Alright, maybe this is more of a confession than a question. I’ve been avoiding salmon because every time I get a nice crispy skin going, my studio smells like low tide for two days. My hood just recirculates into the cabinet above, and the window over the sink opens about six inches before it hits the fire escape. I’ve tried the foil packet thing—fine, but you don’t get the crust. I’ve tried simmering water with vinegar after, but that just makes it smell like pickled fish. What’s the move in a small galley? Is there an actual method that gets real sear without the hallway stinking? Or do I just have to become a poached fish person?

Okay I am pretty new to this and I tried making tilapia in a parchment packet last week because I thought the paper would trap the smell? It did not. The hallway outside my door smelled until the next morning, and my super gave me a look. Do air purifiers work for fish? I have one of those small ones from the drugstore but I didn’t run it until after. Also should I microwave fish to avoid smell? Maybe that’s illegal in an apartment? Lol. Thanks for starting this thread, I need the same advice.

First of all, thank you for bringing this up!! Fish smell is a two-part problem: aerosolized fat and whatever lands on the greasy surfaces around the stove. If your hood is the recirculating kind, the mesh filter is probably coated in old oil, so it’s not doing anything except moving the stink around. Check if it’s ducted or not! If it’s not, you need a window fan blowing out, not in, and the window cracked on the other side if you have one. For actual sear: dry the fish really really well, use a high-smoke oil, and get the pan hot but not smoking like crazy. The crust comes from dry surface, not from blasting heat. I also swear by a splatter screen—it stops those tiny fish-fat droplets from going all over the cooktop and backsplash. And yes, poaching is a compromise, but if the fish is fresh you can do a court-bouillon and it won’t scream 'fish.' Have you tried using the broiler instead? That smells different, maybe worse, but the smoke goes up into the vent area more directly.

New here and honestly this thread is validating. I did the parchment packet too, firstwinter, because a cooking video said it locks in moisture. The moisture stayed in the packet but the fish smell did not. My neighbor asked if I had a cat with a health issue. I’m on the top floor so I can open the stairwell window, but then everyone smells it. Rita, how do I know if the hood is actually ducted? Mine is one of those under-cabinet ones that has two little lights and a fan, no visible duct. Is it just decoration? Also do splatter screens really work for smell or just for grease?

Rita’s right about the filter, beth. If you can’t see a metal tube going into the wall or ceiling behind the cabinet, it’s recirculating. They still catch some grease but not the actual smell. I pulled mine out once and it looked like a lint trap from a diner. Soaked it in hot water and Dawn, and it did help a little, but the real difference was the window fan. I’ve got a cheap twin fan, one side blowing out, and I point it right at the stove before I start. It’s not pretty, but my futon doesn’t smell like a seafood market anymore. For a while I was doing the 'fish outside' thing on the fire escape, but that’s a whole different fire hazard conversation. Poached is still a no for me, texture too soft.

Does anyone know if the landlord is supposed to fix the vent/hood? I just moved into a garden-level unit and the little fan above the stove doesn’t turn on at all. I asked the super and he said open the back door. I made salmon once and my whole apartment plus my coat by the door reeked. The bathroom fan is also weak. Is there a rule that rentals need working kitchen ventilation in NYC? I thought maybe there was. If I have to use a window fan, do I point it out from the kitchen, or is it better to put it in the living room window and blow air into the kitchen? Sorry if that’s a dumb question.

DykerNewbie, not a dumb question!! A lot of old NYC rentals have no real exhaust, and the fan above the stove is just a fan with a charcoal-ish filter that’s probably never been changed. I don’t think the city requires a ducted kitchen exhaust in existing apartments, but if it’s installed and broken, you can ask for a repair—though they might just replace it with another recirculating unit. Point the fan out from the kitchen window if you can, because you want to pull the fishy air out, not push it into the living room. If you only have a living room window, use it to create cross-flow: open the kitchen window a crack and aim the living room fan out. It won’t be perfect but it moves the air. Also, wash the hood filter if you can remove it. Hot water and dish soap, let it dry. And leave a little bowl of baking soda on the counter overnight. I’m team crispy skin forever!!

Update: I tried the window fan out and dried my salmon really well before putting it in the pan. I also did the baking soda bowl and cleared the cooktop first. It actually worked way better. The hallway didn’t smell, and my coat didn’t smell. Only thing is the fire escape gets a little fishy for an hour, but I can live with that. Thanks Rita and westside_walt. Next question: does the same trick work for lamb chops? My kitchen has no real hood, and my last attempt set off the smoke alarm. But one problem at a time.