The intense, smoky heat of a grill is ideal for cooking whole fish. Do it right and you’ll be blessed with crispy, charred skin, tender flesh, and an inviting aroma in every bite. But if you’re getting it wrong, Bobby Flay has a useful trick for perfectly grilling whole fish every time; making incisions along the skin so it can barbecue uniformly. This technique is super-simple to master as long as you have a sharp knife that can effortlessly cut through the skin. All you need to do is make a few shallow incisions that are about an inch and a half to two inches apart.
Now, slashing fish along its length before grilling isn’t mandatory — take a look online and you’ll find an abundance of grilled fish recipes that don’t make any mention — but it does encourage the fish to cook more evenly and quickly, getting it perfect right down to the bone. As the thicker, meatier parts (behind the head and center) of a large fish will take longer to grill than thinner areas (the tail end), it’s easy to overcook anything from sea bass and snapper to grouper and mullet. Making cuts along those thicker sections, provides an access point for the heat from the grill to get right into the middle of the fish, helping it cook at a uniform rate. This results in fish that’s charred and smoky on the exterior but tender and flaky beneath the skin.
Whole grilled fish is perfect for stuffing and makes a stunning focal point
It pays to grill whole fresh fish instead of filets because the skin protects the flesh from drying out and provides an extra layer of flavor and texture. The bones inside whole fish also provide structural stability, allowing tender varieties to be flipped over on the grates more easily. Moreover, whole fish is perfect for stuffing with aromatics, such as slices of lemon, herbs, and garlic. Simply fill your gutted fish with your choice of ingredients before grilling and allow them to work their culinary magic when heated. Lemon will lend a tangy zing to oily fish such as salmon, whereas chili is perfect for imbuing milder fish like tilapia with a kiss of heat. A stuffed grilled fish also looks sensational when served at the table whole, providing the perfect focal point to a family meal. Anyone who doesn’t enjoy eating the crispy skin can move it aside and eat the smoky flakes inside.
Other useful tips for cooking fish on the grill include using a grilling basket, which makes it even easier to flip delicate varieties over in a seamless move, or wrapping your fish in banana leaf which traps in the juices and offers a fun presentation. When buying whole fish make sure it has pink gills, bright eyes, and moist skin that isn’t slimy to guarantee it’s as fresh as can be.
