Equipment
Ingredients
Fish and Marinade
- 600 g scrod fillets, boneless, skinless, cut into 4 even portions
- 30 ml dry sherry, room temperature
- 30 ml soy sauce, liquid
- 15 ml toasted sesame oil, pure toasted
- 15 g fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 168 kcal
- Protein
- 28 g
- Carbohydrates
- 1 g
- Fat
- 5 g
- Fiber
- 0 g
- Sugar
- 0 g
- Zinc
- 0.8 mg
- Water
- 131 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Position the upper oven rack 15 cm (6 inches) below the heat element, then preheat the oven broiler on high to 260°C (500°F).
Pat the scrod fillets thoroughly dry on all sides using clean paper towels, then immediately discard the used towels and sanitize your hands to prevent cross-contamination.
Grate the peeled fresh ginger root using a microplane grater directly into a small mixing bowl.
Pour the dry sherry, soy sauce, and toasted sesame oil into the mixing bowl with the grated ginger, whisking vigorously until fully combined.
Place the scrod fillets into a shallow dish, pour half of the marinade over the fish, turn each fillet to coat both sides, and let marinate at room temperature for 15 minutes while reserving the remaining half of clean marinade.
Line a rimmed baking sheet with nonstick aluminum foil, arrange the marinated scrod fillets flat on the foil spaced 5 cm (2 inches) apart, and discard the used marinade from the shallow dish.
Slide the baking sheet onto the upper oven rack and broil under high heat at 260°C (500°F) for 4 minutes without opening the oven door.
Slide the baking sheet carefully halfway out of the oven and brush the top of each fillet generously with the reserved clean marinade using a pastry brush.
Push the baking sheet back directly under the broiler and cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes until the glaze caramelizes and an instant-read digital thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers a minimum internal temperature of 63°C (145°F).
Transfer the broiled scrod fillets immediately onto warm dinner plates using a wide fish spatula and serve hot.
Chef's Notes
- Scrod is an Atlantic culinary trade name for young, small cod or haddock weighing under 2.5 pounds; its delicate, sweet flavor and tender flakes respond exceptionally well to short, high-heat cooking methods like broiling.
- Dry sherry has long served as a classic, effective home substitute for Chinese Shaoxing wine because it matches its fermented depth, balanced acidity, and ability to tame seafood gaminess.
- Always sanitize cutting boards, knives, and prep dishes thoroughly with hot soapy water after contacting raw scrod to uphold strict cross-contamination standards.
- To ensure food safety, verify that the thickest part of each fillet reaches a minimum internal temperature of 63°C (145°F) or that the flesh is fully opaque and flakes easily with a fork.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in a sealed airtight glass or BPA-free container within 2 hours of cooking at or below 4°C (40°F).
Freezer: 1 month — Freeze cooked fillets in a vacuum-sealed bag or freezer-safe container; note that texture will become softer upon defrosting.
Reheating: Reheat leftover fish gently in an oven preheated to 165°C (325°F) covered loosely with foil until an internal thermometer registers at least 74°C (165°F). Avoid microwave reheating to preserve the delicate flake and prevent a rubbery texture.
Troubleshooting
Fish flesh is tough, dry, and stringy rather than tender and flaky
Cause: The scrod was left under the intense direct heat of the broiler for too long, exceeding the safe target temperature
Fix: Cannot be fixed; spoon any remaining pan juices or an extra light drizzle of toasted sesame oil over the fillet before serving to restore surface moisture
Prevention: Check internal temperature with an instant-read digital thermometer starting at 5 minutes total cooking time, and remove as soon as 63°C (145°F) is reached
Glaze and fish surface burn before the interior reaches the safe internal temperature
Cause: The baking sheet was placed too close to the broiler element or the broiler runs exceptionally hot
Fix: Gently scrape away the charred surface with a knife tip, turn off the direct broiler, and let the fish finish cooking to 63°C (145°F) using the oven ambient residual heat
Prevention: Maintain at least a 15 cm (6 inch) clearance between the broiler element and the baking sheet, or lower the rack by one level
Fillet breaks apart or sticks to the baking sheet upon lifting
Cause: The baking sheet lacked proper nonstick foil lining or the spatula edge was too thick and blunt
Fix: Flake the fish intentionally into rustic, bite-sized portions and arrange neatly on the plate drizzled with pan juices
Prevention: Use nonstick aluminum foil and slide a thin, flexible fish spatula smoothly beneath the entire bottom of the fillet
Cultural Context
High-heat cooking paired with the holy trinity of ginger, fermented rice wine, and soy sauce represents a cornerstone of Cantonese seafood cookery, designed to celebrate the clean freshness of ocean fish without masking its natural sweetness. Throughout North American Chinese diaspora communities, home cooks cleverly adapted traditional steamed and pan-seared fish recipes to local Atlantic white fish like scrod, frequently adopting dry sherry as an accessible grocery-store alternative to Shaoxing wine. This recipe honors that tradition of culinary ingenuity by delivering bold Chinese seasoning dynamics in an effortless weeknight dinner format.
