Grilled Fish Fillets or Steaks
Instructions:
Most fillets, regardless of their thickness, are simply too
delicate to grill. But some sturdy, large-flake varieties of
fish are exceptions, most notably salmon, striped bass,
halibut, blackfish, and grouper—all with the skin left on,
which adds stability—as well as monkfish.
Fish steaks are relatively foolproof—they’re practically
designed for grilling. And whole grilled fish, regardless of
their size, are also good, though a grilling basket—which
is nice but not absolutely necessary—helps keep them
from starting to fall apart.
It always helps to make sure the grill is clean and well
oiled just before you put the fish on. Just hold some
paper towels in tongs and dip them in a small bowl of oil,
then rub on the grates.
About 11/2 pounds thick, sturdy fish fillets or steaks
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon minced garlic (optional)
Lemon wedges for serving
MAKES: 4 servings
TIME: 40 minutes
- Heat a charcoal or gas grill until quite hot and put the rack 3 or 4 inches from the heat source. Drizzle the flesh of the fish with olive oil and sprinkle it with salt and pepper. Rub the flesh with the garlic if you like.
- When the fire is ready, grill the fish for about 5 minutes, or until it’s firm enough to turn. Turn and grill until done, usually another 3 to 5 minutes. When done, the fish will still be firm and juicy but opaque, and a thin-bladed knife will pass through it fairly easily. Serve with lemon.
- Grilled Shrimp or Scallops.
- Shrimp are indestructible, but skewer scallops through their equators rather than their axes, or they may break (or put them in a basket).
- Grill until brown—just a couple minutes—then turn and brown again. Total cooking time should be just about 5 minutes; stop cooking before the interior of the shrimp or scallop becomes opaque.
- Grilled Whole Fish, Large or Small.
- Good for carp, catfish, red snapper, sea bass, mackerel, or sardines; 2 to 3 pounds total will serve 4. Make sure all are gilled, gutted, and scaled. If grilling one large fish, make 3 or 4 diagonal, parallel slashes on each side of the fish, just about down to the bone. Rub with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Small fish will take just a couple minutes per side; one large fish will take 5 to 8 minutes. Brush with additional oil if you like. To check for doneness, peek down to the bottom of the gashes, where the meat should be white.