How to Grill Fish And Seafood -- Recipes and Tips for Delicious BBQ Grilling

Grilled fish is a delight, but grilling fish and seafood can seem a bit intimidating. Actually, it's not hard at all to get great results. Here are some basic tips, along with a selection of appealing recipes to get you started.

THE BASICS

• A hot fire is key. You want to cook seafood quickly to retain the natural juices and flavor.

• A clean grill rack is equally important. Fish will stick to a dirty rack and make turning the fish difficult.

• Oil the rack when the barbecue grill is hot, just before you're ready to cook. Also, oil the fish whenever possible. Use a high-temperature oil, such as grape seed, peanut, or plain olive oil.

• Skin side up or down? Conventional wisdom says to cook the skin side first, but doing the opposite gives a nicer, crusted surface on the non-skin side, and the skin helps the fillet hold together for turning. The result is a moist, more appealing fillet. Try it and you'll see.

• Fish will hold together better and be less likely to stick if you leave it alone during grilling. Cook it for the estimated time, then try lifting it carefully.

• A wide, thin spatula is essential for flipping and removing fish. Having two close at hand is even better.

• If you're grilling thin fillets, or just want to make life easier, you can grill fish and seafood in the type of double-sided, long-handled grilling rack used for hamburgers and steaks. There are also specially shaped ones made for grilling whole fish.

• A good rule of thumb is to grill fish for a total of 10 minutes per inch of thickness (measured at the thickest point.) So if you have a half inch thick fillet, grill it for about 3 minutes on one side, then flip it and cook for 2 minutes more.

• Avoid sugary marinades or glazes, especially with thick fillets or whole fish, as the sugars can burn and turn bitter before the fish is fully cooked.

• As with other methods, fish is fully cooked when it begins to flake and is opaque at the center. Some fish, like salmon and tuna, are often served while still somewhat 'rare', like steak.

• Tuna, salmon, swordfish, halibut, mahi mahi, barramundi, trout, mackerel, yellowtail, and sea bass are some of the best fish to grill.

FILLETS AND STEAKS

• Simple Grilled Salmon Recipe - A Simple Recipe for Grilled Salmon

• How to Cook Swordfish - Cooking with Swordfish

• Mojito Mahi Recipe - Spicy Mojito Mahi Mahi Recipe

• Grilled Salmon with Herb Butter Recipe - A Recipe for Grilled Salmon with Herb Butter

• Grilled Salmon Recipe - No Flip Grilled Salmon Recipe

• Grilled Red Snapper Recipe -- Snapper Yucatan Style

• Jamaican Jerk Tilapia Packets - Grilled Fish Recipe

• Garlic Halibut Steaks - Grilled Halibut Recipe

• Grilled Sea Bass with Garlic Butter - Grilled Fish Recipe

• Blackened Fish - Grilled Fish Recipe

WHOLE FISH

• Grilling Whole Fish

• Grilling Trout - Quick and easy, a fish meant for the fire

• Trout in Corn Husks - Grilled Fish Recipe

• Vietnamese Grilled Fish - Recipe for Vietnamese Grilled Fish - Ca Nuong

• Grilled Anchovies Recipe

KEBABS

• Albacore Kebab Recipe - A Recipe for Grilled Tuna Kebabs

• Swordfish Souvlaki (Kebabs) - Grilled Swordfish Skewers with Vegetables

• Grilled Baby Octopus Recipe: How to Grill Baby Octopus

SHELLFISH

• Grilling Shellfish: From Lobster to Calamari to Shrimp

• Zesty Grilled Shrimp Recipe - Easy Grilled Shrimp

• Grilled Clam or Oyster Recipe - Rhode Island Grilled Clams or Oysters

SAUCES FOR GRILLED FISH AND SEAFOOD

• Piri Piri Sauce Recipe - A Recipe for African Piri Piri Sauce

• Chimichurri Sauce Recipe - A Recipe for Chimichurri Sauce

• Authentic Spanish Allioli or Aioli Sauce - A Recipe for Spanish Allioli or Aioli Sauce

• Lemongrass Ginger Sauce Recipe - A Recipe for a Lemongrass Ginger Sauce