Tips for perfect seafood from the grill
Peoplesays JP tend Toske,to feel executive intimidated chef whenat St. it comesPaul Fishto grilling Market seafood,at the Milwaukee Public Market in the Old Third Ward. ♦ “Fish are delicate. I think a lot of people — they get nervous grilling fish,” he says. ♦ Seafood on the grill can be tricky for the very reason people favor it over steak — it’s lower in fat. It won’t release fat on the grill the way steak does. “Fish? No. Not a chance,” Toske says. So, heat and oil are critical. ♦ But the biggest tip is this: Just leave the fish alone once it hits a hot grill. ♦ “Don’t overwork it,” he says. ♦ Toske and personal chef Timothy Schmitz, a seasoned seafood griller who runs a cooking business called the Culinary Curmudgeon, offered these tips:
Go for the freshest possible fish. You’ve probably heard this before, but it bears repeating. You’ll get better flavor, of course. But previously frozen fish also is harder to work with, Schmitz says. “It’s less firm — it tends to get mushy when thawed,” he says.
Let the grill heat up — to medium-high heat for most fish. And give the grate a good going-over with a stiff wire grill brush.
Choose the right oil. Most people cook with olive oil, but this isn’t the best for grilling fish because it has a low burning point, Toske says. Snapper especially, with its light, flaky sweetness, would turn bitter with olive oil on the grill, he says. Instead, reach for canola or a soy-based oil.
He notes that olive oil can be used in marinades. “I would just make sure to give the fish a little shake when removing it from the marinade, to get rid of any excess oil before putting on the grill.” Oil the grill using a paper towel dipped in oil.
The grill should take on a deep, black sheen. “Brush the grill grate generously,” says Schmitz. “This goes a long way to prevent sticking.” Give the fish a light brushing of the same oil.
“Nothing substantial,” Toske says. “You don’t want to drown the fish in oil.”
Now the fish is ready for the grill.
You should touch it just four times in the grilling process, Toske says. First, put it on the grill and let it sit for 2 to 3 minutes. Resist the urge to nudge, push, peak or tweak it.
“People shred it by moving it around on the grill,” Toske says. Then move it 90 degrees. Leave it alone another 2 minutes. Now flip it over. Leave it alone another 2 minutes, then move it 90 degrees and wait another 2 minutes.
This way, you’ll get the grilling hash-marks people tend to love, and you’ll get “a nice release off the grill” and avoid a flaky mess of fish. If the fish has skin, start grilling flesh-side down,
Schmitz says. “First, this will sear the flesh, locking in moisture and flavor,” he says. “Second, there’s a thin layer of fat between the skin and the flesh. Grilling flesh-side down first tends to melt that fat and it helps keep the fish tender.” Still nervous about seafood on the grill? Toske recommends that novices go with a “steaky” fish — swordfish, tuna or marlin. “It’s a lot more forgiving,” he says.