Grilled Whole Fish is my favorite way to eat fish. It has a great smokey flavor and crispy skin. The fish also comes in a variety of tender pieces that you can customize according to your taste. This recipe will help you decide what flavors and herbs to use and how to prepare your fish.
Grilling fish over coals or fire is simple because you only need to pick your fish (have it cleaned up by the fishmongers), choose your herbs and flavor infusers and stuff it. Then grill your fish on a bbq.
Grilling fish is a great way to enjoy a variety of fish
California Fish Grill is my favorite place to get grilled fish. Thai Nakorn, my favorite Thai restaurant in Orange County is also a favorite. Although I have ordered it many times before, it wasn’t until I went on a camping trip that I realized how simple and easy it was to prepare this dish.
You can usually get different types of whitefish at many restaurants (such as halibut, mahi-mahi, or catfish), but that doesn’t mean you have to stop making it at home. In the past, I have grilled salmon, mackerel and branzino as well as other fish types.
Rainbow trout is my favorite fish to grill. It’s not too fatty, cheap, and doesn’t have as many bones as branzino. Try to stick with fish that are firmer and more sturdy, such as salmon and trout.
Seasoning and stuffing fish
I used many of the herbs and spices that I had on hand to make this bbq-fish recipe. To make space for lemon wedges or other ingredients, I prefer to prepare my fish by making about 3-4 slits on each side. This ensures that the fish meat is full of flavor.
These are my top picks for this fish:
- Lemon wedges
- Minced garlic
- Calamari
- Lettuce
- Rosemary
- Parsley
- leeks
- Salt and pepper
This recipe can be customized to your liking. You can add red onions and butter slices, chile bell peppers or sliced jalapenos to the recipe. It’s endless in terms of what you can do, which is why it’s so much fun!
How long should the fish be grilled?
Grilling fish can seem daunting if you have never tried it. These tips will help you cook fish on the barbecue.
- Before you cook the fish, clean and oil your grill grates. This will prevent the skin from sticking to the grates.
- Oil your fish!
- According to the USDA, an internal temperature of 145 degrees F is recommended. Take temperature measurements from the thickest portion of the fish.
- Place whole fish directly on the grill:Don’t move the fish before it cooks. You’ll ruin the skin. The lid covers the grill and takes 6-8 minutes for each side. You can flip the fish once the first side is crisp and easier to lift. The whole fish is finished when it registers an internal temperature of 145 degrees F or the meat has become firm and opaque.
- Wrap the whole fish in foil: Place the fish on the grill. The grill will take 6-8 minutes for each side. Turn it over after about 7 minutes. To check the fish, open the packet by lifting it slightly. The whole fish is finished when it registers an internal temperature of 145 degrees F or the meat has become opaque.
Grilling fish on coals or gas:
You can grill the fish either on a gas or charcoal grill, but coals will impart a charcoal-like flavor to your fish. This article will give you all the information you need on how to build a charcoal grill.
Do you grill foil or uncovered?
You can wrap the fish with foil if you’re worried about the fish sticking to the grills. This will give the fish a crisper texture and a more smoky taste than directly cooking on the grills. This is why I prefer to grill uncovered.
The foil wrap will give the fish a more steamed texture. It’s possible to grill the fish in foil, but that’s only if you plan to hang it in your yard or take it on a camping trip.
How to serve & stock
How to serve grilled whole fish dish?
I love to serve bbq fish along with rice, garlic noodles and veggie kabobs. Also, you can have grilled clams, crab cakes, and sauce. Learn how you can shuck oysters at your home. You can serve it fresh from the grill but you can store extra fish in an airtight container in your fridge for up 3 days.
Other Vietnamese fish dishes:
Canh Chua Ca – Sweet & Sour Fish Soup
Ca Kho To – Caramelized and Braised Catfish
Grilled Whole Fish Recipe (Gas Grill / Charcoal Grill)
Equipment
- Knife and cutting board
- Toothpicks soaked in water for five minutes
- Tongs or spatula
- Grill (charcoal, gas)
Ingredients
- 2 lb rainbow trout or other whole fish
- ¾ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
- 1 lemon sliced thinly and cut into wedges
- 1 tbsp garlic minced
- 1 scallion cut into 2-inch pieces
- 1 leek sliced into ⅛ inch rounds
- 1 shallot cut into thin slices
- 2 rosemary sprigs
- 4 stalks parsley
- vegetable oil
Instructions
PREPARING FISH
- Pick fresh fish on ice when you are choosing your fish. Fish with cloudy eyes will be less fresh so choose fish that are clear. The fish should smell fresh and not fishy if you can detect it. The fishmonger should clean the fish and remove the tail and gills.
- Use paper towels to dry your fish and a knife for three slits per side. Each slit should be about an inch in depth.
- Salt and pepper should be applied to the entire fish, including the skin, slits and interior of the cavity.
- Put minced garlic in both the cavity and the slits.
- Place the green onions and lemon wedges in the cavities.
- Continue stuffing the fish using leeks, shallots and rosemary.
- To keep the stuffing in the cavity, use the soaked toothpicks
- Sprinkle a generous amount vegetable oil around the fish.
GRILLING
- Your charcoal should be heated. Natural chunk charcoal is my preferred choice and it fills about half to one-half of my chimney starter. This charcoal fills approximately 40-50% of my small charcoal barbecue, about 2 inches from the fish and coals.
- After your coals are coated in a nice white coating from heating up, you can pour them onto the grill. The coals may not heat up enough if they aren't coated in white. Also, if the coals don't get heated up for long enough before being poured out, their lives can be cut short. Let the grill heat up for a while by covering it.
- Use a metal grill cleaner to clean the grates at the top and bottom.
- Grill whole fish right from the bag Place the fish directly on the grill. Don't move it around until the fish is cooked. The lid covers the grill and cooks for 6-8 minutes on each side. You can flip the fish once the first side is crisp and easier to lift. The whole fish is finished when it registers an internal temperature of 145°F or the meat has become opaque and firm.Whole fish in foil Place the fish on the grill by wrapping it in foil. The grill will take 6-8 minutes for each side. Turn it over after about 7 minutes. To check the fish, open the packet slightly and use a thermometer. The whole fish is done when it registers an internal temperature of around 145°F or the meat has become firm and opaque.
- Fresh fish should be served hot off the grill.
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