A perfect grilled fish? 6 keys to achieve it

1. Selecting the right fish

The first step to delicious grilled fish begins at the fishmonger's. Not all fish are suitable for grilling. Not all fish are suitable for grilling. The best are those with firm and relatively lean flesh, such as sea bream, sea bass, hake, sole, salmon or tuna. Fish such as trout or cod are also valid, but as they are more delicate, they will require a greater technique. Of course, whatever you choose, make sure it is fresh.

The best piece to grill is the loin. Whole fish can also be cooked, but in this case it is preferable that they are small pieces and open in half. Otherwise, we run the risk of the center being raw and the outside too dry.

It is essential that the piece is clean (not soaked in water), skinned and gutted. Ask your fishmonger to help you with this process; there is no one better than a professional to do it. You can also ask him to remove the skin, if you prefer.

2. A non-stick frying pan

A well-heated griddle is one of the fundamental secrets. If you don't have a griddle, you can use a non-stick pan, which will prevent the fish from sticking and breaking when you turn it over.

Tip: If you do not have a non-stick pan (or the ones you have are too scratched), you can use a piece of baking paper to cover the bottom of the pan and cook the fish on it.

Remember: it is essential that the pan has reached a high temperature before placing the fish.

3. Fat, better in the piece

We will not put oil or any other fat (such as butter) in the pan. If we did so, we would only achieve a rapid combustion and it would end up burnt, transferring to our fish a flavor that would be unpleasant to the palate. It will be enough to apply a few drops of oil on both sides of the piece of fish and spread it with a gentle massage using your hands.

4. Season fish just before cooking.

The best way to salt a piece of fish would be to submerge it for a few minutes in a bowl with water and salt (as if it were sea water). But if we do not have time, the best way is to season it on both sides just before cooking. If we season it too much in advance, the salt will extract much of the moisture from the fish, leaving it dry.

5. Time to turn it around

One of the most common mistakes is to turn the fish too early. To avoid falling apart, let it cook completely on one side before attempting to turn it.

• If it has skin: Cook the skin side first. When you see that it is crispy and a nice golden color (without burning), it is time to turn it over.
• If there is no skin: A good indicator that it is ready to flip is to watch the edges of the fillet; when they begin to brown and the fish releases easily from the griddle, it's time to turn it.

Use a spatula to flip it, not a fork, as the spatula is less likely to break it.

6. The right cooking point

The ideal cooking point for a grilled fish is when the internal flesh is between 50 and 60°C (122 and 140°F). If you do not have a cooking thermometer, you may notice that the flakes separate easily when pressed gently with a fork.

It is important to remove the fish from the griddle just before it is fully cooked, as the residual heat will continue to cook it even off the heat.

The final touch

As you can see, grilling fish is not complicated if you know how to do it. Applying these techniques will ensure you always get an optimal result.

All that remains is to serve the fish with a salad, some grilled vegetables or accompany it with a sauce. If you want, you can add a squeeze of lemon or some freshly chopped herbs to enhance its flavor without masking it.

How about you?

Do you usually cook grilled fish? Have you encountered any of these problems? Have you found these tips useful? Let us know in the comments!