How To Cook Delicious Maine Fish in a Dishwasher (Skip the Soap!)

While cooking fish in the dishwasher is safe and easy, I'm not sure I trust it. But some people say it's delicious.

Fishing is Part of the Maine Experience

Fishing is one of my favorite hobbies, but I leave the cooking of fish to my husband. Jim can lightly season a filet and broil it in the oven or grill it outside, and it's always restaurant quality. We've seen the stories and videos of people cooking fish in the dishwasher but never tried it. The preferred choice for dishwasher cooking seems to be that Maine delicacy, salmon, although I've seen videos using Mahi Mahi and trout.

READ MORE: 5 of New England's Classic Diners

Cooking Fish in the Dishwasher is Easier Than You Might Think

The process is simple. Prepare your fish as you would if you were broiling it. Season it with herbs, garlic, and lemons, drizzle it with olive oil, and add salt and pepper. Wrap it in aluminum foil, which is a crucial step, because you want to keep all the water out of the fish. You'll probably want to wrap it several times to get it airtight. Pop it in the top rack and run the washer on its hottest setting.

While some say you can cook while doing a load of dishes, soap and all, I disagree. If your fish packet isn't airtight, you'll get fish in your dishwasher or soap in your fish. Neither one sounds delicious to me.

Seasoning is Key to a Successful Dishwasher Fish Recipe

The most important steps are sealing the foil and seasoning the fish. In this video, the cook didn't season the fish and vegetables at all so, while it appeared to be cooked perfectly, it came out bland.

Jim and I will stick to his grilling and broiling and leave the dishwasher to do its expected duties. I worry that if the packet isn't sealed tightly enough, either the water will get in the fish, or the fish will disintegrate and get stuck in my dishwasher. But if you want to try it, I hope it's delicious!