Cooking fish in a dishwasher?

Years ago,  when my inlaws were redoing their kitchen,  and got their first dishwasher,  this topic came up with them.  He wanted to give it a try.  She said absolutely not.  They didn't do it.  But it supposedly works.  Use filets,  but not a whole fish.  Season as you would for poaching fish via any other method.  Make sure the packets are completly sealed,  and put them on the top rack.  I googled cooking fish in the diswasher.  A lot of stuff came up,  including some videos on youtube.  Frankly, though, I think it's a gimmick, and maybe can be used for "shock value" if you want to be one up on a food snob. If you try it,  let us know how it turns out.   

sorry, but why bother? i can think of a million other ways that will get you more flavor...rubbed and grilled, grilled with a glaze, pan seared with cornmeal, pan seared with spices, pistachio crusted and baked, vera cruz style or italiano, picatta, etc. etc. etc...dishwasher just doesn't have that same pizaaz or evoke any anticipation, for me, at least...and why screw up a perfectly good fish?

joey

To the OP.  It's just a gimmick.  Joey's right. 

By the way, the method isn't poaching -- but a cross between half-a$$ed sous vide and en papillote.

If you're interested in doing fish that isn't the same ol' same ol' you could do worse than fooking around with wrapping (en papillote).  There are a lot of opportunities to play with what other things besides the fish go in the packet.  You just have to be very careful about time and temp, because -- since the fish is wrapped -- you can't see or feel it to test for doneness.

Parchment looks better than foil, but it costs more and it's a bigger PITA to get a good seal on a parchement packet than foil. 

Either way, opening the papillote and getting that first whiff of aromatic steam coming off the fish is just... Wow!

The problem with the dishwasher is that it controls for time and temp, and you can't.  But since most Americans seem to prefer -- or at least tolerate -- their fish radically overcooked that might not be a problem for you.  If you want to try it but with control:  Fill a roasting pan with very hot water.  Let it come to temp in a (preheated) 325* oven for 20 minutes or so.  Season, wrap, and bag your fish as you would for the dishwasher.  Then put your fish in the bain-marie and cook until done.

Somehow the idea that heat from an appliance other than an officially approved stove, can actually cook things, neither surprises nor delights me anymore. 

Just old and jaded,

BDL

oh, just one more reason not to dishwash your fish that i'm sure you've considered....what about all the extra energy, and precious water waste that it takes...maybe the person that thunk this up owns a utility company!...

joey

Don't listen to these naysayers.

I brine all my meats in my washing machine.  I tenderize beef by tumbling it in the dryer, and I steam my veggies by spraying down the compressor on my central air unit in the summer. 

This has been around for at least 20 years. It only works on fairly thin fillets or oily fish. Oh yea you can also cook it on the manifold of your car or truck. 

Ask yourself the question  WHY? unless you are in survival mode.

This sounds so bizarre!

I am not adverse to experimenting but I think I'll stick with more conventional ideas

Point to make here...Please don't use dish washing powder if you are gonna try this

Yeah the idea is as old as the hills.  Never tried it, and I can't see the need to bother trying.  That having been said, make sure you clean it out prior to trying (e.g. the "chunk" trap" at the bottom).

Gobblygook - much laughter!   Hey you could always try this one - boil an egg in your kettle while making a cuppa.  Reminds me of a thread where odd appliances were used for cooking jobs - like whisks on the end of a drill etc etc.

I cook my fish in the dishwasher.

Therefore I have no choice but to wash my dishes in the skillet.

:-)

dcarch

I have never heard of such cooking method, thats just absurd

I've read that you can also cook chicken the same way. Not that I'm very eager to try it - but there was an article on "molecular gastronomy" in a kid's magazine I read the other day where they described how to cook chicken breasts in a dishwasher.

Quote:

Originally Posted by French Fries 

I've read that you can also cook chicken the same way. Not that I'm very eager to try it - but there was an article on "molecular gastronomy" in a kid's magazine I read the other day where they described how to cook chicken breasts in a dishwasher.

The "birth of sous vide"???

Quote:

Originally Posted by PeteMcCracken 

The "birth of sous vide"???

Something like that!
 

I can see the point of using unusual appliances or gadgets to cook food when the thing you need for preparing the food is LESS likely to be found in a house than the one you use to substitute it.  So say you live in a rented room without kitchen access or are out camping and have only an electric burner or a wood fire and want to make a cake, say, or if you want to make lunch in your office and have only your water boiler for making tea - that makes sense.  Then bring on the creative alternate ways of cooking!

But what kitchen has a dishwasher and not a burner???

I would much rather know how to wash dishes quickly on the stove! 

Yea and I am going to wash my dishes in chicken stock. Before trying all the crazy things, a lot of people should learn how to cook the items the correct way. Sousvide is a different type concept, there is vaceum and maintaning same temp.

Years ago, my cooking teacher, Madeleine Kamman poached her fish in a dishwasher.  But then again, Madeleine was a pioneer! 

Quote:

Originally Posted by French Fries 

I've read that you can also cook chicken the same way. Not that I'm very eager to try it - but there was an article on "molecular gastronomy" in a kid's magazine I read the other day where they described how to cook chicken breasts in a dishwasher.

 How irresponsible!, chicken! in a dishwasher!!, in a "kids" magazine, that is just asking for trouble, fish you might get away with but not chicken, how many homes have a vac-packer? to keep out the water (+dishwasher gunk) a ziplock bag is not going to do it by the time the chicken is thoroughly cooked, I hpoe the publishers have good lawyers.

nver heard of this "technique"..poor salmon..picked from its home, chilled, filet, cooked in a dishwasher.

What a waste of fish!  I just cant believe someone would try that ..

I don't know if it got it's start there or if the writers just picked up on something already going on, but poaching fish in a dishwasher was one of the things Tim and Al did during a Tool Time segment of Home Improvement. boar_d_laze hit it right on the head. It's just a silly way to cook en pappiote. Ranks right up there along with cooking on an engine block, or hot asphalt in the ridiculous television stunt department.  It may work...but why would you really want to find out?

Quote:

Originally Posted by gobblygook 

Don't listen to these naysayers.

 

I brine all my meats in my washing machine.  I tenderize beef by tumbling it in the dryer, and I steam my veggies by spraying down the compressor on my central air unit in the summer. 

Do you fry your eggs on the engine block too?

I cook 2 burgers by standing in the sauna and holding one under each armpit

A few years ago I went to see the Jim Rose Circus Sideshow.  They had a guy balancing a running lawn mower on his chin as people tossed heads of lettuce and cabbage into the blades.  Very quick way to make cole slaw, but you have to sweep it up before you can add the other ingredients.

Quote:

Originally Posted by bobbleheadbob 

I cook 2 burgers by standing in the sauna and holding one under each armpit

Is that true? Definitely not.

I would definitely try it at a friends house.  Or, maybe a distant relative...

 I can't quite picture being bored enough to try this.  however cooking fish in the dishwasher sounds like something that I would've done when I was in junior high or high school.

While it is not fish,  I have run potatoes through the dishwasher before.  Sending 5 rack s of potatoes through the dishwasher is a easier than washing them by hand, and alot cheaper than paying someone to wash them. This mainly applies to high volume food production, but it could be helpful.  Remove the detergent capsule and cut off the sanitizer/rinse agent.