How to grill fish correctly: easy methods and tips

What is the best method to grill fish correctly? Our guide outlines how to grill, what to watch out for, and which fish work best on the grill.

Not only meat and sausages have to land on the grill. Fish and seafood are a tasty alternative. Not only do they turn out to be a special treat on the grill, they are also extremely healthy. 

Regardless of the type of grill, especially with fish, to grill fish correctly, the temperature and marinades should be handled carefully so that it retains its typical and delicate taste.

How to cook tuna steaks perfectly: classic and clever recipes

Which fish are particularly suitable for grilling?

If you want to grill fish correctly as a novice, you will first be faced with the question of which type of fish is particularly suitable. In principle, both the fish fillet and the whole fish can end up on the grill. 

The most important thing here is what the individual likes. Fillets shouldn’t be too thin. Fish species are preferred that have firm meat and are particularly rich in fat. These include:

• Sea bream
• Sea bass
• Trout
• salmon

Grilling fillets is not that easy as the pieces disintegrate very quickly. To avoid this, the fish is best grilled with the skin on. The skin stabilizes the entire fillet and ultimately ensures that it retains its typical shape. 

How to cook lobster tail: simple guide and recipes

To prevent the fillets from sticking, the grate is treated with oil beforehand. The individual pieces of fish can now be easily placed on the grid with a grill spatula.

Tip: If you don’t like the skin on the fillet, you either have to wrap it in aluminum foil and grill it in it or use a so-called grill tray.

In addition to the fillets, one or the other whole fish can end up on the grill. These are among the ideal fish:

• Trout
• Sea bream
• Sea bass

The fish offers the right portion size right from the start and can therefore be wonderfully served on the plate. The three types of fish mentioned are ideal because they have a fairly firm meat. So that they keep their shape while grilling, it is generally advisable to cut the fish in several places. This is done on both sides at a distance of one to a maximum of three centimeters.

When grilling whole fish, it is also important that the grate is oiled. Otherwise the fish will stick to it very quickly, which will damage the skin. And by the way, you make the subsequent cleaning of the grill easier .

Tip: When working with the oil, make sure not to use too much oil. If drops land in the charcoal, flames quickly develop. Not only are these dangerous, they also damage the taste of the fish.

What do you need to grill fish correctly?

In addition to grilling fish, additional equipment is required to be able to optimally prepare them over the embers. The industry has come up with a lot to provide connoisseurs with the right accessories. Fish tongs and grill baskets are particularly practical. Both ensure that you can turn the fish relatively easily on the grid. This is precisely what is always a challenge, because marine animals disintegrate very quickly.

If fillets are to land on the grill, the use of grill trays is recommended. These are made of aluminum and can be placed on the grid. They offer several advantages:

➩ Fillets can be grilled without skin.
➩ Grill bowls absorb a little heat so that the fish are not grilled too hot.
➩ This makes the fish particularly tender.

Barbecue tongs and spatulas are also helpful. The spatula allows whole fish and fillets to be turned carefully so that the meat does not disintegrate. If you want to grill shrimp as well as fish, you also need skewers. The skewers prevent the prawns from falling between the bars of the grate and burning.

An aid that is often underestimated when grilling fish is aluminum foil. Aluminum foil is cheap and can be easily adapted to the shape of the fish. It also offers another advantage. It can also be used to wrap various herbs together with the fish, which then unfold their aroma in no time when grilling and thus ensure a very special taste.

Tip: Fish should actually be refrigerated until just before grilling. What to avoid with meat, because the fibers contract quickly, is particularly important with fish. If you don’t want to sprint to the fridge shortly beforehand, it is best to lay the fish on a few ice cubes in a bowl.

Which herbs and spices go well with grilled fish?

Without a doubt, the fish on the grill is already a real treat. The icing on the cake are the various herbs and spices for the marine animal. They harmonize perfectly with the fish’s own taste. The following herbs provide a special pep:

• dill
• thyme
• tarragon
• parsley
• rosemary
• mint
• basil

On the other hand, fennel and chilli are recommended as spices, with which the most diverse fish specialties can be refined. It is of course important that the aromas of herbs and spices can develop as well as possible in the fish. For this reason, it is advisable to cut the fish three or four times as deep as possible on both sides before grilling. This means that the spices can not only be processed superficially, but also properly incorporated. They distribute themselves better in the meat.

You can proceed differently when grilling whole fish. Here herbs and spices can be stored in the belly of the fish. This also offers space for whole lemon slices. Once stowed there, the flavors can steam from the belly out into the entire fish.

Which marinade is suitable for fish?

Fish can not only be refined with herbs and spices, it is also a good idea to work with a marinade. A mild seasoning is required here, otherwise the taste is quickly lost. Either oil or soy sauce is recommended as a base for the marinades. Fish doesn’t have to cook as long as marinated meat . Two to three hours are sufficient here. The marinades can be seasoned differently. Ideal are:

• Peel of lemon and lime
• garlic
• Spring onion
• mustard
• ginger

The seasoning liquid should be able to drain off well before grilling so that it does not cause flames. These would only damage the taste. Excess marinade can be easily removed with a paper towel.

How long does fish have to be grilled?

When grilling fish, make sure that it is not exposed to excessively high temperatures and that it is not left on the grill for too long. There is a trick for the fillet as well as for the whole fish to determine the optimal cooking point to grill fish correctly: With the fillets , the meat of the fish is pushed apart a little at the thickest point. If it is already strong white there, the fillet is done.

You can find out whether a whole fish is cooked by looking at the dorsal fin. This can be easily pulled from the fish when the optimum cooking point has been reached.

For optimal cooking results, the fish must also not be too close to the embers. While this is promising for a steak, it costs flavor points for fish. The grate should therefore be set a little higher on purpose.There are some guidelines for the cooking times:

Tip: The size of the shrimp is crucial when it comes to cooking time. Smaller specimens do not have to be grilled as long.

Use smoke efficiently

When grilling, there is often a little smoke. That doesn’t necessarily have to detract from the taste. If, in addition to the charcoal, one or the other sprig of rosemary is added to the grill, the smoke gets a nice aroma, which is then also tasted with the fish. This works not only with rosemary, but also with juniper berries and beech shavings. The grilled fish then reminds a little of the smoked specialties. Firm fish, which are also often used for smoked fish, are ideal for this form of preparation. In addition to trout, this includes salmon in particular.

Tip: If you are grilling with charcoal, it must pre-glow. A little time must be planned for this. It usually takes around 30 minutes to glow through.

The ideal side dishes for grilled fish

Grilled fish can be served in different ways. It can be served straight with a fresh baguette. A little herb butter can provide the desired pep here. Baked and grilled potatoes, whether whole or as corners, can also be served wonderfully with it. A sour cream dip goes perfectly with it. Alternatively, you can switch to potato salad. Potato salad is a pleasant, fresh side dish, especially in summer, which can also be created again and again. You can also experiment a little with fish. Dill and lemon are ideal. But horseradish and wasabi have also established themselves as partners.

On hot summer days, many families are looking for an alternative to potato salad. How about a fresh fennel salad then? It can be served with an orange vinaigrette, for example. Finally, a delicious sour cream dressing goes well with the fresh cucumber salad. Basically, it is always a good idea to have a little fresh lemon ready. This can be drizzled over the fish just before consumption. There is no need for a special barbecue sauce.

Fish and seafood also go well with grilled vegetables. Both zucchini and aubergines are great to cook on the grill. They are seasoned with a little sea salt and freshly ground pepper.