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What's For Dinner? v20.04 -- Grilled Whole Fish [1]
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Date: 2025-07-26
It’s summertime, and things you might not have thought about can also be cooked outside!
It was nearly fifty years ago that I had dinner at a friend’s home and was amazed to see a whole fish, stuffed with onions, lemons, and herbs, wrapped in foil and cooked on the grill. It was awesome and obviously memorable. I’m not sure I ever ate fresh fish at home as a kid, and I definitely knew that the charcoal grill was for hamburgers, hot dogs, and occasionally steak.
This of course depends on the availability of good fresh fish. In my area that means going to a Chinese market, and the one I shop at had like 30 varieties of whole fresh fish on ice, as well as butchered fish and a couple of tanks of live fish. You need close to a pound of pre-cleaning fish per person.
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Grilled Whole Fish
I recommend reading www.hungryhuy.com/… . This isn’t a recipe, it’s a set of guidelines with a lot of options. For a shorter version just Google “grilled whole fish”, most of what’s below is quoted from that.
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Firm-fleshed fish like red snapper, branzino, arctic char, sea bass, and even smaller varieties like sardines, are ideal for grilling whole because they hold their shape well on the grates. (I chose branzino this time.)
Clean and dry the fish: Ensure the fish is cleaned, scaled, and gutted (if needed). Pat it thoroughly dry with paper towels to prevent sticking to the grill.
Season generously: Season the inside cavity and exterior of the fish with salt, pepper, and your preferred herbs and spices. Consider adding aromatics like lemon slices, garlic cloves, or fresh herbs into the cavity for added flavor (I chose lemon, sweet onion, parsley and thyme; the hungryhuy link has lots of other suggestions.)
Oil the fish: Rub the fish all over with olive oil or other cooking oil to further prevent sticking to the grill and promote even browning.
Score the fish (optional): Making diagonal slits on the sides of the fish (between the head and tail) allows the seasoning and aromatics to penetrate deeper and aids in even cooking. (You can see I tucked lemon into the slits).
Bring to room temperature: Let the fish sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes before grilling for more even cooking.
Grilling time: The general rule of thumb is to cook the fish for approximately 10 minutes per inch of thickness, turning it halfway through the cooking time. Flip the fish only once to minimize the risk of it sticking and falling apart. If not using a fish basket, use two large spatulas to gently cradle and turn the fish.
(Wrapping in foil avoids difficulty with flipping. You don’t get get the crispy browned skin, which is more attractive when presented, but you probably don’t eat the skin anyway.)
Check for doneness: The internal temperature in the thickest part should reach 145°F . Let the fish rest for 5-10 minutes after grilling to allow the juices to redistribute.
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I think I’ll be eating kale salad and leftover chicken. What’s for dinner at your place?
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