Firm fish like salmon is great for barbecuing
Barbecuing fish might seem scary to the novice. Fish doesn’t respond well to rough handling, and barbecuing bring to mind images of uncontrolled heat, pieces of meat sticking to the grill, jabbing forks and spatulas.
And it is true that cooking by barbecue, done badly, is an excellent way to utterly ruin a nice piece of fish. But if you prepare carefully and arm yourself with the right equipment, you can cook fish with unparalleled flavour and juiciness. Here are some tips on how to accomplish this.
Firm, not flaky, and don’t get stuck
The best fish for barbecuing are those with relatively firm flesh, such as salmon, bass, tuna or cod, rather than delicate, flaky types like halibut.
Cut the fish into steaks or fillets, or better yet have your fishmonger do it. Getting an even thickness throughout each piece will make your job much easier later on. Leave the skin on. It will help hold the flesh together through the stresses of barbecuing.
With the fish in hand, it’s time to turn your attention to preparing your work site. First, you need to reduce the chance that your fish will stick and crumble. This means the barbecue grill must be as clean as you can get it. If you have the sort of grill that’s crusted with soot and old bits of food then give it a really good scrubbing. Or get a new one if there’s no hope of a return to cleanliness.
Then brush the grill lightly with oil, or spray it with non-stick spray, to make absolutely sure it’s not sticky.
If you’re really worried about sticking, lay a piece of foil across the grill and put the steaks or fillets on it. You can even buy fish baskets that are specially made for grilling fish. But unless you’re completely ham-fisted in wielding the spatula, that would be an unnecessary expense.
If you follow the advice above, your fish should be well prepared to make it through the grilling process safely. The best spatula for handling fish, by the way, is one that has an especially thin, wide blade, the better to get under each piece and lift it all at once.
Lots of heat, skin side down
Build the fire in the barbecue so it’s quite hot. If it’s a gas barbecue, turn the heat up high. If you’re using charcoal, don’t be stingy; use a lot of charcoal, and then be sure to let the coals burn down until they show white. Lots of heat will help the fish cook quickly, before it has a chance to bond with the grill.
Once you’ve achieved the desired temperature, place the fish on the grill, evenly spaced and with the skin side down.
Fish cooks fast, and cooks even faster on high heat. So once you’ve put the steaks or fillets down, don’t take your eyes off them. At the same time, though, resist the temptation to fiddle. Don’t poke at them, don’t squeeze them to see if they feel done, and please, please don’t lift them up to see if they’re cooked.
You want to turn the fish once when they’re done on one side, and take them off when they’re done through, and that should be the limit of your handling of the fish.
Adding flavour
So how do you tell if the fish is done? When it turns opaque on the side closest to the heat, it’s done on that side. When it’s opaque all the way through, it’s done. For extra flavour, sprinkle the fish with lemon juice or herbs while it cooks, or add flavoured wood chips to the fire.
Another way to prepare barbecued fish is to wrap it in foil or parchment paper. While you lose out on the smoky flavour and char that you get from a regular barbecue, this method allows you to wrap flavour in with the fish: citrus slices, fresh herbs, butter, garlic or whatever else takes your fancy. If you use parchment paper, be aware that it will probably burn, but this will not spoil the fish.
Hopefully this article has given you some ideas and the confidence to try barbecuing fish yourself. Master these skills and you’ll have a delicious, impressive dish to serve your family and friends, as well as the chance to experience the unique flavours that barbecuing brings to fish.
