How to Grill a Fish

Fish must be cooked properly – it can’t be undercooked or overcooked. If undercooked, it can’t be eaten, whereas meat can be eaten rare. If fish is overcooked, it loses its moisture and becomes dry and acrid. Sometimes fish is burnt on the outside but remains raw on the inside.

Thick fish, such as mackerel and bonito, need to be scored with a knife along the sides in order to facilitate grilling.

The heat source, whether coals or an electric grill, needs to be medium and even, without fluctuations.

During grilling its important to keep an eye on the fish, particularly if char-grilling. Grilling time will vary depending on the heat source, the size, and the type of fish.

Always place the fish or fish meat on a double sided grill which you can turn around.To prevent fish from sticking to a grill surface, brush the cold grill well with olive oil, before placing it on the BBQ.

Do not coat the fish from the start of grilling in olive oil, as the oil will burn early on and part of the delicious fish taste will be lost.

Sprinkle the fish in thick salt at the start of grilling. A combination of olive oil & lemon can be brushed over the fish a few minutes before it is taken out of the grill.

Another way is to coat the fish in flour and then brushing with oil, keeps the fish from sticking to the grill surface. The advantage of this is that the fish will be tastier and more tender since the flour acts as a barrier, preventing the loss of juices.

Never try to open the grill before the fish is completely finished. Fish are grilled whole or as steaks. Either way, the fish should be checked constantly.
While grilled fish is usually served with olive oil and lemon, some people, prefer just lemon and pepper.