How to Cook Kipper

Co-authored by Randall Chambers

Last Updated: July 31, 2024

Kippers are cold-smoked herring fish, and they are traditionally served as a protein at breakfast in the UK. You can buy them fresh or frozen from most supermarkets, though in the US, you're more likely to find them in a can. Canned kippers don't require cooking, but fresh or frozen kippers do. You can poach them in a pan or use the more traditional method of poaching them in a jug. You can also grill or broil them in the oven, and sautéing is also a good option.

Ingredients

Poached Kippers

Kippers
Enough water to cover the kippers
Butter, optional

Jug-Poached Kippers

Kippers
Water to cover kippers
Butter, optional
Sprinkling of fresh, minced parsley, optional
Lemon wedge per fillet, optional
Dash of apple cider vinegar, optional

Kippers under the Broiler or Grill

2-3 pats of butter
Kippers
Lemon wedges, optional
Parsley, optional
Cayenne pepper, optional

Sautéed Kippers

2-3 pats of butter
Kippers

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Making Poached Kippers

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1
Heat the water in a pot on the stove. Place the pot over high heat, and bring the water to a boil. You can also do this step in a large frying pan if you prefer, which will heat the water faster.^{[1]
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- Poaching kippers creates the least amount of smell as opposed to other methods. Kippers can be fairly potent.
2
Remove the pan from the heat to add the kippers. The water doesn't need to stay boiling to cook the kippers. Take the pan off the heat and put the kippers in so you gently poach them instead of overcooking them.^{[2]
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- You can gently drop the kippers in with your hands or use tongs to lower them into the water.
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Kippers cook pretty fast, and they're typically done in this amount of time. You can leave them for a bit longer if the kippers don't look done. They should flake apart easily.^{[3]
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Pour the water off after 5 minutes. Use a sieve or colander to drain the water off, but be gentle, as the kippers may break apart. You can also use a slotted spoon or tongs to gently pull them out of the water.^{[4]
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- Try serving them with scrambled eggs and toast for breakfast. You can add a bit of butter on top of each fish for flavor.
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. Eat them within a couple of days.^{[5]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Making Jug-Poached Kippers

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1
Find a jug large enough to hold the kippers. You can use any jug that can handle the heat of boiling water, such as a ceramic pitcher. You can even use a heat-proof glass measuring cup that holds 4 cups (950 mL) of water.
- It's fine if the tails stick out of the water a little bit.
- Poaching the kippers in a jug is a traditional cooking method.
Line the kippers up lengthwise in the jar from top to bottom.^{[6]
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Research source} They can go at angle if the jug is a bit short. You can also cut the heads and tails off before putting the fish in the jug if the jug is too short.^{[7]
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3
Pour in enough boiling water to cover the kippers. Cover the fish up to the tails at least, though you don't need to cover the tails with water. Place a plate, lid, or piece of aluminum foil on top of the jug to hold the heat in.^{[8]
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- You can actually do this process at the table, as an impressive way to cook and serve kippers.
Kippers will cook fairly quickly. Check them after about 5 minutes to see if they're done. They should flake easily if they're done cooking.^{[9]
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5
Drain off the water and serve the kippers. Pour off most of the water in the sink, and then gently remove the kippers from the jug. Set them on a warm plate to drain off the rest of their water. You can also gently drain them in a sieve over the sink.
- If you're serving the kippers at the table, use a slotted spoon or large tongs to pull the kippers out of the water and drain them.
- Serve them with a bit of butter on top of each fillet and a squeeze of lemon. You can also use fresh parsley or a dash of apple cider vinegar.

Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Cooking Kippers under the Broiler or Grill

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1
Pre-heat the oven and cover a sheet pan with foil. The oven needs to be hot before you stick the pan in, so set it to "broil." Line a baking sheet with foil, so that it won't absorb the fishiness of the kippers.^{[10]
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- In British cooking, "grilling" refers to cooking under the heating element in the oven, known as the grill. In the United States, this type of cooking is called "broiling."
2
Melt butter in a saucepan until it turns brown and nutty. Using 2-3 pats per kipper, heat the butter over medium heat until it's turning golden brown.^{[11]
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Research source} Spread some on the baking tray to keep the kippers from sticking.^{[12]
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- You can heat the butter in the microwave, though you won't get the browned butter flavor.
If your fillets have skin, put the skin facing upwards. If they don't have skin still, that's fine, too. Brush melted butter on the skin or the top side of the fish using a basting brush.^{[13]
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The skin should cook for about a minute while facing up, but then you need to flip the fish so the flesh is facing upward.^{[14]
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Take the pan out, and turn the fish over with a spatula. Brush the top of the fish with melted butter using a basting brush, then put the pan back in the oven.^{[15]
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Baste the fish another 2-3 times. About every 1-2 minutes, pull the pan out and add a little more butter to the top of the fish. This helps fully incorporate the butter flavor into the kippers. Cook the fish on this side for 4-6 minutes.^{[16]
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- However, if you don't want to use that much butter, just stick to basting the kippers once on each side.
7
Pull the kippers out and serve them. Plate the fish on a warm platter. For seasoning, you can squeeze lemon over the fish or add a dash of fresh cayenne pepper or a sprinkling of fresh minced parsley.^{[17]
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- You can also serve them with more browned butter. Have a grainy toasted bread on the side to accompany the fish.^{[18]
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Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Making Sautéed Kippers

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Set the pan on the stove, and turn the heat to low. Add 2-3 pats of butter. Once it's melted, you should have enough butter to cover the bottom of the pan.^{[19]
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Add the kippers to the pan. Once the butter is melted, gently place the kippers in the pan. Cook them for about 3 minutes per side, or a little longer if they're not quite done after that time.^{[20]
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- You can use skinless or kippers with the skin still on for this recipe, depending on your preference.
3
Remove the kippers from the heat and serve. Once the fish is flaky and opaque, take the pan off the heat. You can serve these with scrambled eggs and toast for breakfast.^{[21]
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- Serve with lemon or lime wedges to squeeze over the top.

Community Q&A

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Question

Are kippers healthy?

Community Answer

Kippers are generally good for you - they are excellent sources of Omega-3, B- and D-vitamins, niacin, riboflavin, and various minerals including selenium (which can be hard to consume otherwise). However, kippers are also high in sodium, so consume them in moderation.

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