Various Fish Methods

When grilling, first remember to always line your grill pan with buttered foil, as this makes it easier to wash and prevents any fishy flavours from lingering in the pan. For domestic grills, always pre-heat them to their highest setting a good 10 minutes in advance. White fish needs to be brushed generously with melted butter and basted with more melted butter whilst cooking to prevent any dryness. This is something of a minefield to give timings for, because domestic grills vary so much, as do shelf-distances from the source of the heat, so bear this in mind when following these guidelines.

• whole sole or flounder, lemon sole or plaice weighing 10-12 oz – grill for 4-6 minutes each side.
• fillets of sole or plaice – 2-3 minutes each side.
• fish fillets and steaks weighing 6-8 oz – allow 5-6 minutes each side, flesh-side first, and have extra butter ready for basting during cooking.
• whole mackerel weighing 8-10 oz – make 3 diagonal scores on each side and, if you wish, tuck in a slice of lemon or lime, brush with melted butter and grill for 6-7 minutes each side.
• whole herring weighing 6-8 oz – score and butter as above and allow 4-5 minutes each side..

More tips on Grilling Seafood

A hinged wire grill basket is best for cooking whole fish such as snapper, trout or salmon. It also works well for fillets of tender fish such as perch, snapper, catfish or flounder. Firm fish, such as tuna, salmon, or shark can be cooked directly on the grill if handled carefully.
Skewer small shellfish such as shrimp or scallops on metal or water-soaked wooden skewers or cook them in a grill basket. Grill fillets over medium to medium-low heat. Fish can cook quickly and it is easier to slow down cook time and monitor to not overcook. Turn fish only once. (Flipping back and forth will break fish apart.) If using a marinade, allow fish to soak up flavor for at least 30 minutes. Refrigerate while soaking in marinade. If you are going to use the marinade as an extra sauce on top of the cooked fish or seafood, the marinade liquid must be boiled by itself for at least 5 minutes to cook out any bacteria that may be there from when the fish was soaking. To grill shellfish in the shell, such as oysters, mussels and clams, place them directly on the hottest part of the grill. They’re done when the shell opens. Discard those that don’t open after about 5 minutes.

Brining

Prior to smoking, all salmon are brined with a cure of salt and sometimes sugar and spices. There are two common brining methods: dry brining, a mixture of salt and maybe sugar, spice and other flavorings which is applied directly onto the meat of the fish. Once the fish has been dry brined for awhile (depending on the species and size of the fish), the brine is rinsed off and the fish is ready to be smoked. When wet brined, the fish is placed into a solution of water, salt, and perhaps sugars and spices prior to smoking.

Grilled Trout

This recipe works best with a whole fish because you will need to place all the herbs inside of it. This trout will make a delicious meal any day of the week.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 1 pound trout
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh basil, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, minced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

PREPARATION:

Mix together parsley, olive oil, basil, rosemary, and garlic. Spread evenly on the inside of the fish. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours. Oil cooking grate and preheat grill. Sprinkle fish with salt and pepper and grill for 4-5 minutes on each side over a medium heat.