Grilling fish is one of the greatest culinary adventures you can take in! Whether it’s fresh salmon, tuna or other white meat like flounder or cod, grilled fish is delicious and full of flavor.
Grilled fish is also a great way to ensure that your digestive system doesn’t overwork itself because you don’t overload it with heavy carbohydrates and fat. Plus, there are so many recipes and tricks you can make use of grilled fish!
This article will go into detail about some tips for grilling different types of fish and what kind of cookware is needed for each one. So get ready to learn more about how to grill fish!
How to grill fish at home
General tips
Before we dive in and start cooking our favorite foods, here are some general tips. These tips may be things like knowing when the fish is done or how to keep the juices from escaping. They may also be important tips such as learning how to season your food properly or finding the right balance between acidity and alkalinity.
All of these things play an integral part in making sure your food tastes good and functions well for you. Having knowledge of them will help you achieve both!
When roasting or broiling vegetables and fruits, they will not taste very bright unless they are paired with a salty ingredient.
Brush fish with oil
After washing your meat, let it dry completely before rubbing in the grill or cooking spray. This will ensure that the grill doesn’t burn the meat due to a lack of grease!
When grilling any kind of seafood like salmon, trout, or flounder, make sure to brush off all the salt that has accumulated. If you don’t, the fat from the olive oil can cause the food to stick instead of frying or searing properly.
To avoid having to start over, use paper towels to soak up some of the excess water and then pat dry. Don’t leave too much time between this step and grilling though, as both can result in soggy messes.
Never put wet foods onto hot cooktops, even if they are covered by a lid! The steam could ignite or combust, causing a disastrous fire. Always grill meat and vegetables alone, never together! That is why people usually do it… because it works!
Grill hardshell fishes such as bass, snapper, or striped bass like branzino like broiling does; just remember to keep an eye on them until they brown slightly. For more information about how to cook different types of fish, check out our article: How To Cook A Complete List Of Cooking Methods And Recipes.
Disclaimer: All information given here should be mixed with enough salt and pepper to taste and processed with adequate caution.
Put on grill dressing
When grilling fish, like salmon or bass, it is important to have appropriate cooking guidelines. Grilled salmon will taste better if you are a fan of fresh herbs so having some dried ones on hand is good. To make your own grilled salmon salad, place one 4-ounce piece of pre-salmon broiled salmon on a plate. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar and mix together. Spread this marinade onto the top of the salmon and cook in an oven or grill until the top is crispy and browned.
You can also add thin slices of tomato to the side of the salmon. These tomatoes should be slightly charred and buttery because these components help flavor the cooked salmon. If you do not have enough space to fit both toppings on the meat, just layer them as many salted pasta dishes require!
If you love spicy food then why not try sriracha mayo? It is very similar to regular Mayo but with several times the amount of hot sauce.
Know the difference between cooked and raw fish
When cooking any kind of seafood, whether it be fresh or dried, there is an important distinction to make. Raw fish can cause serious health issues so please do not eat food that is raw unless you know how to handle it!
Raw fish includes things like sushi, sashimi, and canned tuna, among others. These are definitely not safe foods if you are sensitive to either shellfish or gluten. Grilling your fish will bring an adequate amount of taste and texture to the table, and will ensure it is fully cooked all the way through.
When baking or broiling fish, stay within recommended temperatures. Most fish should only need to bake at 250°F until completely cooked (check and test with a fork). Some more expensive types of fish may require higher temperatures, thus making sure you check those before serving them.
Serve with fresh salsa and lime
When it comes time to cook your fish, you will want to make sure that it is cooked all the way through and flaky. Your best bet is using an oven-baked grill pan or baking sheet of some kind.
To do this, place the fish on the pan and cover with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Cook in the preheated oven for 10 minutes per one pound of fish. The total cooking time should be around 15 minutes depending on the thickness of the fish!
After the fish has finished roasting, remove the parchment or foil and let cool slightly before serving. Once cooled, put it into the fridge so it can set more easily.
If you like, you can warm up the fish again by putting it under a broiler or heating element until hot.
Try different cooking methods
When it comes to grilling fish, there are several ways to cook your steak. The same goes for grilled fish tacos! Grilling any kind of meat or fish under a broiler, in a pan, or even in the oven is an easy way to give you delicious food.
Thicker cuts of fish can be cooked through and folded like a roast chicken breast. Thin fillets can be brushed with oil and roasted just like the grill bar snacks made from cut up bread.
Fish and shellfish contain raw oils that may seep out as they cook. This makes them undesirable to some people who have special diets. Make sure to always check your fish or seafood before buying so that you know if it has these oils.
Removing these oils is an excellent way to preserve the healthiness of the fish. You can also toast rice or tortilla chips in olive oil and use those to sop up the leftover oils.
Use the right heat for fish
When grilling most meat, whether it is beef, chicken, pork, or seafood, there are two main temperatures that you will usually cook them at- warm and hot.
Grilling fresh fish does not have this distinction, only one temperature applies: high and hotter! This means that if your grill can reach a high enough temperature, you do not need to worry about what temperature water you use to steam the fish before putting it onto the grill.
Know the difference between grill and pan-frying
Grilling is an excellent way to cook fish, but how to grill it can be tricky! Thankfully, there’s a good chance you already know how to do one kind of grilled fish, which is usually either broiled or roasted (think: buttery salmon or crispy whitefish).
But what about when people ask you to “grill” your fish? This typically means cooking it over hot coals like in a plank style grill, or using a heavy skillet that has been heated up on a stove top before being put onto the grill.
The biggest mistake most grilling experts will tell you is to use these methods with oily fish such as trout, tuna, and flounder. These types of fish need to remain dry to taste well, so they are cooked by seasons of dried breading or having them hang out next to some water to steam themselves.
Know the right temperature for fish
When grilling fresh fish, what kind of grill you have can make a big difference! Grills that are hotter or colder than your average cook surface will affect how well your fish cooks.
Fish usually starts to stick or melt onto the grill when it reaches 140 F (fish fillets) or 165 F (salmon). So, making sure your grill is warm enough to achieve this takes into account the thickness of the meat.
Thicker white-flesh seafood like halibut and salmon require lower temperatures to fry/grill thoroughly. Thin flaky fish such as cod, snapper, grouper and other light colored fish work best cooked slightly higher.