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Home » Steam Fish Head

Steam Fish Head

March 7, 2022 by Chef Marsha Leave a Comment

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Jamaican Steam Fish

Just like the Jamaican Peanut Punch, Steam fish head has been one of the go to meal for stamina.

Eating whole fish in general is a bit eventful because of the pin bones but fish head has thicker bones that are easier to see.

The fish head has a great flavor but the slime from the okra is what ties the dish together. This can be a one pot meal with the addition of a few more desired vegetables or ground provisions. However, this dish is normally served with white rice, green bananas, breadfruit or any starchy food.

How Do You Make Steam Fish Heads?

Each Jamaican's recipe is different, even within the same family. Some recipes are never written down because we tend to cook with the ingredients we have on hand. The ingredients on hand is what usually determine the nature of the dish. However, once there is fish and okra, there can be on of three options; Jamaican steam fish, Jamaican fish soup or Jamaican roast fish.

Fish Dish Ingredients

steam fish vegetables

Above are the vegetables that were added to the steam fish head recipe. These ingredients are most common for the recipe, although some people tend to add pumpkin and other ground provisions such as yellow yam.

Here are a list if the ingredients used in this steam fish recipe and Amazon links to purchase.

  1. Fresh Okra
  2. Garlic
  3. White Onion
  4. Carrot
  5. Thyme
  6. Scotch Bonnet Pepper
  7. Jamaican Cock Soup

How Long Does it Take to Make Steam Fish?

Steaming is one of the easiest and fastest ways to cook fish. The cooking time depends on the size of the fish which may vary because some fish are big and some are small. I would recommend steaming each pound of fish for at least 7 minutes, (or to 145 degrees fahrenheit), with a lid on. This will allow the steam to be trapped in the pot and allow the fish to cook evenly.

When it comes to whole fish, I would recommend steaming for at least 10 minutes.

How Do You Clean a Fish Head?

Just like any other animal, fish have guts. The only difference is that the fish guts are located directly under the head, where the stomach is located. You can surely ask your butcher to clean the insides but they will not always clean it entirely.

Fresh Snapper Head

In order to properly clean the fish head, you will need a small knife, clean water and a bowl. Using the tip of the small knife, scrape any remaining guts from the fish head and use the clean water to rinse. There may also be some scales on the fish head which can be removed  by scraping the knife along the surface of the fish. 

Here is a video that I made over a year ago, with cleaning whole snapper fish in the kitchen sink. 

Jamaican Steam Fish

Steam Fish Head

A Classic Jamaican Fish DIsh
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 mins
Cook Time 20 mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine Jamaican
Servings 4 Servings

Equipment

  • Knife
  • Cutting Board
  • Large Skillet
  • Wooden Spoon
  • Mixing Bowl

Ingredients
  

  • 2 Pounds Fish Head ask your butcher to chop in large pieces
  • 2 Tablespoons Fish Spice
  • 12 Whole Okra stems removed
  • 6 Cloves Garlic Chopped
  • 1 Large Carrot washed and chopped
  • 1 Small Onion sliced
  • 2 Sprigs Thyme
  • 1 Packet Jamaican Cock Soup
  • 2 Cups Water

Instructions
 

Rinse the cleaned fish head with cool water, drain the excess water and place in a bowl

  • In the bowl with the clean fish head, add the 2 tablespoons of fish spice.
    Use your hand or a large spoon to incorporate the spice onto the fish head and set aside.
  • Place a large skillet on high head and add the 2 cups of water.
    Bring the water to a simmer and add the okra, carrots, thyme, garlic, onion and cock soup mix.
    Stir and cover for 5 minutes.
  • After 5 minutes, add the fish head pieces and reduce the flame to medium.
    Stir and cover for 10 minutes.
  • Serve with Boiled Green Bananas or Roast Breadfruit

Video

Keyword jamaican cuisine, jamaican food, jamaican recipe, jamaican stew
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Hi, I'm Marsha!. She moved to New York at the age of 14, where she attended Truman High School in the Bronx which offered a Culinary Program. Upon graduating from Truman, she continued her education at SUNY Delhi, where she achieved a degree in Culinary Management BBA.

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