Grilled fish gets flavors from dill sauce, zucchini
There are recipes and cooking techniques that almost always elicit a cocked eyebrow from some readers. Anything deep fried is one. Cooking fish is another, especially grilling fish.
And that is a shame because fish fresh off the grill — with that bit of sear and smoky flavor — is simply delicious.
“Grilling fish gets a bad rap. Not because it’s not good, but because it’s perceived to be difficult,” Mike Lang writes in his new cookbook, “One-Beer Grilling” (Castle Point Books, 2021).
For those new to grilling fish, Lang has recommendations for success:
■ Choose a thicker, meatier fish, such as a Chilean sea bass, cod or salmon. The more substantial the fish, the firmer it will be. “For grilled fish, I always gravitate toward the Chilean sea bass because it is oily and buttery,” Lang said. “A large filet will be more forgiving. If you get a snapper that is really thin, you’ve got a much shorter window of cooking time.”
■ Clean your grill grate well. Stuck-on bits of food are one of the biggest reasons that fish stick, Lang said.
■ Heat your grill and grate — at least 15 minutes for a gas grill and about 20 for a charcoal — before you start cooking. Lang said when he is grilling fish on a workday, he turns on the grill before he even walks into the house.
■ Brush the fish with oil on both sides. “Oil helps seasonings bind to the protein and the oil helps it sear.” Once the fish has seared it should easily release from the hot grate. “If you feel resistance, give it 30 seconds or a minute more.” Flip the fish only one time. “Every time you turn fish, you create a new possibility for difficulty, for sticking,” he said. Grill the fish longer on the first side and allow it to develop a sear and crust. And if you are grilling with the lid closed — and he recommends that you do — the second side will partially cook while the first side is on the grate, so it needs less time on the heat.
■ Check to see if the fish is done before moving it again. Use the edge of a knife or a fork to determine if the fish is opaque throughout and easily flakes. If you have an instant-read thermometer you can test the fish. It should have an internal temperature of 140 to 145 degrees.
He recommends that home cooks not bother with marinades for fish, which work to break down the structure of the filet. Instead, he said, brush the fish with oil, lightly season it and make a quick sauce to go on the fish tableside.
And, in his cookbook, Lang pairs each dish with a beer. For this grilled fish, he suggests a lambic, a fruity beer with a bit of effervescence.