Grilled Whole Fish
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
20 mins
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Cook Time
15 mins
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Total Time
35 mins
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Servings
4 people
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Calories
218 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
American
Grilled Whole Fish
Description
This recipe for Grilled Whole Fish requires cleaning the fish thoroughly, including scaling, gutting, and removing the gills for optimal flavor. Slashes are made across the thick side to help heat penetrate evenly, especially near the head where it's thicker. The fish is seasoned generously with salt and coated in olive oil before resting at room temperature to prepare for grilling.
Cooking on a very hot grill starts the fish with a sizzling sear, creating a crisp outer layer while sealing in moisture. The tail remains on and crisps into a nutty texture. The fish cooks over steady medium heat after searing until done. Fresh ground black pepper finishes the seasoning.
This simple grilled preparation brings out the fish’s natural flavors without masking them, making it ideal for a summer barbecue or outdoor meal. Serving with light sides keeps the focus on the tender, smoky fish.
It’s important to ensure the fish is fully cleaned to avoid any bitter notes from gills or scales. Trimming sharp fins can also make handling easier while grilling.
Ingredients
- 1 or 2 fish scaled, gutted and with gills removed, whole
- olive oil
- salt
- black pepper freshly ground
Instructions
- Wash the fish well and make 3 to 5 slashes in the meat perpendicular to the backbone on each side of the fish. You are doing this to open the interior of the fish to the heat, so it will cook evenly. Make more slashes closer to the head, where the fish is thicker, than toward the tail, which cooks first. Snip off any sharp fins with kitchen shears or scissors if you want. Leave the tail, as it will crisp up and taste wonderfully nutty. Seriously. Try it.
- Coat the fish with olive oil and salt it a little more than you think you ought to; salty fish tastes good! Let the fish sit at room temperature for 20 minutes to an hour.
- Get your grill crazy hot, at least 500°F, and scrape the grill grates well to clean them. When you are ready to lay the fish down, dip a paper towel in some oil and grab it with tongs. Wipe down the grill with the oily towel and them immediately lay the fish down on the grill grates. Let them sizzle nicely for a minute or so.
- Turn the heat down to medium and cover the grill if you have a gas grill, or just leave the fish on the open grill if you are using wood or charcoal and the grill is very hot. Let the fish cook for a total of 5 to 10 minutes on this side, depending on how thick it is. A general rule is a fish will need 10 minutes per inch of thickness. Estimate this thickness measuring to the fish's spine - remember you are flipping the fish.
- To turn the fish, have your tongs in your "off" hand and a big spatula in your good hand. Gently turn the fish over. It should come off the grates cleanly. If not, don't force it. Let the fish back down and come back at it with the spatula, using pressure to pry it off the grates. You don't want to pull the fish away from the grates and have half the skin and meat stick to the grill. Once the fish is flipped, let it cook for another 5 to 10 minutes.
- Once the fish is ready -- check by making sure the meat closest to the bone in the slash that is closest to the head of the fish is fully cooked -- put it on a platter and serve, with a sauce or not.
Notes
- Ensure the fish are fully scaled, gutted, and their gills removed to avoid bitterness and unpleasant texture.
- Use kitchen shears to trim sharp fins to make handling and grilling easier.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4people
Amount Per Serving
Calories 218 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 218kcal | 11% |
| Protein | 40g | 80% |
| Fat | 5g | 8% |
| Saturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Cholesterol | 180mg | 60% |
| Sodium | 155mg | 6% |
| Potassium | 576mg | 12% |
| Vitamin A | 200IU | 4% |
| Calcium | 34mg | 3% |
| Iron | 1.9mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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