Whole Fish Baked In Salt

Ingredients
1 - Whole fish [see above]
1 lb. Kosher Salt per pound of fish
2 - Egg Whites per 3 lbs. of salt

Directions

* Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.
* If the fish is to be STUFFED simply fill the body cavity with stuffing.Put a piece of parchment paper on a heavy sheet pan. Lay the fish on the paper. In a large bowl add the egg whites to the salt and mix well until moistened (increase amounts as needed). Pack the salt mixture entirely around the fish, covering completely, from head to tail. Put the pan into the pre heated oven and bake it approximately 8 1/2 min per lb. Stuffed fish takes a little longer. I stick a thermometer into the fish at this time. The temperature should be about 140 degrees. Remove the fish from the oven. The salt has formed a hard crust. Crack the salt coating with the side of a mallet or other broad object. Crack the salt crust, don’t pulverize it. Remove the large pieces of salt from the fish. Careful they are hot! Make a slice in the skin just behind the head and peel the whole skin off. Remove the stuffing first then lay the chunks of fish directly on top of it. I use a wide kitchen knife to remove the meat from the fish. Work from the back of the fish towards the belly, sliding over the bones. The meat will come off easily.
* You did it! Eat slow and enjoy!