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Whether you want to barbecue the trout you just caught or use your grill to sear and lock in the flavor of tuna or salmon steaks, grilling fish yields a flavorful result. To learn how to grill fish properly, follow the instructions below.
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Introduction
- Cooking fish indoors can often result in a fishy smell that permeates your house and can last several hours. You can avoid this problem by cooking your fish outdoors on your barbecue or grill. Although fish can be easily overcooked on the grill, as long as you use the proper techniques and keep a close eye on your meal as it cooks, you can still cook fish to perfection on the barbecue. Different types of fish should be grilled using different techniques, as detailed below.
Direct Grilling
- Although some more delicate fish varieties will burn or fall apart if cooked directly on the grill, thicker, meatier fishes do well if placed right on the barbecue. Types of fish you can cook this way include:
- When cooking fish directly on the grill, be sure to:
- Brush the fish or grill with oil before starting to cook it; this will help prevent the fish from sticking to the grill. If you're going to oil the grill, do it before turning it on
- Set your grill to "high." You want to sear the fish to lock in the flavorful juices
- Only flip the once to reduce the chances that it will fall apart
Other Grilling Methods
- If you have fish fillets, or are cooking flakier, more delicate fish such as catfish, sole, flounder, trout, or tilapia, avoid placing the fish directly on the grill. Doing so may cause the fillets to fall apart and possibly through the grates, resulting in a lost meal. When cooking less dense types of fish, set your grill to medium or medium-low heat to avoid overcooked, rubbery or dry fish.
- For these types of fish, use one of the methods listed below.
- Plank grilling: Buy a specialized cedar cooking plank. All you need to do is soak it in water and then place the fish on the plank before placing it on the grill. Using a plank will prevent the fish from burning or sticking to the grill and also adds a smoky flavor to the meal
- Basket grilling: Get a specialized metal fish grilling basket and then put the fish inside the basket before placing it on the grill. If the fish sticks to anything, it will stick to the basket rather than the grill and you can easily flip the fish using the basket's handle
- Foil packet grilling: Place your fish on a large piece of aluminum foil and then fold the foil over several times to create an air-tight packet. This keeps your grill clean and keeps the fish from falling apart, while cooking it gently in its own juices. If desired, you can add vegetables to the packet and cook them along with the fish
Fish Grilling Tips
- Keep the following in mind when preparing to grill or grilling your fish:
- Oil the fish or the grill before cooking it if cooking directly on the grill
- Use high heat to cook fish directly on the grill to sear in the natural juices and flavor
- When cooking more tender fish or fillets, use medium or medium-low heat
- As a general rule, you should cook fish eight minutes for every inch of thickness
- To see if it's done, try flaking the fish with a fork; when it's cooked, it should flake easily
- Use a metal spatula or fork to turn the fish rather than tongs
- Avoid moving or flipping the fish more than once
Conclusion
- Grilling fish, whether you use direct heat, wrap it in foil before cooking or use a cedar grilling plank, is a lower fat alternative to frying your fish. As long as you are careful and use the proper techniques, you can create a fish dinner with that tasty, smoky barbecued flavor using your outdoor grill.
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