Seafood is more delicate than other ingredients going on the grill, and that means some keeping
some special considerations in mind. While it's not rocket science to properly grill seafood,
try to avoid these common mistakes, so you can grill all seafood to absolute perfection.
There's nothing like fresh-caught fish from the ocean. And while
that's not really an option in day-to-day prepping for dinner,
you also don't want to be eating fish that's been sitting around for too long.
It's really just about getting the freshest ingredients. In an ideal world,
that branzino should still be moving!
Chef Andrea Belfiore, founder of Italia Like Locals,
explained that he is obsessed with eating only fish that was just caught.
"Happy now?"
Whenever you want to grill a swordfish steak or scallops,
make sure they smell like the ocean when you buy them. Fish tastes the best when it's fresh,
but it's also at its healthiest when fresh, so always be sure to ask the fish counter
at your grocery store what is fresh that day — and let that guide your dinner menu plans.
Eating and enjoying a great piece of fish is about keeping things simple.
Chef Andrea Belfiore explained:
"When I think of grilling, I think of primitive cooking. You can't cover the flavor of that tasty,
fresh, and expensive fish you just bought."
Keep the vibe Mediterranean by grilling without seasoning. Belfiore continued:
"Once cooked, lightly salt the fish and then cover it with a super tasty condiment made with chopped
capers, green olives, parsley, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, and extra virgin olive oil."
You'll thank us for this one! This works great for swordfish, tuna, red snapper,
calamari, octopus, salmon, sea bass, and more.
Avoid over-seasoning. Seafood is really delicate when it comes to flavor.
Too much seasoning, spice, or sauce can be overpowering.
Cooking on dirty grates is a very common mistake.
Maille mustard sommelier and Chef Brandon Collins said:
"It's important to make sure that your grates are as clean
as possible before placing the seafood on the grill."
This will help prevent your food sticking,
and help prevent carbonized items — the black specks from burnt leftover food you'll see on
dirty grates — from sticking to your food, according to Collins.
To clean, Collins has his own method of choice. He explained:
"I usually bring my grill up to temp and then scrape the grates down as well as I can,
and then finally rub with a towel."
If you are keeping your grill below the smoking point of your oil,
then Collins says to apply oil to the grates as well with a towel. He said:
"If I am going to keep the grates above the smoking point,
then I do not apply oil as it will just carbonize and burn off."
While it may seem easier to grab the fish or shellfish from the freezer and
throw it on the grill, that's not the best idea.
Proper thawing is critical to preparing high-quality seafood,
no matter how you cook it. Ben Conniff, co-founder of Luke's Lobster, said:
"When seafood is frozen, the water inside it is bound up in ice crystals. If you thaw the
seafood slowly in the refrigerator, it not only keeps it safe to eat,
it also lets the seafood slowly reabsorb the moisture as those ice crystals melt
so its flavor and texture resembles a fresh product."
Connif adds that the best practice is to plan to move your seafood from
the freezer to the fridge at least 24 hours ahead of starting up your grill.
Your fish should be charred and crispy on the outside while the inside stays nice and tender.
By overcooking the fish, you'll lose its tenderness and flavor,
and your guests will essentially be eating a shoe sole.
Andrea Belfiore explained:
"Use a high temperature for a short time. Sometimes,
you'll only need to cook the fish on one side, depending on how thick the cut is.
You shouldn't flip the fish more than once, just like a steak."
One of the biggest mistakes people make when grilling seafood is overcooking it.
Laura Pauli, a chef and sommelier at San Francisco-based Cucina Testa Rossa, said:
"I've lost count of the thousands of overcooked, rubbery shrimp I've been served.
Seafood has a very high water content, so it will continue cooking once you take it off the heat."
The key is to take the fish off just before it's done,
and after a few minutes, it will be perfectly cooked.
Many people love a delicious platter of fresh-made sushi. But not all fish is sushi-grade fish — and
if you aren't eating sushi, you want to make sure that the fish is properly cooked.
But what do you do if you're not sure your fish is cooked thoroughly?
"You put too much charcoal on too soon."
"You know this is the first time I prepared a BBQ."
"I build it with fire. It takes longer. The quality is so much better."
Rima Kleiner, of Dish on Fish, has this to say about it:
"The safest way to make sure it's cooked through is to use a food
thermometer to ensure it reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit."
Another way of checking on the doneness of the fish is to cut
into the fish and take a look at the inside.
Kleiner adds:
"Cooked fish should be opaque and flake easily with a fork."
If it's undercooked, put it back on the grill until
it's thoroughly cooked. Better safe than sorry!
It may seem like the skin of a piece of fish is unnecessary excess when preparing
to cook and eat that fish. But do not remove the skin — the skin is delicious,
and you are going to want to enjoy every last bite of it.
Chef Belfiore said:
"Pat dry your fish,
place it uncovered skin-side up in the fridge at least 30 minutes before cooking it."
Patting the fish will allow the skin to get dry, which will ultimately help the skin to crisp up.
Belfiore added:
"Make a couple of cuts through the skin before cooking. Season the skin with
some salt and pepper, and then place the fish on the grill skin-side down first."
Be sure to make that skin crispy, like bacon, and get ready — it's going to be super tasty!
Cooks are often tempted to check their fish or flip it,
and this can cause it to stick to the grill or fall apart.
Chef Joey Maggiore, owner of The Maggiore Group, said:
"The biggest problem people make is that they move the fish around too much.
The less you touch the fish, the better it is when you are grilling
it. Let it finish cooking before touching it." You can also lightly rub olive oil on the grill
before you put the fish down when you're sautéing it to help prevent the sticking,
added Maggiore. Similar to crafting the perfect burger, stick to one flip on each side.
You should also know what's the right fish to throw on the grill. If the
fish is super flaky or a delicate fish, it should not be grilled.
Maggiore agrees. He said:
"Stick to fishes like salmon and swordfish that can withstand the
heat of the grill and heat through to perfection."
If your fish falls apart, you may need to make lemons out of lemonade.
Maggiore added:
"The best course of action is to throw it on a salad or hope it's taco Tuesday
and break it up for some fish tacos with cabbage and pickled cucumbers."
No one wants to end up accidentally swallowing a bone while eating a piece of fish.
This is more than unappetizing — it can also be dangerous and lead to choking.
"She's choking! She's choking! Mrs. Connolly!" "Do something! Oh God!"
"Come on! Come on!" But mistakes happen, and some bones do sometimes
end up in your fish when it gets on your plate. But no worries!
Rima Kleiner said:
"Keep a pair of needle-nosed pliers in your kitchen — reserved for raw
food only — and use them to remove visible bones.
If you forgot to debone before cooking, just pull slightly. They should come out easily."
Now that fish will be bone free and safe to eat.
And don't forget to wash those pliers well between uses so they don't smell like fish!
One of the biggest mistakes people make when grilling seafood is not
giving a wood plank a try. It's a small action that can make a
world of difference in the taste and flavor of the final result.
Shawn Hill, grill master for The Grilling Dad, said:
"Putting your fish on a wood plank keeps the bottom part of the fish away from direct heat.
Not doing so can lead to a burnt bottom and an uncooked top part of the fish."
Use a wood plank to get evenly grilled fish and enjoy the nice flavor infusion it also brings.
Grilling that fish directly on the plank adds smoky and earthy flavors from the timber,
according to culinary scientist Jessica Gavin.
That means all those flavors of the wood go into your fish
and give it a whole other layer of flavor to enjoy.
Another great asset to use when you're grilling seafood is a skewer.
When grilling shrimp, a common mistake cooks
make is not trying to enjoy that shrimp by cooking it on a skewer.
Chef Erik Pettersen of Evo Italian said:
"If you try to grill them without a skewer,
they can fall through the grates of the grill when you turn them."
Safeness matters here in a big way, though,
so don't skip the step of soaking the skewers before using. It's important!
Pettersen added:
"Make sure your wood skewers are soaked in water for at least 30 minutes before using them. This is
to make sure they are super wet and so they won't catch on fire while you are cooking."
They are wood on an open flame, after all, and you don't want your dinner to, uh, catch fire.
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