Vanessa
06-27-2001, 08:16 AM
HI. Our paper carried this article hope & I wanted to share with you during this grilling seasonMost kinds of fish are excellent for grilling. Those rich in oil such as salmon, bluefish, and mackerel are less likely to stick, and the natural oils help keep them moist inside -- one of the many reasons they are perfect for slow smoking.
Swordfish, tuna and shark are generally cut into thick steaks. These are best grilled directly over a high heat so you get a crusty outside and juicy center. However, since they have less oil, they can easily dry out if they are overcooked. Marinate these steakfish in an oil-based liquid.
Meaty fillets like catfish, grouper, redfish, snapper and sea trout take a little more care. These fillets are usually about a half-inch thick and cook quickly. Season them with a spicy rub and grill them quickly over a high heat.
For more delicate varieties like rockfish, flounder, sole, perch or trout the fool-proof way of grilling is to keep them whole. The skin will protect the flaky meat and the bones will not only hold the fish together but add a great deal of flavor and moisture. A smaller whole fish, one to two pounds, can be grilled directly over a medium flame. To tackle a large fish, keep the back burners of a gas grill on high and turn the front burners to low; or with a charcoal grill, mound most of the hot coals to the back leaving a thin bed of coals to the front. Set the fish to the front of the grill to essentially slow roast.
Halibut is an exception. Like flounder they are flat fish and have a very delicate texture and flavor (so don't over-season). But they are huge, allowing for thick steaks to be cut with the bone in the center and the skin around the outside. Bone-in steaks are perfect for grilling and the fillets are especially wonderful when placed on a traditional seasoned oak plank to slowly roast over an open fire.
Swordfish, tuna and shark are generally cut into thick steaks. These are best grilled directly over a high heat so you get a crusty outside and juicy center. However, since they have less oil, they can easily dry out if they are overcooked. Marinate these steakfish in an oil-based liquid.
Meaty fillets like catfish, grouper, redfish, snapper and sea trout take a little more care. These fillets are usually about a half-inch thick and cook quickly. Season them with a spicy rub and grill them quickly over a high heat.
For more delicate varieties like rockfish, flounder, sole, perch or trout the fool-proof way of grilling is to keep them whole. The skin will protect the flaky meat and the bones will not only hold the fish together but add a great deal of flavor and moisture. A smaller whole fish, one to two pounds, can be grilled directly over a medium flame. To tackle a large fish, keep the back burners of a gas grill on high and turn the front burners to low; or with a charcoal grill, mound most of the hot coals to the back leaving a thin bed of coals to the front. Set the fish to the front of the grill to essentially slow roast.
Halibut is an exception. Like flounder they are flat fish and have a very delicate texture and flavor (so don't over-season). But they are huge, allowing for thick steaks to be cut with the bone in the center and the skin around the outside. Bone-in steaks are perfect for grilling and the fillets are especially wonderful when placed on a traditional seasoned oak plank to slowly roast over an open fire.