 Have you ever had challenges grilling fish – does it stick to the grill or fall through the grate? Does your fish come out dry or consistently underdone? In this month’s cooking class we will take you through different grilling techniques for fish as well as provide some great tips on how to get the best results time after time.
Grilling Equipment – Gas or Charcoal?
Unless you are camping and are cooking over an open wood fire, most of us have two basic options for grilling – gas or charcoal. In my personal opinion, cooking with a charcoal grill yields the best results for flavor. It does take a little more effort, however. If you choose to use a charcoal grill, it is highly recommended to invest in a chimney. A chimney looks like an oversized tin can fitted with a handle on the side. The top three quarters of the cylinder are filled with charcoal, and the bottom quarter is stuffed with newspaper.  The chimney is then set over the bottom grill rack or preferably a small hibachi grill and the newspaper is then lit. It takes about 30 minutes for the coals to light completely – and no starter fuel is needed! When the coals are hot, you pour them into the grill. I usually spread out the coals so that the heat is concentrated either in the center or to the side of the grill. This way I can position the fish on different sections of the grill to regulate the heat. You are then ready to start grilling.
A gas grill is obviously much quicker and easier to get going, however, you won’t get quite as much “grill” flavor. I prefer to use a gas grill with at least two heat controlled sides – so I can move the fish from a “hot-side” to a “cool-side” depending on what is needed.
Wood Chips
If you want to scent your fish lightly with smoke from various woods, you can purchase wood chips from most grocery stores. They often carry a variety of different woods such as; hickory, apple, and mesquite. I find using wood chips works best with the charcoal grill. Placing wood chips on a gas grill just doesn’t seem to work out too well. To use the wood chips, soak them for about 20 minutes before using. As you are cooking your fish (or any food item for that matter) simple sprinkle a few wet wood chips over the coals. The wood will smoke and the food will take on the flavor of the smoke and wood.
The Grill Rack
A very important part of grilling, particularly with fish is to make sure that you start off with a clean grill rack. Fish will stick to any leftover particles on the grill rack and what you will be left with is a big huge mess. So make sure you scrub and wash the grill rack before you begin. Also make sure that you rub the rack lightly with oil….this will further ensure that the fish doesn’t stick.
Preparing the Fish with Marinades
Fish and shellfish can be marinated the same way as meats to give them a nice flavor throughout. Great marinades for fish include ingredients such as herbs (thyme, rosemary, parsley, marjoram) and aromatic vegetables like shallots, onions, garlic and ginger, and liquid ingredients such as citrus juices, soy sauce, wine, vinegar and oil.
Although marinades do add flavor to the fish, they are certainly not necessary. Often I will just grill fish rubbed with a little olive oil and sprinkled with fresh herbs, salt and freshly ground black pepper. You also might find that using marinades with acidic base (like citrus juices or vinegar) will “cook” the fish slightly before it even gets to the heat source. Also when using these sorts of marinades you might find that the fish doesn’t brown quite as well and may tend to stick to the grill more. Many recipes call for basting the fish during the cooking process. This procedure does have some drawbacks. It may prevent the fish from browning but keeping the surface area moist and if the marinade or basting sauce contains fats, such as butter or oil, it may cause flare ups in the grill and give the fish a sooty flavor.
Grilling Fish Fillets and Steaks
 Fish steaks and fillets are perhaps the easiest to grill. When grilling fish fillets or steaks make sure that they are at least ½ inch thick so they have a chance to get crispy and flavorful before they get overdone. You’ll find that if you use thinner cuts of fish that they will be the ones that tend to fall apart and eventually fall through the grill. Some of my favorite varieties of fish to grill are salmon, tuna and halibut because the flesh is firm and holds together well through the grilling process.
When grilling fish, always leave the skin attached. The skin helps the fish hold its shape and it helps seal in the flavor as it cooks. You can easily pull away the skin after it has finished cooking. A simple way to do this is to run a metal spatula between the skin and the flesh, essentially lifting the meat right off the skin.
Grilling Whole Fish
The simplest whole fish to grill are small, slightly oily fish like mackerel, baby Coho salmon and herring. Because of the oil content these sorts of fish rarely stick to the grill. One good rule of thumb is the smaller the fish, the higher the heat. If you grill a larger fish over too high heat, you will end up with a blackened fish that is not cooked all the way through. Conversely, if you cook smaller fish too slowly, you will get an overcooked fish that is dry on the inside.
A great way to grill larger fish is to use a grill basket. These look like fish-shaped cages and they come in a variety of sizes. They have a long handle on one end and hinges on the other. This handy tool eliminates the problem of trying to turn the fish without tearing the skin.
Controlling the Grill Temperature
Always preheat the grill before you begin. There are a couple of ways to control temperature. If using a gas grill, the obvious solution is to turn down the heat or a method I use quite often is to heat both sides of the grill over high heat before placing the fish on the grill rack. When ready to cook, turn one side of the grill completely off. Place the fish on the “off-side”. Because the grill rack is hot it will give the direct heat needed without the extra intensity of the flame that could potentially overcook the outside before the inside gets a chance to cook. You can use this same method on a charcoal grill by positioning the coals on one side of the grill and placing the fish on the other.
The other way to control the heat is to adjust the height of the grill-rack. Smaller fish should be placed very close to the coals or fire and cooked for a very short period of time. Medium size whole fish or thick fillets should be placed about 4 inches from the surface of the coals or fire. And large fish (more than 2 pounds) should be placed about 6 inches from the coals or fire.
Grilling Time
Whole fish usually cook in about 10 minutes per inch at the thickest part. Steaks and fillets will obviously cook much faster, about 6 minutes total grilling time per inch of thickness over high heat and slightly longer over lower heat.
Grilling Procedure
Place the side of the fish that you will be presenting on the grill first. Since it is the first to come in contact with the grill it is less likely to stick and will have a cleaner look. Turn the fish only once through the grilling process. This will reduce the risk of sticking and will minimize the amount of juices lost onto the grill.
Great Recipes for Grilled Fish
Now that you’ve got the basics down, it’s time to start experimenting with some great grilled fish recipes. Below you will find several incredibly delicious fish recipes that are easy to make, most are low in fat and all are suitable for family dinners or entertaining.
Grilled Fish with Basil Roasted Pepper Salsa
Grilled Salmon with Citrus & Fresh Herbs
Grilled Salmon with Peppercorn Sauce
Grilled Scallops with Tarragon-Pecan Sauce
Hawaiian Shrimp Kebabs
Salmon with Blackberry Sauce
Enjoy!
-Glutenfreeda |
