Question 1

How do you grill the perfect fish?

Accepted Answer

Learning how to grill fish, including how to grill salmon, is a delicious culinary journey. Regarding the best fish for grilling, any type of fish can be cooked on the grill and once you master your preferred technique, you won’t want fish any other way. Firmer, meatier fish species can be grilled directly on the grates, while delicate, flakier species are best when cooked on cedar planks, in foil packets, or in a grill basket. Cooking fish on the grill is a summer pleasure and knowing how to BBQ fish is an indispensable skill. For perfectly grilled fish, here are some tips for grilling salmon on a charcoal or gas grill. You can adapt these tips to your favorite grilled salmon recipe or recipe for grilled white fish, such as halibut, sablefish, or Chilean sea bass.If you plan to BBQ salmon directly on the grill grates, choose salmon portions with the skin on, which helps protect the fish from drying out and from sticking to the grill.Always preheat your grill grate to 450°F. A properly heated grill will help keep the fish from sticking to the grate and from falling apart while cooking, especially if it’s skinless.Just before grilling salmon or other fish, coat it liberally with olive oil and season it with salt and pepper or your favorite seasoning for salmon or seasoning for fish. Oiling the fish rather than the grate will release the fish more easily.For perfectly cooked salmon, place portions skin-side down on the hot grill and close the lid. The fish will stick to the grates at first, but after 6 to 8 minutes, the skin will crisp and release naturally, making it easy to flip to the other side for another 1 to 2 minutes. Adjust cooking time accordingly for fish of different shapes and size, such as salmon burgers, salmon kabobs, or albacore tuna medallions.If cooking on cedar planks, be sure to soak them in water 2 to 4 hours in advance. When you’re ready to cook, place presoaked planks directly on the grill and preheat for 5 minutes, or until the undersides begin to darken. Carefully flip the planks over and arrange fish portions in a single layer on top.

Question 2

What spices go with fish?

Accepted Answer

A simple preparation of salt and pepper lets the subtle flavors of wild fish shine through. To further enhance the delicate, natural taste of wild salmon or white fish, use fresh or dried herbs like chives, dill, parsley, basil, or marjoram. For more complex flavor, you can sprinkle your fish with a packaged blend of our Signature Organic Salmon Seasoning, Organic Lemon Pepper Seasoning, Organic Rustic Blackening Blend, or Organic Classic Creole Seasoning.

Question 3

How long should fish be grilled?

Accepted Answer

The most common blunder when grilling fish is overcooking it. Fish is done when the internal temperature reaches 145°F, or when it begins to turn from translucent to opaque and the texture is firm but still moist. Many grilled fish recipes say to cook fish until it flakes, however, fish that’s cooked to the point of flaking is already overdone.Overall cooking time depends on the thickness of the fish, temperature of the grill, and cooking method. Thinner portions cook faster than thicker portions and grilling directly on grates cooks fish faster (7 to 10 minutes on heat) than grilling it on cedar planks or in foil packets (10 to 20 minutes on heat).Like meat and poultry, fish continues to cook after it’s been removed from the heat, so it’s important to take carryover cooking into account when estimating cooking time. In the 5 minutes following removal from the heat source, carryover cooking increases internal temperature by another 5°F to 25°F. The hotter the heat source, the higher the internal temperature will rise after fish has been removed from the grill. Once your fish reaches 135°F, transfer it from the grill to a serving platter, cover loosely with foil, and let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes to allow for the internal temperature to reach 145°F.

Question 4

How do you marinate fish for grilling?

Accepted Answer

Marinades are typically used to flavor and tenderize meat and poultry, but tender foods like fish can benefit from a good marinade containing oil, herbs, spices, and condiments. Marinades can keep fish from drying out and the oil in the marinade helps prevent the fish from sticking to the grill. A marinade can also be dry, such as a spice rub. Fish takes on flavors much quicker than meat or poultry, so it’s easy to add loads of flavor in the time it takes you to prepare the grill. In a glass container or a resealable plastic bag, marinate your fish in the refrigerator for 15 to 30 minutes, turning occasionally to keep the marinade evenly distributed. Do not over marinate as fish is naturally tender and can become mushy if marinated too long. While beef and poultry benefit from a little acidity, citrus juices like lemon or lime should be squeezed over fish just after cooking rather than added to marinades. A highly acidic marinade—one containing lots of vinegar or citrus juices—will toughen fish, so your marinade needs to be low in acid. If you want to add citrus flavor to your marinade without compromising the texture of the fish, a little grapefruit, orange, lemon, or lime zest will do the trick. Here are some flavor combinations to try in an olive oil marinade:Grated ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil, sriracha, saltDijon mustard, honey, red pepper flakes, saltSesame oil, mirin, rice wine vinegar, grated gingerOrange zest, lime zest, salt, agave, ground cumin, ground coriander, finely chopped cilantro

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Frequently Asked Questions About Grilling Fish