{"id":125,"date":"2022-08-11T00:25:11","date_gmt":"2022-08-11T00:25:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/litchfieldsaltwatergrille.org\/?p=125"},"modified":"2022-08-11T00:25:11","modified_gmt":"2022-08-11T00:25:11","slug":"a-beginners-guide-to-grilling-fish","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/litchfieldsaltwatergrille.org\/?p=125","title":{"rendered":"A Beginner’s Guide to Grilling Fish"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Grilling<\/p>\n

Cooking fish can be stressful for beginners. It seems fragile, delicate, it’s expensive (at least relative to, say, hamburger), it has bones, it has a face\u2014whatever it is, there’s an intimidation factor for sure.<\/p>\n

And the same is true for\u00a0learning to grill<\/a>. So when it comes to grilling fish, it’s like a double-whammy. But with this beginner’s guide to grilling fish, we’ll break down everything you need to know, including prep, tools, tips and basic techniques.<\/p>\n

Start With a Clean Grill<\/span><\/h2>\n

It’s probably worthwhile to remember that people have been catching fish and cooking them over a hot fire for at least 100,000 years. Not to diss the Neanderthals, but if they could do it, so can you.<\/p>\n

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And the first thing to know is that a clean grill is everything when it comes to grilling fish. Because fish is delicate, and it can stick to your grill, making turning it difficult and leading to all kinds of other problems. And one of the reasons fish will stick is if the grill isn’t clean.<\/p>\n

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All those little specks of burnt on crud that might be invisible to a steak or a burger will grab onto your fish the same way the tread on a tire grips the road. So take a few extra moments to thoroughly scrape, brush and oil your grill before putting the fish on it.<\/p>\n

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Of course you should clean your grill anyway. But with fish it’s especially critical. Here’s more on\u00a0taking care of your charcoal grill<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The Best Fish for Grilling<\/span><\/h2>\n

Your next decision will be what type of fish to grill. Basically any fish can be cooked on a grill, but some varieties and cuts are more forgiving of mistakes and thus preferable for a beginner.<\/p>\n

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These fish have firm flesh that won’t fall apart on the grill, and they are available in steaks or thick fillets, which helps them stand up to the high heat of the grill.<\/p>\n

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With that said, a medium fire is best for grilling, which if you’re using a gas grill means about 350 F. If you’re grilling over charcoal, 350 F corresponds with about half a chimney of coals. If you’re not familiar with using charcoal chimneys or how to control the temperature on a charcoal grill, here’s a start. Examples are:<\/p>\n