What is Pompano and How to Prepare It

Bangus (milkfish) and tilapia are Filipino seafood staples that have been getting all the love in the United States, as seen recently on Tiktok. But there’s one fish that is massively underrated, but one which combines the best of two worlds. It is just as buttery as milkfish and mildly sweet as tilapia. It is also easy to cook by frying and grilling before being served with sweet and sour sauce or soy sauce and fresh tomatoes. 

(Photo credit: Yummly)

What is Pompano?

Pompano (or Pampano) is an ocean fish that can be bought from the wet market or supermarket live or frozen. Unlike bangus or tilapia, pompano is relatively less popular because it belongs to a marine ray-finned fish family whose deep-bodied, toothless members (e.g., jack mackerels, scads, jacks) are difficult to catch. Among the Carangidae family, pompano is one of the most common landings in the American Atlantic and Gulf as a prized commercial food fish. The Atlantic pompano, in particular, is tagged as the “world’s most edible fish” highly valued for its pan-sized, silvery body and flesh that is white and mildly sweet when cooked. 

In the Philippines, the indigenous Trachinotus baillonii is the most common specie of Pompano that is consumed by locals. They swim in pairs or small groups feeding on small fishes found on the surface waters of lagoon and seaward reefs. Pompano can be caught by trolling and line fishing but cultivating them for mass consumption is another matter.

There’s a reason why pompano is not as popular as bangus and tilapia in the Philippines. Simply put, pompano is a great table fare but pricey. Whereas bangus is less expensive to cultivate, raising pompano in marine cages and marine pens is two times more expensive. Pompano fingerlings are also not readily available and requires constant monitoring and maintenance of their environment at each growth stage. Adult pompano is harvested at its market weight of 400 to 800 grams. With the right feed and clean water quality, pompano can thrive stress-free and be nurtured into export-quality produce to satisfy the demand in the United States and Canada. 

How to Cook Pompano

(Photo credit: The Top Meal)

Pompano can be cooked in several ways, but the high fat content of pompano makes it great for grilling. The fish doesn’t require much preparation because it only has tiny scales that can be scraped off pretty easily. The only thing left to do is to cut both sides of the fish diagonally to ensure that the heat and salt rub reach the flesh faster. Some recipes for grilled pompano on the Internet suggest adding aromatic and tangy ginger sauce on top to give the dish a kick. Another recipe suggests topping the fish with tarty and zesty salsa verde with marinated cherry tomatoes for a fancy lunch in the garden. 

In the US, another popular method is baking the pompano until it renders healthy fish oil and the skin turns flaky. The recipe suggests slicing both sides of fresh pompano in crosshatch pattern and drizzling each side with a mixture of soy sauce, fish sauce, oyster sauce, rice wine, soy sauce, olive oil, and lime. The pompano is then baked on a layer of cabbage until fragrant and fork-tender. 

(Photo credit: Kawaling Pinoy)

While baked pompano recipe ideas are popular among Americans, Filipinos would simply pan-fry their pompano and serve the fish with other side dishes. Another Filipino style of preparing pompano is adding a flavorful and thick broth made with tomatoes and any sour fruit like tamarind, kamias, or calamansi. The whole dish becomes more enjoyable because you can spoon the tangy sauce over white rice.