Rules For Grilling Fish
I get a lot of requests for
information on how to grill fish right. The
first rule I've found is
to not think about it that much. Fish is meant to
be grilled. The direct heat
cooks fish fast, easy and without removing
moisture. Grilled fish is
flavorful and juicy. The second rule is to
remember that fish is naturally
slippery, so when you grill fish, make sure
that your cooking grate
is well oiled. In fact, the grilling is so easy
that you can do it right
on the shoreline where you caught the fish.
Apart from that, fish is
easy and fast. You can literally get fish off the
grill in a matter of minutes,
thus making fish the perfect after work meal.
Pick up a couple of filets
and lemon or two and light up the grill as soon
as you get home. Fish is
also great for dinner parties when you never know
exactly when people will
arrive. A few hours before dinner you can get the
fish soaking in a marinade
or otherwise seasoned up and light up the grill
a few minutes before everyone
wants to eat.
The hardest part of grilling
fish is knowing when it's done. This is
generally the hardest part
of grilling, but don't worry. When fish is cooked
the meat will flake easily
with a fork and will appear opaque all the way
through. If any part of
the meat is still glossy and partially translucent
then it's not done. Don't
ever serve undercooked fish. Not only is it not
safe, but you might turn
someone off fish for life. To make this easy always
start out with a steak or
fillet that is evenly cut. If one part is much
thicker than another it
will be hard getting the thick part cooked before
the thin part burns up.
If you have a fillet that is uneven consider cutting
it in two. Put the thick
half on first and when it's about halfway done, put
the thin half on. This way
you will get it cooked to perfection without
burning any.
Also keep some fresh lemon
juice and maybe some melted butter handy while
you are grilling. You can
brush this on while you grill to add flavor and
keep the fish moist. But
remember that butter will burn so be careful with
it. I love dripping lemon
juice over fish while I grill it. The steam and
the sizzle add to the show
and make everyone appreciate the meal just a
little bit more.
