How to BBQ fish
The short answer
Get the grate clean and hot, oil both the grate and the fish and cook over medium-hot coals, starting oily and whole fish skin-side down. Allow 3 to 5 minutes a side for fillets and 6 to 8 minutes a side for a whole fish, turning once, until the flesh is just opaque. A fish cage holds delicate fillets and whole fish together for turning.
Step by step
1. Build the fire for medium-hot heat and let the flames die down to glowing coals. Flames char the outside before the middle cooks. 2. Scrub the grate clean, then oil it well with a folded oiled cloth held in tongs. A clean oiled grate is what stops fish sticking. 3. Pat the fish dry, brush it with oil and season. Score whole fish two or three times on each side. 4. Lay oily fillets and whole fish skin-side down over the coals. Leave them still so a crust forms and they release cleanly. 5. Cook and turn once:
- Fillets 2 to 3cm: 3 to 5 minutes a side.
- Whole fish 400 to 600g: 6 to 8 minutes a side.
- Prawns and squid: 2 to 3 minutes a side.
6. Use a fish cage or a sheet of oiled foil for delicate fillets so they hold together when you turn them. For a large whole fish, finish it over indirect heat with the lid down. 7. Check for doneness. The flesh is just opaque through the thickest point and, for whole fish, lifts cleanly from the backbone.
Which fish it suits
Oily and firm fish are made for the barbecue: mackerel, sardines, salmon, tuna, swordfish and monkfish all hold up to the heat and the grate. Whole sea bass and sea bream cook beautifully with the skin protecting the flesh. Prawns, squid and scallops are quick and forgiving.
Delicate white fillets like plaice, lemon sole and thin haddock fall apart on bars, so cook them in a cage, on a plank or wrapped in a foil parcel. Very lean fish dries fast, so keep it well oiled and watch the time.
Tips / common mistakes
- A clean, hot, oiled grate is the difference between fish that lifts and fish that tears.
- Do not move the fish too soon. It releases itself once a crust forms.
- Cook over glowing coals rather than flames.
- A fish cage makes turning whole fish and delicate fillets simple.
- For a large whole fish, sear over direct heat then move to indirect heat with the lid down so it cooks through without burning.
Frequently asked questions
How do you stop fish sticking on the BBQ? Start with a clean, hot grate, oil the grate with a folded cloth and oil the fish. Then leave it undisturbed until a crust forms and it releases on its own.
Should you BBQ fish over direct or indirect heat? Fillets and small whole fish cook over direct medium-hot heat. Move a large whole fish to indirect heat with the lid down after searing, so the middle cooks without the skin burning.
Do you need a fish cage? Not for firm fish and oily fillets. A cage helps hugely for delicate white fillets and for turning whole fish in one piece.
Can you BBQ fish from frozen? Defrost it first. The fierce heat colours the outside long before the middle thaws, so even cooking needs defrosted fish. Defrost overnight in the fridge.
Which fish is good for the barbecue? Oily and firm fish such as mackerel, sardines, salmon, tuna and monkfish, along with whole sea bass and sea bream and shellfish like prawns and squid.
