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Are you afraid to grill fish? A lot of people I know are. They tell me that it falls apart after sticking to the grill or it turns out rubbery.
If you follow my advice and BBQ tips below, you’ll be grilling up a fish like a pro.
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Types of fish
To start, there are several types of fish that can be cooked on a grill, and honestly, everyone has their own preferences. While I love Chilean sea bass and halibut, others love salmon and tilapia. My mother-in-law can’t get enough catfish, but she passes on mahi mahi.
I’ve categorized this popular list of fish varieties based on their taste, health benefits and price.
I’m sure you’ll find a type of fish that you love. If not, just head on over to my smoked brisket page :)
Taste
The taste of fish is often categorized five ways. It can either be fishy, mild, buttery, steak-like or muddy.
When fish is described as tasting fishy, it means that it has an overpowering, strong flavor. Mild fish, on the other hand, has very little flavor at all. Most white fish fits this category.
Buttery fish is usually mild, but it is also rich. Steak-like fish is meatier with a firm texture. And muddy-tasting fish comes from fish that feed along the bottom of bodies of water.
Health Benefits
Fish is an extremely healthy protein because it’s low in calories, high in protein, low in saturated fat, and rich in vitamins, minerals and Omega-3 fatty acids.
Eating 3 grams of Omega-3 fatty acids daily can reduce blood pressure and inflammation, improve heart and brain health, and even reduce risks of certain types of cancers.
The nutrition information below was compiled from the U.S. Department of Agriculture FoodData Central and is based on a 100-gram serving.
Price
There are several factors that influence the price of fish. These can include seasonality, your proximity to oceans and lakes, supply and demand, processing, and quality and sustainability.
Whole fish that aren’t broken down into filets tend to cost less, unless they are imported, which can drive up the costs.
The prices listed below are based on 2023 prices from Whole Foods and Wild Fork.
Common fish varieties good for grilling
Branzino
Catfish
Cod
Halibut
Mahi Mahi
Salmon
Swordfish
Tilapia
Trout
Tuna
Shellfish
Clams
Crab
Crawfish
Lobster
Mussels
Scallops
Shrimp
Other seafood
Alligator
Believe it or not, alligator is classified as seafood, so I included it in this list.
Octopus
How to grill fish
These are my key pitmaster tips for grilling fish successfully.
Lubricate
The most important tip when grilling fish is to add oil to the fish and to the grill grate. This is important for both whole fish and filets.
Fish is very tender. If it’s not lubricated, it will stick to the grates. Then, when it’s time to flip it, you’ll end up with a crazy mess.
To add oil to the fish, just drizzle it on and rub it all over with your hand or a basting brush.
To oil the grate, drizzle oil onto a folded-up paper towel. Then, use a pair of tongs to wipe it across the hot grill grates. Do this just before adding the fish. Otherwise, the oil will burn off.
It’s best to use a high smoke point oil like vegetable oil, but I’ve had success with olive oil, too.
Use pretty high heat
Fish cooks fast. Like 10-15 minutes fast. You want to create a sear as quickly as possible so that it will be ready for the flip.
When using a gas grill, I put the heat on medium-high. When using a charcoal grill, I wait until it’s hot enough that I can only hold my hand over the coals for 3-4 seconds. For a pellet grill, set it to 400F degrees.
You can also grill fish indoors using a grill pan. Set the pan on the stove over medium-high heat. Just before adding the fish, add some oil to the pan.
Grill grate alternatives
If you’re still struggling with your fish sticking or are just too nervous to test it out, there are some alternative ways to grill fish.
You can place the fish on a cedar plank and then place the plank on the grill. You just need to make sure to soak the plank in water for at least 30 minutes, so it doesn’t catch fire.
Another option is to place the fish on slices of citrus like lemons and oranges. Fan them out, place the fish on top and then use a wide fish spatula to transfer it all to the grill.
With both methods, there is no need to flip the fish. Just grill it until it’s cooked all the way through. You won’t get crispy skin, but the meat will be perfectly tender.
If you still like the flipping action, you could also use a fish grill basket. This is especially handy when grilling whole fish.
Season and sauce
The cool thing about fish is that it doesn’t require a ton of seasoning and marinades. I tend to just use oil, kosher salt and pepper before I put it on the grill.
Then, when you’re ready to create unique, memorable flavor combinations, do that with a sauce or glaze. And don’t forget to serve your grilled fish alongside some lemon wedges or lemon slices.
Start skin side down
If your piece of fish has skin, place the skin side down on the grill first. That will ensure the skin gets nice and crispy. Once it is seared and releases easily, you can flip it to the flesh side.
How to know when fish is ready
There are a few surefire ways to know the fish is ready. The most precise way is to use a digital meat thermometer to probe the internal temperature. The USDA recommends cooking fish to 145F degrees.
Slide the thermometer in through the side into the thickest part.
If you don’t have a thermometer, there are two other ways to check the meat. If you pierce it with a fork, it’s ready when the fish flakes and starts to separate.
Or if you’re cooking a fish like salmon, when you see white liquid (albumin) leaking from the side of the fish, that means it’s heated through.
If you’re cooking clams or muscles, they’re ready when the shells open. If they’re on the grill for a while and they don’t open, toss them.
Clams and muscles should be alive when you buy them and open when fully cooked. If a shell doesn’t open, it means it was dead before being cooked and can cause foodborne illness.
When cooking shrimp, crabs and lobsters, cook them to 145F or until the shells turn pink.
Now that you know the art of grilling fish, you’re ready to get cooking. But don’t despair. If your grilled fish isn’t perfect the first time around, you can layer the meat into fish tacos or on a fish sandwich Everyone will still love it!
Other ways to cook fish
Wrap it up!
If you don’t care about grill marks and smoky flavor, wrap it in foil or cook it in a covered dish. This keeps the moisture locked in, so you have nice and flaky fish. Just be sure the other ingredients in your pouch or baking dish will be ready in 15 minutes, too. Fish cooks fast.
Frying? Beer please!
A mixture of 1 bottle of beer and 1 ½ cups of flour makes the perfect batter every time. Dunk the seasoned fish in the batter and fry in one-inch of 350-degree oil. Serve it with malted vinegar or tartar sauce and another bottle of beer.
No matter the method – Make it fast
Fish cooks super fast. Honestly, it’s ready in 10-15 minutes. If you cook it longer, it turns rubbery. Grilling takes about 5 minutes per side. You can bake filets in about 15 minutes. Or fry your beer-battered filets in less than 10 minutes.
Sustainability of fish
How a fish makes it from the ocean, lake, river or fish farm to your local grocery store is something many people care about. Different fishing practices can impact the marine ecosystem and natural fish populations.
Some fishing practices involve using large nets, which can result in accidentally catching the wrong fish or damaging habitats on ocean floors.
When shopping for seafood look for sustainability certifications from the Marine Stewardship Council or Aquaculture Stewardship Council.
I buy most of my seafood from Whole Foods or Snake River Farms. Whole Foods only sources from responsibly managed farms and fisheries, and it labels its seafood with a visible sustainable rating system.
Snake River Farms offers an assortment of fish that is sourced from American fishermen who follow sustainable practices. It’s fresh-caught and flash frozen.
GCG Pro Pitmaster Tips
- Select a fish that matches your taste and price preferences
- Oil the fish and grill grates to prevent it from sticking
- Cook to 145F degrees
- Add sauces or glazes at the end of the cook
Frequently Asked Questions
When cooking fish on a grill, it generally only takes 10-15 minutes for it to reach the proper internal temperature of 145F degrees, which ensures it will be tender, flaky and moist.
You can either grill fish on foil so it doesn’t stick to the grill grate, or you can wrap fish fillets up in foil packets to create an oven-like environment to steam the fish.
When grilling on foil, add a little oil and seasoning and cook the fish over medium heat for about 10 minutes. Cooking in foil also makes for easy cleanup.
According to the Washington State Department of Health, due to high levels of mercury, women who are or may become pregnant, nursing mothers and young children should avoid king mackerel, imported marlin, shark, imported swordfish, tilefish, tuna steak, bluefin and bigeye.
When it’s available, I prefer to purchase the freshest fish I can. When fish is frozen, it stores a lot of excess moisture. If the fish isn’t totally patted dry, that moisture can create steam instead of great sear marks.
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Versatile recipe for grilled fish
Below is my basic technique for grilled fish. You can follow these steps for virtually any variety of fish.
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Grilled Fish
Ingredients
- 2 fish filets
- olive oil
- salt and pepper
- 2 tbsp melted butter
- 1 tsp lemon juice
Instructions
- Drizzle olive oil on the filets and season with salt and pepper.
- Heat the grill to medium high. Using a paper towel and tongs, rub vegetable oil on the grates. Place the filets on the grill skin-side down.
- Grill it until it forms a char on the bottom and is easy to flip, about five minutes. If you try to flip it too soon, the fish will break apart.
- Continue grilling until it is cooked through and begins to flake. Remove to a sheet pan.
- Combine the butter and lemon juice and drizzle over the fish.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
