Follow these easy instructions for How to Air Fry Pollock Fillets for a simple, quick and super delicious white fish option. Pollock is an excellent and economical alternative to haddock or cod and shouldn’t be overlooked!
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I don’t want to spend too much time singing the praises of pollock because chances are you’re here because you already have some that you’re wanting to cook. But I do just want to touch on the fact that pollock does tend to be rather overlooked in favour of cod and haddock.
Don’t get me wrong, I love both cod and haddock – I have air fryer instructions for cooking both cod loins and cod fillets as well as haddock fillets. But if you’re a regular fish eater, you may well already be familiar with pollock and not even realised.
The McDonald’s Filet-O-Fish burger is usually make from pollock (or Hoki in UK & Ireland). And many products like fish fingers are made from pollock when they’re not specified to be made with another fish. If something is just labeled “white fish” – it is often pollock.
Before we move on, I want to address the white elephant in the room. No I didn’t realise that the pollock fillets I cooked were folded over until it was too late! But I really think it was a happy accident and I shall tell you for why… It gave the fillets a nice even thickness so the fish cooked beautifully evenly. Next time I cook small fish fillets like these I’d actively fold over the thin end on purpose.
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How to Serve
Pollock has a mild flavour and lends itself to be cooked and seasoned simply and then served with really fresh spring like ingredients like I have in these images.
I went with some air fried whole baby potatoes, steamed mange tout, cherry tomatoes, watercress salad leaves and a butter garlic sauce.
But white fish like pollock also soaks up flavour really well so you can highly flavour it. Try some of the following serving suggestions.
- Top a fragrant thai green curry with the air fried pollock and some king prawns then serve with sticky rice and a garnish of fresh coriander (cilantro) and crushed peanuts. Try marinating the fish fillets in a little of the curry paste mixed with enough coconut milk to make a loose paste for maximum flavour.
- Flake into warm corn tortillas with shredded lettuce, peach salsa and guacamole for delicious fish tacos. Add a side of garlicky green rice and mexican style corn on the cob for a full feast.
Ingredients
Pollock
Alaskan pollock is the variety to look for as this is the most sustainable option. This is most usually labelled on the packet and is generally easily found.
Pollock fillets are more often than not sold frozen rather than fresh in the major supermarkets here in the UK. I suspect whether it is sold fresh in your area will generally depend how popular it is where you live. Frozen fish is great and shouldn’t be sniffed at so there is no problem with this. I’ve included cooking instructions to cook it straight from frozen too.
Butter
I love to use melted salted butter to brush over my fish fillets when air frying. This adds a subtle flavour, helps encourage a little browning in the very short cooking time and gives the seasoning something to stick to. It also adds a little fat and therefore moisture to what is a pretty lean fish
If you prefer to use a fat that isn’t butter, you can use any cooking oil/fat that you prefer. Try to consider that if you choose an oil with a distinct flavour like coconut or olive oil, you’ll want to make sure that the flavour complements your seasoning and the other flavours in your meal.
Seasoning
I’ve kept things extra simple and just used salt in this recipe. Sea salt flakes to be specific. I prefer delicate flakes like Maldon Sea Salt as they have a beautiful texture and a subtle flavour that enhances the food’s flavour rather than tasting of salt.
If you have a more free flowing salt, reduce the quantity by half as it will be stronger when measured by volume.
Allergen Information
This recipe is free from egg, gluten and nuts.
Dairy Free: To make this recipe dairy free, simply use a cooking oil in place of the butter or use a plant based butter alternative. Look for something intending to mimic proper block butter rather than a soft spread for best results.
Please note that this recipe may contain other allergens not referred to above and any variations suggested have not been tested unless otherwise stated. For more information regarding any dietary information provided on this website, please refer to my Nutritional Disclaimer.
How Long to Air Fry Pollock Fillets
My pollock fillets weighed in at around 70g/2.5oz each which is fairly small for fish fillets. At this size they cook in just 4 minutes in a pre-heated air fryer.
When dealing with such quick cooking times, I find it important to pre-heat regardless of whether your manufacturer says it is required. A minute or two of lower temperature cooking can really affect the overall cook.
How to Air Fry Pollock Fillets From Frozen
The actual cooking time is exactly the same as cooking from fresh. I don’t understand how this is true either but I promise I’ve tested it and it is true.
The slight difference is in how you’re going to prepare the fillets. I recommend giving the fillets a gentle rinse under the tap to remove any surface ice crystals.
Dry the fillets really thoroughly and then you can proceed to brush with butter and season as you wish.
Leftovers – Storage & Reheating
Leftovers can be stored in an air-tight container in the fridge for a day or two. It can also be frozen if you need. But I would generally try to only cook what you know is likely to be eaten. The fillets aren’t great at staying whole once cooked so you will more likely have a pile of flaked fish.
I prefer to steam fish and anything that is extremely easy to overcook when reheating it. I recommend using the microwave and a drop of water to do this.
If you need to reheat in the air fryer, it is is best to loosely wrap the fillets in foil. Again add a drop of water and then cook until the fish is piping hot.
Common Air Fryer Questions – A Brief Guide to Air Frying
- What exactly is an air fryer?
- What are the benefits of using an air fryer?
- Are all air fryers the same?
- Is an air fryer always better to use than an oven?
- Do air fryers need to be pre-heated?
- What is the best temperature to air fry at?
- What setting is best to use? Air fry, bake, dehydrate, etc…
- Can food be cooked from frozen in an air fryer?
- Can I reheat food in an air fryer?
- Are air fryer liners a good idea?
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What Exactly is an Air Fryer?
Very simply, an air fryer is a small convection (fan) oven. The benefit is that the hot air is circulated all around the food being cooked which speeds up the cooking time and cooks the food more evenly.
What are the Benefits of Using an Air Fryer?
Size, time and energy usage. Air fryers are ideal for cooking smaller quantities. Heating up a space that the food just fits into requires less energy and means that the heat source is much closer to the food. Combining these two things can speed up the cooking time.
Are all air fryers the same?
Nope! The term air fryer is now used very broadly. I consider there to be 4 main types:
Basket Air Fryers
These are what I would consider to be the most common, especially in the UK. A boxy type unit has a pull out drawer/basket. Food isn’t usually visible whilst cooking.
Some larger models have two drawers so different items can be cooked at different temperatures or for different times.
This is the type that you’ll see in the images in this recipe. I mostly use a Cosori Lite 3.8L (CAF-LI401S) with a 3.8 litre capacity. The square(ish) shaped basket is 21cm x 21cm and 24cm on the diagonal. It isn’t an overly expensive or fancy model.
I’ve also recommended to several friends and family the model with a slightly larger basket. This is the Cosori 4.7L (CAF-L501) with a 4.7 litre basket. The unit is no larger than the 3.8 litre model on the outside but does have a larger internal basket capacity. I’ve since bought this version to use for some recipes where my smaller model was just too small. I’ll always note this in the recipe.
Rotary Air Fryers
Round air fryers with a paddle in the centre that rotates to move the food. This is the type I used for years – the most common is a Tefal Actifry.
Rotary types are not usually good for recipes where the food is breaded, glazed, likely to break up or in a tray/container. They do however make the best chips and roasted veg.
My 2 in 1 version like the one I’ve linked also has a rotating tray for things that could be broken up by a paddle, but the height clearance with the lid isn’t deep enough to use it to cook some items like sausage rolls. I’ve now actually retired by Actifry in favour of having my two basket type fryers.
Mini Oven Air Fryers
These usually have a glass door, shelves and overall are really quite large. You can cook quite a decent quantity of food in them so are best if regularly cooking for multiple people. They often come with extra features like a rotisserie spit or kebab skewers.
Multicookers with Air Fryer Functions
Some like Ninja 11 in 1 and some of the earlier versions with a few less functions, have an air fryer option. They mostly operate the same as a basket fryer but the basket drops in the top rather than sliding in like a drawer.
Some electric pressure cookers like Instant Pots can also air fry when used with a specific lid.
Is an air fryer always better to use than an oven?
As much as I do love air frying, the honest answer to this is no. And the more detailed answer is that it will always depend on what you’re cooking, how much of it you’re cooking and what type and size of air fryer you have.
Once you need to cook in more than 2 batches, it often makes more sense to use an oven. If you already have the oven on to cook other items, it may make more sense to throw one more item in rather than using an additional appliance.
I don’t think either method is often necessarily better than the other. The important point to note is that there is absolutely no difference in the finished product.
Do Air Fryers Need to Be Pre-Heated?
The answer to this is rather annoying – it depends. It depends entirely on your model and type of air fryer. The best advice I can offer is to check your manual and follow their guidance. My Cosori models have a preheat function. I press a button and it heats at 205c/400f for 4 minutes.
It’s also worth noting that regardless of whether you are supposed to pre-heat or not, if you are cooking in batches, it is quite likely that anything after the first batch will cook a little quicker because of the retained heat. It is best to check on them before the cooking time is completed.
What is the best temperature to Air Fry at?
It will always depend on what you are cooking and from what state. All of my air fryer recipes don’t use temperatures above 200c/390f because many of the most common fryers in the UK don’t go above this. Mine goes to 230c/450f and I use this temperature a lot but it is no help for me to share recipes which many people can’t use.
What setting is best to use? Air fry, bake, dehydrate, etc…
Not all air fryers have different settings like this. When they do it usually relates to the fan speed. The default setting to use will always be “air fry” so unless something else is specifically stated in the recipe, always use the air fry option.
There are other air fryers that have an additional heating element which cooks from underneath rather than just the top. Just as with the other settings, unless you are using a recipe which states to use a second heating element, stick with just using the top down air fry option.
Of course if and when you become more confident with air frying, using recipes and the settings of your air fryer, you can start adapting them to suit.
Can Food Be Cooked From Frozen In An Air Fryer?
Absolutely! To cook from frozen you usually will need to reduce the cooking temperature and increase the time to make sure your food is cooked right through to the middle.
It is best to check my individual recipes for cooking from frozen advice as some items are a little different. And there are occasionally exceptions to the rule.
Can I Reheat Food In An Air Fryer?
Yes. As a general rule I reheat food for roughly 1/3 of the original cooking time at the same temperature. Or at 10 degrees lower for half the time for larger items.
Are Air Fryer Liners a Good Idea?
Unless otherwise stated, I do not use liners when air frying. Basket and rotary type air fryers are designed to be used without liners. Mini oven types will generally require some kind of tray like with a regular large oven although most come with crisper racks to use.
There are many air fryer liners available including quite thick silicone ones. These will affect the cooking times and possibly temperatures of your cooking/baking. I also don’t like how cooking juices are prevented from dripping through the basket rack. This can stop food from crisping all the way around.
When I do want to collect the juices, I mostly use some foil, or occasionally a foil tray which can be washed and reused.
If you do prefer to use them, once you have got a feel for how they affect your cooking and baking, you may need to make adjustments to the recipe accordingly.
More Air Fryer Recipes
All my recipes with instructions for how to cook or bake them in the air fryer can be found in my Air Fryer Recipe Index.
Don’t forget to let me know in the comments if you try making this recipe – I want to know what you think and if you made any substitutions, how did it turn out?
Still Have Questions?
Simple! Just contact me and I will do my best to help as quickly as I am able. Head over to my Contact Me page, any of my social media channels or post a comment at the bottom of this page and I’ll see what I can do.
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The Recipe
How to Air Fry Pollock Fillets
Ingredients
- 4 Pollock Fillets - roughly 280g/10oz
- 1 tbsp Salted Butter - see notes
- ½ tsp Sea Salt Flakes - see notes
Instructions
- If your air fryer requires pre-heating, Start this setting now.
- Melt 1 tbsp Salted Butter in a small bowl. I do this in the microwave but you could use a small heatproof bowl in the air fryer if you like. The preheat setting will likely do the trick.
- Thoroughly dry 4 Pollock Fillets. Use your fingers to check for any rogue bones and remove them if you find any. Note: The fillets I bought were folded in on themselves. I chose to not unfold them for more even cooking although your fillets will be just fine if they're not folded.
- Use a pastry brush to coat the top and sides of the fillets with the melted butter.
- Sprinkle over half of the ½ tsp Sea Salt Flakes. Crush the flakes between your fingers as your sprinkle for a thinner even coverage.
- Place the fillets into the air fryer butter side down. Leave a little space between each fillet so the air can circulate.
- Repeat the buttering and salting on the top of the fillets. Be careful not to catch your hands on the side of the hot basket. If you are using a non basket air fryer, you can do this beforehand.
- Cook for 4 minutes at 200c/390f. There is no need to turn the fillets.
- Be careful removing the fillets from the fryer as they will be delicate. Serve hot straight away.
To Air Fry From Frozen
- Cook for 4 minutes at 200c/390f.
Notes
- Butter – You can use an oil instead of butter but I do find that butter helps the fish skin crisp a little more and adds a nice flavour.
- Salt/Seasoning – You can use any seasoning mix or sauce instead of just salt but make sure that salt is included in the mix. You can also add a little citrus juice. If you use a sauce with a high sugar content, you may want to brush this on halfway through cooking so it doesn’t catch and burn.
- The air fryer version of this recipe is tested in a Cosori Lite (CAF-LI401S) with a 3.8 litre capacity. The square(ish) shaped basket is 21cm x 21cm and 24cm on the diagonal.
- Not all models advise preheating is required. Please follow the recommended instructions for your model. Mine has a specific preheat setting which is 4 minutes at 205c.
- For this recipe, I can easily fit 4 fillets in the basket at a time. This gives plenty of room to allow air to circulate – I could probably squeeze in 2 more if I really needed.
- As all air fryer models are a little different, you may find that you can fit more or less in at a time. Some models include stacking shelves which will increase capacity.
- Required cooking times and temperatures can also vary between models and brands. If you know that your air fryer runs a little hotter than most recipes suggest, use a lower temperature. And vice versa. Equally if you find that food cooks more quickly in your machine than instructions usually state, reduce the cooking time (or check it earlier) and vice versa.
Cat says
I can’t believe how quick these were to cook and they turned out perfectly!
Lesley says
Bought pollock this week and followed your simple instructions. Perfectly cooked fish in no time.
Dave says
Your air fryer fish recipes have been so helpful and the instructions for Pollok were perfect. Thanks.
Sisley says
Another of your brilliant air fryer recipes. I love how easy you make cooking in an air fryer.