Prawns taste delicious straight off the barbecue
Barbecued shellfish can be a wonderful hors d’oeuvre or, in the case of lobster, the heart of a delicious meal. The smoky flavours imparted by barbecuing complement the natural delicate taste of the fish.
Best of all, it’s not as difficult as it looks to cook and it’s a change of pace from the usual fare one finds on barbecues, so it gives you the potential to really impress your guests.
Quickly does it
The most important thing to remember when barbecuing shellfish is speed. Not only do shellfish cook very quickly, but you need to be prepared to serve them straight off the grill. If you let them sit after taking them off the heat, they’ll turn to rubber by the time you get round to serving them.
You can tell that shellfish is done when the meat changes from translucent to opaque, so watch carefully. In most cases, it will take only a few minutes to cook a piece of shellfish through using medium to high heat.
Be safe
As with any other shellfish application, you must be vigilant for signs that something has gone wrong. Undercooked or spoiled shellfish can be dangerous, even lethal. It’s best to buy fresh shellfish on the day you plan to grill it, store it in the bottom of your refrigerator until you’re ready to cook, and wash it thoroughly in cold water before you put it on the grill.
Also, be sure to carefully wash your hands after handling raw shellfish, and clean any surface or utensil it touches. If you notice strange colours or smells, especially a smell like ammonia, or if a piece of shellfish does not cook completely, just bin it! There’s no need to take unnecessary risks.
Here are some specific guidelines for cooking various types of shellfish on your barbecue …
Clams, mussels, and oysters
Clams, mussels, and oysters all cook in basically the same way: after washing them in cold water, put them in a grill pan or on a sheet of aluminium foil, close the cover, and let them cook for a few minutes until the shells open, then serve immediately. Don’t put them directly on the grill or you’ll get burnt shells.
In the case of mussels, trim their beards, which are a fire hazard, first. Oysters should be placed with the cup side down to avoid losing the juices. In all cases, if one of these shellfish does not open, discard it – it won’t be safe to eat.
Scallops
Scallops purchased out of the shell, are best put on soaked bamboo skewers to make them easier to handle, and then laid directly on the grill for two to five minutes on each side, turning once. You do not want anything more than slight colour on each side.
They do have a tendency to dry out, but this can be alleviated by basting them with melted butter while on the grill, or marinating them in a flavoured oil beforehand.
Prawns
Prawns should also be cooked on skewers and require more preparation. If you are using frozen prawns, thaw them completely under a stream of cold running water. They must also be de-veined before going on the grill, if they are not already. You can either buy a tool made specifically to do this, or make a small v-shaped cut in the back of the prawn using a sharp knife and then peel the vein out.
You may also remove the shell and tail, or not, depending on your preference. Cook prawns between two and four minutes per side, basting with butter and turning when the meat on one side has become bright pink.
Crabs
Crabs should be bought live and killed before grilling – submerging them headfirst in boiling water is the easiest way. Once killed, turn the crab on its back, pull off the tab, cut out the gills with a paring knife, and clean away the entrails. Wash the crab meat in cold water.
If you are working with soft-shell crabs, crack the shell before placing the crab on the grill. In the case of hard-shell crabs, it’s easier to grill the meat with the shell off, and then replace it in the shell for presentation. Cook for two to five minutes per side, basting with butter, until the meat has become opaque.
Lobster
Lobster must also be killed via the boiling water method or by cutting its head in half with a sharp knife between the eyes. You can grill the lobster whole, but it is easier to split it lengthwise. Remove the sac just behind the eyes, remove the intestinal tract, crack the claws, and wash the whole thing thoroughly in lots of cold running water.
Place the lobster halves on the grill, cut side down, and leave them there for three to five minutes or until the shell turns bright red. Turn the halves over, baste with melted butter, and let them cook for another four to eight minutes or until the meat is white.
Another alternative is frozen lobster tails, which can just be thawed in cold running water. Once they are thawed, butterfly each tail (i.e. cut it almost in half and fold it open). Grill for three to four minutes on the cut side and five to ten minutes on the other side, basting after the turn, until the meat is opaque.
