Oven-Baked Tench
Not just fish, but a masterpiece! It wins you over from the very first bite. Oven-baked tench makes a wonderful lunch or dinner for those who enjoy river or lake fish. The fish turns out tender, juicy, and without any muddy smell thanks to soaking in milk and adding lemon and aromatic herbs.
Updated : 18 March, 2026
Easy
More than 1 hour.
Ingredients
300 grams
Tench
500 milliliters
Milk
20 grams
Lemon
to taste
Salt
to taste
Ground black pepper
to taste
Dill
to taste
Thyme
Table
Table of volume measurements:
- teaspoon - 5 ml
- dessert spoon - 10 ml
- tablespoon - 20 ml
- glass - 200 ml
Preparation
Step 1
How do you make whole oven-baked tench in foil? Prepare all the ingredients. Ideally, the tench should be freshly caught, but if it is not, thaw the fish on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator. Fresh tench have a golden or copper color, while fish that has been sitting for a while becomes darker or changes color in patches. That is how they got their name. You can use not only fresh thyme, but dried sprigs will also work.
Step 2
Wash the fish under cold water and remove the scales. You can do this with a special scaler or simply with a knife. Tench has small scales and is usually easy to clean, but if you have difficulties, pour hot water over it, not boiling water, for just a few seconds. The scales will come off faster. Then remove the eyes, gills, and innards. Rinse the fish well and pat it dry with a paper towel.
Step 3
Since this fish prefers a muddy bottom and is often caught in lakes, the meat may have a slight muddy smell. To get rid of it, place the cleaned fish in a bowl and pour cold milk over it for 2 hours.
Step 4
Take the fish out of the milk and blot it with a paper towel or napkin. Make diagonal cuts across the surface without slicing all the way through; this is done to cut through the small bones. Season the fish with salt and pepper outside and inside.
Step 5
Place a sprig of thyme, optional, and a slice of lemon into the belly.
Step 6
Also place a sprig of dill into the belly. This will give the cooked fish aroma and flavor.
Step 7
Spread out the baking foil and place the tench on it. Cover the fish completely with foil, each one separately.
Step 8
Arrange the fish on a baking sheet in a single layer so they do not crowd one another, otherwise the skin will stick to the foil and the fish will fall apart when removed.
Step 9
Bake the fish in a hot oven at 180°C (350°F) for 20 minutes. The exact time depends on your oven. Then take the baking sheet with the fish out and open the foil.
Step 10
Put the tench back into the oven and cook for another 10 minutes so the fish bakes through and gets a nice crust, but do not dry it out.
Step 11
Take the fish out of the oven, transfer it to a plate, and serve. It is very tasty with boiled new potatoes sprinkled with fresh dill.
Step 12
Enjoy your meal!
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