Preparing a barbecue grilled fish makes an absolutely beautiful presentation for a crowd. Seriously, people will go nuts. Cooking fish on a barbecue is an excellent way to bring out the best in the fish’s flavor and texture. Beyond that, it takes less than 5 minutes to prepare and then it’s hands off until dinner time. I think it could be the perfect dinner party food The idea is to get the seasonings to blacken before you flip the red snapper.

Once the fish is grilled, it’s topped with a flavorful butter sauce. Oil both sides of the fish with olive oil or another cooking oil to keep it from sticking to the grill. A good piece of fresh fish doesn’t need much embellishment in the way of flavor, but a sprinkle of salt and pepper will enhance its natural properties. Cooking the skin side first will help the fish hold together. If your fish doesn’t have skin, that’s fine; just place it on the grill.

If you are using fillets, it takes about eight minutes to cook through an inch of the fish, so for most fillets, this means three to five minutes per side. If you are cooking fillets directly on the grill, choose fish where the skin and flesh are fairly robust and can stand up to the heat like salmon, halibut or monkfish. Make sure the skin of any fish that you use for this method is generously oiled and seasoned with salt – this helps to prevent sticking and gives the skin a wonderfully crisp, tasty finish.

A good way of cooking more delicate fillets, such as sea bass or place, is to wrap them in foil with a splash of liquid and aromatic herbs. This helps to protect the flesh and lightly steams the fish during cooking, ensuring you have wonderfully moist flesh.

Ingredients;

  • 1 6-7 lb whole salmon cleaned and scales removed
  • 2 shallots sliced into rings
  • 3 lemons divided use
  • 10-12 fresh dill fronds
  • 2 Tablespoons melted butter
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper

Instructions;

  1. Begin by preparing your grill. Set the temperature to about 400-425 degrees over indirect heat and allow your grill to preheat while you prepare the salmon.
  2. Wipe the entire exterior and interior cavity of your salmon with paper towels. Season the interior with half of the salt and pepper.
  3. Layer in the sliced shallots, 2 of the sliced lemons, and dill fronds.
  4. Using a sharp knife, cut 3-4 diagonal slices into the top of the salmon. Drizzle the top of the fish with the melted butter and season with the rest of the salt and pepper.
  5. Transfer your fish directly to the grill grates, close the lid and roast for 30 minutes. Cut the last lemon in half and squeeze half of it over the top of the salmon.
  6. The time can vary 15 minutes or so in either direction depending on how thick your fish is.
  7. Close the lid and roast for another 15 minutes then squeeze the other half of the lemon over the top. At this point, use an internal thermometer to check the temperature of your salmon.
  8. The time to finish the salmon can vary 15 minutes or so in either direction depending on how thick your fish is.
  9. From this point on, keep a close eye on the temperature. Salmon is cooked through at 140 degrees F.
  10. When your salmon has hit the proper internal temperature, carefully transfer the fish to your serving platter or cutting board and serve with extra lemon wedges.