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It pays to grill whole fresh fish instead of only fillets, but the entire process of selecting, prepping, and then cooking a whole fish can be daunting for some, especially for those who have never attempted it before. There are great tricks for perfectly grilling whole fish, but what’s arguably just as important as the cooking process is selecting the freshest fish possible. We spoke to chef and author Hawa Hassan about exactly what to look for when buying a whole fresh fish. Fish is an ingredient that comes up in her latest book, “Setting a Place for Us: Recipes and Stories of Displacement, Resilience, and Community from Eight Countries Impacted by War.”
Hassan tells us that the eyes on a fish are a key indicator of freshness and quality, saying that they “tell you how long it’s been since the fish was swimming.” She says, “Clear, plump eyes are a good sign — it means the fish is fresh and handled well. Cloudy or sunken eyes mean it’s been sitting around. The eyes are like the windows to the sea — don’t skip them.” But if you find whole fish at the store with their eyes already removed, Hassan notes, “It’s not a dealbreaker, but it does raise a flag.” It is possible that some sellers remove the eyes to mask signs of age.
More tips for picking the freshest whole fish
When looking at other aspects of the fish, Hawa Hassan says, “If the fish looks dull or the gills are off-color too, I’d pass. But if everything else checks out — firm flesh, good smell, clean cuts — it might still be a decent catch.” Hassan is clear in her advice. “First: trust your nose,” she states. “Fresh fish should smell like the sea, not fishy. The flesh should be firm and bounce back when touched, not soft or slimy.” It’s not only the eyes that can indicate health and freshness on a fish. “Look at the gills: they should be bright red or pink, not brown or dull,” Hassan tells us.
Armed with Hassan’s advice, remember that it’s actually easy to cook whole fish at home, especially if you have the fishmonger gut and clean the fish for you. You can roast a whole fish over a fire, set it on the grates of a gas or charcoal-powered grill inside a fish basket (like this stainless steel grill basket from Amazon), or even place it on a tray and slide it into a hot oven. The flavor possibilities are endless, as you can stuff the inside cavity of the fish with lemons, herbs, spices, or anything else that gets your taste buds going. If you have picked out small fresh whole fish like sardines, try our chilli-garlic pan-fried fish recipe, or for a larger tilapia, our pan-fried Cantonese whole fish dish is packed with fresh flavor.
