fish on your gas grill? Of course! Place the coated fish directly on the grill grates after coating with panko. A trick is to spray the fish with a little oil so the panko becomes crispy. Use a lower temperature, allow the fish to cook and become crispy, and you may finish it without even turning it over.

If you really want to turn and flip your fish when cooking on a grill, consider using a grill stone or fish basket to help keep your grill action on target.

Keeping Your Burger Moist

Steve shares in his recipe one key kitchen step that is tried and true for many dishes. This step accomplishes a few things when you do it. Some readers might not be aware of the results you can achieve if you do this simple step.

The trick, you ask, is to coat the fish with mustard and specifically Slow Smoke Gold BBQ Sauce. This coating can add moisture, allow your seasoning to stick to the meat, and add more crust or ‘bark’ to what you are cooking.

In this instance, for this fish burger recipe, the Slow Smoke Gold will add moisture to the fish and allow the panko to stick to the surface.

Super Moist Baked Fish Burger

Print Recipe

Course Main Course

Cuisine Grill, Kitchen, Oven

HoQ Product Slow Smoke Gold BBQ Sauce

Prep Time 12 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Servings 2

Author House of Q

Ingredients

For the Fish

• 2 pieces White Fish such as cod or halibut – 150 grams each
• 2 TB House of Q Slow Smoke Gold BBQ Sauce
• 1 Cup Panko
• Salt and Pepper

For the Tartar Sauce

• 3 TB Mayonnaise
• 1 TB Slow Smoke Gold BBQ Sauce
• 1 TB Dill Pickle diced
• 1 Ts Capers rinsed and minced
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 2 Soft Buns

For the Coleslaw

• 1 Cup Coleslaw Cabbage Mix
• 2 TB House of Q Slow Smoke Gold BBQ Sauce
• 2 TB Mayonnaise
• 1 TB Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1-2 Ts White Sugar
• 1 TB Celery Seeds
• Salt to taste

Instructions

• Mix tartar sauce ingredients and transfer to a sealed container. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• Mix Coleslaw dressing ingredients in a bowl and check for seasoning – adding salt and pepper as required. Adding sugar may minimize the tartness from the vinegar. Transfer to a sealed container and refrigerate until ready to use.
• Optional Steps: Depending if you are shallow frying in oil or baking you can can help the coating to have a crisp crust by toasting the breadcrumbs first. If baking the fish, lightly toast panko in a 350 F oven by spreading them on sheet pan and spraying with a light coating of oil. Toast 3 or 4 minutes stirring a couple of times. If shallow frying you can skip this step. It's just for a crispier coating.
• To prepare the fish, use a silicone brush to coat all sides with Slow Smoke Gold BBQ Sauce. Sprinkle a little salt onto the coating of mustard and then dip the fish into the prepared panko. This will prepare the fish to have a nice crust.
  
• Place the coated fish on greased baking sheet and cook for 12-15 mins or until the fish reaches an internal temperature of 125-130 F. Remove from the oven.
• While the fish is cooking, toast the buns and mix the coleslaw by combining the cabbage with the coleslaw dressing.
• To assemble the burger, place a portion of the coleslaw on the bottom bun, then a piece of fish followed by the tartar sauce smeared on the lid of the bun.

Shopping for Fish Burger Ingredients