Fish and Seafood Grilling Primer

July is national grilling month, and in celebration of the summertime activity here are tips, recipes, and guidelines to make your next grilling experience successful.

Fish and Seafood Grilling Tips

• Dry the fish before grilling, removing any extra liquid if the fish has been marinating or excess water if the fish is freshly defrosted. Marinated fish is ready to grill as is, but plain fish should be oiled before grilling. Oiling the fish helps keep it moist and helps to ensure it doesn’t stick to the grill.
• Brush the grill with oil, and preheat to make sure it is hot before grilling. Fish tends to stick to cold grills.
• Place fish presentation side down first about 4 inches directly over the heat source, and cook, turning over once, until done.
• Grill fish about 10 minutes per inch of thickness, 5 to 6 minutes each side. Once the fish is turned, brush with a little reserved marinade or some clarified butter.
• Slashing whole panfish or large fillets or thick steaks will help keep the cooking uniform.
• Grilling baskets make grilling small sized seafood (like shrimp) and thin fillets a breeze.

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Grilling and Food Safety

• Begin with clean hands and clean work surfaces.
• Keep raw fish and seafood separated from ready to eat food to prevent cross contamination.
• Identify any raw fish or seafood with a strong ammonia odor and discard.
• When marinating fish and seafood, you can marinate it at room temperature 30 minutes before grilling. If it is any longer than that, then place it in the refrigerator.
• For safety, fish is done when the internal temperature reaches 140 degrees F, and will typically change in color and texture depending on what is being cooked.
• Fish should be cooked until the flesh is opaque and the meat separates easily with a fork.
• Shrimp, lobster, and crab should be cooked until the meat becomes opaque and firms up.
• Cook bivalve mollusks such as clams, oysters, and mussels until they open up and discard any that refuse to open during cooking. Univalve mollusks will become firm and will look opaque. 
• Once everything is cooked, keep hot food hot and cold food cold. Keep chilled items in a cooler with ice until service, promptly refrigerating leftovers. 
• Discard food that has been left at temperature for more than two hours, or more than one hour if temperatures are above 90 degrees F.

Grilled Fish and Seafood Recipes

Now that you have the basics down on grilling fish and seafood, try these recipes.

 

Herb Marinated Grilled Shrimp

• 1 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh Italian leaf parsley
• 2 tablespoons minced oregano
• 1 tablespoon minced thyme
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 pounds medium sized shrimp, shell on

1. In a non-reactive container, whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, parsley, oregano, thyme, garlic, and salt and pepper to taste.
2. Add the shrimp, and marinade in the refrigerator for 2 hours, turning occasionally.
3. When the grill is ready, drain the shrimp, reserving the marinade. Place the shrimp in an oiled grilling basket. Cook, brushing with the reserved marinade a couple of times and turning once, until the shrimp is opaque and cooked through, about 5 to 8 minutes.
4. Serve hot. 

 Grilled Fresh Anchovies, Sardines, or Smelt

• 1 to 2 dozen anchovies or smelt, dressed
• 2 tablespoons fresh squeeze lemon juice, separated
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
• Salt to taste
• Lemon wedges, for squeezing at the table

1. Make the marinade by mixing the lemon juice with the olive oil, garlic, paprika, black pepper, dry mustard, and salt to taste. Marinade the fish for 2 minutes, turning frequently.
2. Grill the fish until done, turning once and basting a few times with the marinade during cooking.
3. Transfer to a platter. Serve with fresh lemon.

Easy Foil Grilled Lake Trout

• Small lake trout, one per person, cleaned and dressed
• Onion, thinly sliced
• Butter, one pat per fish
• Fresh herbs, as desired
• Lemon wedges for lemon juice, salt, pepper, paprika

1. Place one trout on a large square of double sheet heavy duty aluminum foil. Add a little bit of onion on the top, followed by a pat of butter, some fresh herbs, a squeeze from a lemon wedge, and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and paprika.
2. Enclose the fish in the foil by sealing the edges.
3. Cook on the grill for about 6 to 7 minutes, then turn over and cook for about 6 to 7 minutes more, until the fish flakes with a fork. If the fish is larger, cooking time will be increased.
4. Serve hot.

Halibut Kabobs with Peppers, Tomatoes, and Mushrooms

• 1 1/2 pounds halibut steaks, cut into 1 inch cubes
• 1/4 vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup dry sherry or dry vermouth
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 smashed garlic cloves
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 large green pepper and 1 large red pepper, cut into pieces about the same size as the halibut
• 16 cherry tomatoes
• 8 button mushrooms

1. Mix the vegetable oil, dry sherry or vermouth, soy sauce, garlic cloves, thyme, and black pepper in a nonreactive container, and marinate the halibut cubes for  30 minutes.
2. Drain the fish, reserving the marinade.
3. Thread the halibut, on about 8 skewers, dividing the peppers, tomatoes, and mushrooms evenly with the fish.
4. Grill over medium heat until the fish flakes done, basting with the marinade during cooking.