Secrets of Grilling Fish - Tips and Advice for the Backyard Grill Chef

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Imagine the scene - the solar lights in the backyard are

lighting up the deck, the guests are buzzing with conversation and laughter,

drinks in hand. You are at the grill, preparing the fish. Grub up!! The guests

take their fish and then are disappointed - THEY WANT MORE!! You have just

served them the best grilled fish of their lives. They want to know how you did

it, but you just smile and nod your head knowingly.

OK, so how did you do it? Basically, getting grilled fish right

aint that hard. The main thing is not to overcook it so don't get yourself

distracted by conversation or you will sure as hell leave the fish on the grill

for too long. Cook it hot and fast, the direct heat cooks it without taking out

the moisture. Fish does not take as much time as meat to marinade either. The

biggest problem that people usually have with grilling fish is to know when it

is done. But it's not that difficult. The flesh should be nice and flaky, the

flakes coming away easily with a fork. It should appear opaque. If the flesh

looks glossy or a little translucent, then it is not yet cooked. Give it a short

while longer then check again.

Serving undercooked fish is not desirable as it is not safe and

also can taste unpleasant. Overcooked fish is also not desirable, it soon starts

to lose flavor and also will be a lot drier. When buying your fish fillets, buy

fresh not frozen. Frozen fish can often end up soggy and tasting watery. Check

that the fillet is more or less the same thickness throughout. If it is not, the

thinner parts will overcook and ruin the overall impression. You can always trim

the fillets to remove the thinner sections and cook them separately, starting

the thicker piece first.

The other problem with grilling fish is that fillets do tend to

be more delicate than steaks and need careful handling or they will fall apart.

The less handling they have during cooking, the better. If you don't have a fish

cooking basket, use a non-stick surface or an oiled surface and when it is ready

to flip, use a fish slice instead of your normal spatula as that will slide

under the fish more easily and be less likely to cause it to break up. You can

tell when it is ready to flip by looking at the edges; they will be opaque and

easier to flake than the rest of the fish.

To get an extra special flavor for your grilled fish, either

marinade the fillets for no more than an hour before cooking or cook it using

wood chips, mesquite - oak and fruit tree woods are generally recommended. If

using the latter, make sure that you buy fresh chips as fruit woods lose their

essence quite quickly. Also buy them in small quantities. Herbs and spice rubs

can be added directly to the flesh before grilling.