Cooking fish like cod or salmon on the grill is one of the best ways to enjoy it. When cooking thick, flat-ish pieces of fish such as flounder or trout, use a grill pan so that you can cook the fish slightly under medium heat.
When grilling thicker cuts of fish, like cod, make sure to give it an extra minute before checking for doneness. This will ensure that all parts are cooked through and your house will smell amazing!
There are several recipes in this article and the rest of our grilled food category that include cod.
Make a dry grill mix
To cook cod on the grill, you will need something to actually grill the fish in. Most people use either buns or bread rolls as the cooking surface, but we are going to go one step further and suggest using sliced potatoes!
Grilling potato slices is an incredible way to prepare fresh Atlantic cod. When choosing your potatoes, make sure they are thin cut and of similar thickness. The thinner the better because it will cook more quickly, which will give you more time to enjoy the cod later!
We recommend baking the potatoes in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes before putting them onto the grill. This gives them enough time to toast up a little bit and get nice and toasty. Then, when the cod is cooked on the other side, drizzle some olive oil over it and broil until golden brown.
Coat the cod with the grill mix
When cooking fish like flaky, thin pieces of white or light colored fish like cod, making sure it is cooked all the way through and done properly can be tricky. If you do not make it until this stage, your will have to start over which would be wasted money!
To prevent this, we suggest mixing the grill pan up and experimenting with it. Using the right grill mix for the shape and thickness of the fillets makes baking the fish easier.
For example, if the cod is thinner than what our recipes call for, just use lighter flavored grill mixes such as tomato-based. For thicker fillets, use grilled bread crumbs or rice to help create an even crust.
Cook the cod
When cooking fish like flounder, cod or any other white-flesh fish, your first order of business should be to make sure it is cooked all the way through. Depending on the size of the fish, this can take anywhere from five minutes for thin fillets to half an hour or more for thicker pieces.
Thick fish will take slightly longer to cook due to its weight. The best tip we have is to lay the pan in the oven with the broiler setting turned up as high as possible. This helps dry out the meat slightly and makes it easier to check if the fish is fully cooked.
We also recommend brushing the fish with olive oil and salt before putting it into the grill or baking it that way.
Tips for cooking cod on the grill
When it comes time to cook your fish, how you season it and what kind of grill or pan you use makes a big difference! Grilling is a great way to prepare most any type of seafood including salmon, trout, halibut, and even fresh catch-of-the-day fluke (striped bass).
When grilling fish, two things are important to make sure it does not taste bad and to give it some flavor. The first is ensuring that the acidity of the meat matches that of the sauce being poured onto the cooked food. For example, if the grilled cod has been drizzled with melted butter, then making sure to wash the butter down the dish with water will change the acid balance in the mouth. This can be done during the final washing process before serving!
The second is seasoning the fish properly before putting it on the grill. If the grill was used to heat up other foods earlier, then those leftover flavors may burn off and stick to the fish. Make sure to have salt and pepper at the very least to ensure the right flavor.
Use a fish basket
When cooking cod on the grill, one of the most important things is having a decent source of heat to cook it with. You can use a grill pan, but that will only work if you have a very large surface area for the cod to sit on.
A better option is using a fish basket. There are many types of these baskets depending on what kind of seafood they are designed for. Most are made out of either metal or plastic and have holes in them so that water can drain off while the fish cooks.
Some come with racks built into them which allow your cod to bake dry while also keeping it warm.
Make the grill mix
When cooking cod on the grill, what kind of grill you have can make a big difference in how it cooks. There are two main types of grills- direct flame and indirect flame. Direct flame means that there is only one area on the grill where fire comes into contact with the food, which makes baking more difficult. This is not good for thicker foods like fish or bread, as they may burn before getting cooked properly. Indirect flames work better for creating baked goods and grilled vegetables because you can bake the item, and then move it to the other side of the grill to cook its other side.
With indirect grilling, most people use hinged grids that close over the coals, creating an insulated chamber that keeps the heat contained. This is very helpful when trying to achieve soft and fluffy grains or pasta dishes, but no matter what kind of grill you have, know how to season your charcoal correctly!
How to do this: First, soak the coal in water for at least 30 minutes until completely dissolved. Then, spread out the coals evenly across the size of the grill pan you will be using. If the grill has temperature settings, find a setting that is warm enough for the kind of meat you want to cook – usually around 300°F–350°F. Once ready to use, cover the grill fully and let it preheat for at least an hour to allow for even heating.
Try different cooking methods
When it comes to grilled fish, there are several ways to cook it and many of them result in delicious dishes! The best way to cook fresh cod is definitely not always the same as cooked and dried out cod that has lost its flavor and quality.
Grilling is one of the most popular types of cooking for seafood, so learning how to grill fish right is very important. Luckily, with all the tips and tricks we have discussed here, you will know just what to do when the time comes to fire up your grill and make an amazing meal or snack!
We hope you enjoyed this article about some great recipes for grilling cod! If you would like more information or want to see other recipes, be sure to check out our website or app! We have lots of helpful content and resources posted. You can also find us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Serve with potatoes and a salad
When it comes time to cook your cod, how you prepare it really makes a difference! The best way to cook fresh fish such as flounder or halibut is in an oven-to-table grill. This method works because the heat dries out the meat slightly, helping prevent dryness and creating more taste.
When cooking fish outside of the oven, make sure to have both a source of hot water and cold water for washing the cooked food. Never use tap water as it may contain chemicals that will affect the flavor of the fish.
Another tip is to never leave the grill unattended while the fish is baking. If there are no plates available, at least have some aluminum foil.