Tips For Barbecuing Fish
Cooking fish on the barbecue is a great way to bring out the unique tastes and textures of the fish, and in some ways can be more rewarding than the usual sausages and burgers. At CA Seafoods we serve fish in either whole or fillets, and we have a range of different fish on offer which suit the smoky flavour you get from barbecuing. Although if you take a lot of care over cooking, you will find that pretty much any fish can be cooked in this way.
Because of the wide range of fish available, its worth considering the way in which you cook the fish. It goes without saying that if you have a barbecue with wide-set grill bars, it wouldn’t be the best idea to cook small fish fillets, unless of course you wrap them in foil or put them in a fish basket. A general rule of thumb is to only cook fish on a very high heat and oil the fish before you start cooking. This will help ensure that the fish does not tear. Of course making sure the grill rack is nice and clean before cooking will also help prevent the fish sticking.
Cooking on the BBQ
If you choose to cook fillets directly on the grill, choose fish where the skin and flesh is fairly firm so it will stand up to the heat - here we would recommend Monkfish, Salmon or Halibut.
A good tip for cooking on the grill is to oil the skin and season it with salt. Not only does it prevent sticking but it gives the skin a great crispy and tasty finish. For the more delicate fillets such as Sea Bass or Plaice, it is a good idea to wrap them in foil with a small splash of water and some fresh aromatic herbs. This will protect the flesh and lightly steam the fish, leaving the flesh moist and juicy.
For something a little more adventurous, you can use marinades. Once the fish has been marinated, you can dice it to put onto skewers for a fish kebab. You can use some of our Smoked Prawns or Crevettes on the skewers too if you really wanted to push the boat out.
A really simple way to barbeque fish is of course to leave them whole. A whole Bream for example would be a real showstopper. Because you leave the bones in, it helps to add some extra flavour and moisture to the fish.
Sardines, Mackerel, and Trout would be our recommendation as great fish for cooking whole. Preparing them in this way also is an opportunity to stuff the fish which can add even more flavour. Getting yourself a fish basket which can be placed directly on the barbeque is a really good tip, as this will help keep everything together. It also gives you the added bonus of creating char lines on the fish which come from the hot metal.
Our seafood platters are also a great addition to any barbeque too, get a luxury platter to share or one of our Lobster or Crab platters to nibble from.
We have selected a few recipes to give you a bit of inspiration for the barbeque season. Here’s to a great summer!
Jerk Lobster With Coconut Rice - Credit Greatbritishchefs.com
Barbequed Trout In Newspaper - Credit Greatbritishchefs.com