How to Cook Wahoo Ono

Wahoo is a lean, firm fish with a mild flavor and is versatile enough to be cooked in a variety of wahoo recipes.
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Wahoo is a lean, firm fish with a mild flavor and is versatile enough to be cooked in a variety of wahoo recipes. The fish is found primarily in the tropical Pacific waters, especially off the shores of the Hawaiian islands, where it is more commonly referred to as "ono."

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There's no one best way to cook wahoo — according to Hawaii-Seafood.org — it's good for grilling, broiling, blackening, poaching and more.

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Read more: How to Cook Bonito Fish

Grilled Wahoo Recipes

Step 1: Marinate Your Fish

Submerge the wahoo fillets in a bowl of a marinade of your choice, such as an olive oil-based marinade with lemon juice, salt, pepper and garlic powder, or an Asian-inspired soy sauce-based marinade that includes ginger, chili paste and sesame oil.

As an added bonus, marinating food before grilling reduces the production of harmful carcinogens, according to Harvard Health Publishing.

Step 2: Soak for Desired Time

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator, allowing the wahoo fillets to marinate for 20 minutes to an hour.

Step 3: Prep the Grill

Prepare your grill by brushing the grill grates with canola oil and bringing the heat to a medium-high.

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Step 4: Grill It Up

Remove the wahoo fillets from the marinade and place them on the hot grill. Close the grill and let the fillets cook for about four minutes on each side, until the fish easily flakes with a fork.

The Food and Drug Administration recommends all fin fish be cooked to 145 degrees Fahrenheit for safe consumption. Use a meat thermometer to determine the temperature of the fillets when cooking wahoo fish.

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Poached Ono Recipes

Step 1: Add Your Aromatics

Drizzle a large saucepan with olive oil and add aromatics, such as chopped garlic and onion, and fresh herbs, such as basil and rosemary, to flavor the wahoo.

Step 2: Add Some Liquid

Add 1 to 2 inches of the poaching liquid to the saucepan. You can use liquids such as water, white wine, vegetable stock or coconut milk.

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You can also add additional flavorings to the liquid, such as stewed tomatoes for a tomato broth or curry paste to poach the fish in a curry sauce when cooking wahoo in a pan.

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Step 3: Heat the Liquid

Heat the liquid on the stove to 155 F. Use a food thermometer to make sure you get it to the right temperature.

Step 4: Poach and Serve

Add the fish to the hot liquid, slightly reducing the heat to maintain a temperature of 150 F.

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Cover the saucepan and let the fish simmer in the liquid for roughly six to 10 minutes, or until the poached wahoo flakes easily and has reached an internal temperature of 145 F. Serve the fish with some of the liquid it was cooked in.

Cooking Wahoo Fish in Oven

Step 1: Heat the Oven

Heat your oven to 350 F.

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Step 2: Add Oil and Seasoning

Drizzle olive oil onto the wahoo fillets and season with salt and pepper. Add an optional squeeze of lemon juice to brighten the flavor. You can also marinade them.

Step 3: Bake Until Flaky

Place the wahoo fillets in a baking dish in a single layer and cover tightly with foil. Bake the fillets for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until the fish easily flakes with a fork and has reached an internal temperature of 145 F. Serve hot.

Read more: Top 10 Healthy Fish to Eat

Things You'll Need

  • Prepared marinade

  • Bowl

  • Plastic wrap

  • Canola oil

  • Meat thermometer

  • Olive oil

  • Aromatic vegetables

  • Fresh herbs

  • Poaching liquid

  • Olive oil

  • Salt

  • Pepper

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