How To Barbecue Fish
Nothing beats a BBQ on a hot summer afternoon, with a few friends, a few cold drinks, and fresh hot food straight off the grill.
But if you’re getting tired of the standard BBQ fare of burgers and charred sausages, and looking to grill something different, then when not consider barbecuing fish?
There is a wide range of fish available, so there are some considerations to take into account. Your BBQ grill will have an impact, because if you use a BBQ with wide-set grill bars, then you will struggle to cook small, delicate fish fillets unless you wrap them in foil or use a fish basket.
A BBQ with a finer mesh-type grill will make it far easier to cook fish fillets, but it is important to cook fish on a very high heat and to oil the fish prior to cooking to ensure that the skin doesn’t stick to the grill and tear. Cleaning the grill before cooking will also help prevent sticking.
If you choose to cook fillets directly on the grill, choose fish that has fairly robust skin and flesh and will be able to withstand the high heat, such as salmon, halibut, or monkfish.
Generously season any fish you use when cooking on the grill with oil and salt to help prevent sticking and to produce a wonderfully crisp and tasty finish.
To cook more delicate fillets, such as sea bass or plaice, first wrap them in foil with a splash of liquid and oil and aromatic herbs to help protect the flesh and lightly steam the fish during cooking to ensure you have deliciously moist flesh.
Why not try marinating the fish for something a little different. Dice the fish and thread it onto skewers to make a fish kebab, which is also a great way to make fish more appealing to young children.
One of the best and simplest methods of barbecuing fish is to leave them whole, and whole sea bass or bream makes an impressive main, and the bones will help to impart flavour and moisture into the flesh.
The best fish for cooking whole include sardines, mackerel, trout, and red mullet. They are all affordable and widely available, and are full of tasty rustic flavours, and do not need too much preparation.
By leaving the fish whole, you can stuff the cavities with herbs and lemon to add more flavour to the flesh of the fish. To help keep the flesh intact and the stuffing in place fish baskets are a very handy tool to add to your BBQ arsenal.
They are made of two attachable metal racks that you sandwich the fish in between, before pacing directly on the grill.
The heat that travels through the metal also gives nice char lines as they are in direct contact with the skin of the fish. You can also wrap whole fish in tin foil, which will add moisture but not produce a crispy skin.
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