Cooking a fish whole on the bone makes it taste better. The skin protects the delicate flesh, the bones keep it juicy, and you can stuff the cavity with flavorful citrus and herbs. Eating a whole fish makes for a primal yet delicious meal. It might be a bit messy, but it sure is tasty! My favorite fish to prepare this way is black sea bass. Sea bass is a very mild, white-fleshed fish that works well in a lot of recipes. If you can’t catch sea bass in your local waters, don’t despair. The same cooking technique can you be used on just about any fish. I’ve grilled whole trout, scup and snapper blues, all of which were good. I imagine a flounder would be problematic to do whole, but just about any other firm fish would serve well. Scale the fish and remove the innards and gills. Scale the fish and remove the innards and gills. Step One The first step is to scale the fish. They make a special tool for this task, but I find a rigid steak knife will get it done just fine. Scrape the fish “against the grain” until all of the scales are off. This is a messy endeavor best done outdoors, as the scales will end up flying all over the place. You’ll also need to gut the fish. A good pair of kitchen shears is the best tool for this task. Open up the belly of the fish and rip out the guts. You’ll also want to cut out the gills. I also like to trim down the fins so they won’t burn on the grill. Stuff the fish with lemon wedges and fresh herbs, then coat it with olive oil and salt. Stuff the fish with lemon wedges and fresh herbs, then coat it with olive oil and salt. Step Two Fill up the body cavity with lemon slices and fresh herbs (parsley, thyme, sage and dill are my favorites), along with a liberal amount of salt and pepper. You’ll also need to cut several slits in the side of the fish, which will help it grill evenly, and impart more flavor. Coat the outside of the fish with olive oil and more salt. Get your grill red hot, and make sure you oil the grates so the fish won’t stick. Get your grill red hot, and make sure you oil the grates so the fish won’t stick. Step Three Now it’s time to fire up the grill. Get it as hot as it will go, and take the time to thoroughly clean the grates. Once the grill is red hot, give the grates a good coating of oil or cooking spray, which will help prevent the whole fish from sticking. Put the whole fish on the grill, close the lid, and turn the heat to low. Cook the first side for about 10 minutes. Resist the urge to probe, poke or move the fish! The less you mess with it, the better the odds it won’t stick. Carefully flip the fish and place it on an elevated grate. Carefully flip the fish and place it on an elevated grate. Step Four Now it’s time to flip the fish. Use a large spatula and be careful! You’ll only have one shot. I like to finish the fish on the “upper deck” of the grill like in the photo above. Close the lid, bump the heat up to medium, and cook for about another 10 minutes. A grilled whole fish isn’t the prettiest dish, so go heavy on the garnish. A grilled whole fish isn’t the prettiest dish, so go heavy on the garnish. Step Five A whole fish isn’t the prettiest dish, so you’ll want to gussy up the platter with a bed of lettuce and some lemon wedges. I also add a radish garnish for the eyeball, which I think is a nice touch. Serve the top fillet first, then grab the tail and lift straight up. The entire backbone will pull right out, revealing the bottom fillet. Pig Out The finished result is a delicious, succulent dish that might be one of my favorite fish meals in existence. The meat is firm, yet juicy and full of flavor. Cooking a fish whole on the bone changes a fish’s flavor quite dramatically, and in my opinion makes it taste much better. Give it a try this summer, you won’t regret it!
Posted on: Thu, 03 Apr 2014 14:55:54 +0000
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