WE'RE ON A SEAFOOD DIET
We SEE food and we eat it + Grilled Fish 101
Are you a fishy kween?? Do you enjoy a little “shrimp on the barbie”? Have you wanted to grill fish, but were too intimidated to do it? Well buckle up, buttercup, because this week we are giving you the 411 on grilling fish! Plus, we’ve got lots of sides in the W4D archives that’ll round out your meal, just in time for Father’s Day!
CONGRATULATIONS **ADAM SKAGGS**
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GRILLED FISH 101
AU: A few weeks ago one of my good Judys* was visiting me and Josh in LA. Her brother, who lives in Seattle, generously sent us A FEAST of fresh seafood from the famous Pike Place Fish Market (yes, the place where they throw the fish!).
PRIDE MONTH VOCAB LESSON: A “Judy” is a gay man’s best friend. This phrase is used frequently in the queer community, but can refer to someone that identifies as heterosexual or other sex identity. The term “Judy” comes from legendary actress/singer Judy Garland, who was always a big supporter of LGBTQIA+ rights. 🌈✨
Upon receipt of the package, I unboxed a gorgeous side of salmon, the MOST jumbo shrimp I’ve ever seen, and two thick and pure white swordfish steaks. I have to admit, I was excited (and obviously so grateful!), but I was also slightly panicked. I had never grilled fish before. THERE I SAID IT.
So I did what any sane individual would do—I texted Elizabeth. :) In case you didn’t know, my judy Elizabeth is the OG Grill Girl, and one of America’s foremost grilling experts! She has created many of the grilling techniques and recipes that are now second-nature to backyard cooks.
EK: Thanks Anthony! The truth is one of my greatest pleasures is sharing my love of grilling and barbecue, and I love being on “speed-text” with friends and family to help make sure their cookouts are stand-outs! I also get a lot of questions through my website, GirlsattheGrill and I answer everyone of them myself!
AU: And y’all don’t forget that paid subscribers get access to our W4D Chat feature where you can ask us anything at any time in the Substack App. We’re here to help! Back to the story… Per usual, Elizabeth was cool as a cucumber and we brainstormed a plan of attack on the newly received treasure trove of seafood. After our consultation, I decided I would smoke the salmon in my pellet smoker on cedar planks, and grill the shrimp and swordfish steaks on my gas grill.
AU: The salmon was going to be a simple preparation of thinly-sliced lemons shingled over the flesh (to protect it from drying out and to add flavor), the swordfish got the “Brown Butter” treatment (read below for EK’s easy 3-ingredient version!), and the shrimp were going to be peel-and-eat style with a ton of Old Bay and melted butter.
It was a casual seafood feast for the ages to celebrate friendships for the ages! We sat around the table and ate shrimp, swordfish, and salmon like we were Rockefellers, sipping wine until the night turned chilly. I made a simple tomato/avocado salad to add a zippy bite here and there. ‘Twas perfection.
AU: But the whole experience made me realize that if I—someone who has spent two decades in/around food media—had never grilled fish or seafood before… maybe some of you W4D readers haven’t either?! Don’t worry—Elizabeth is gonna walk us all through it!
SO HERE’S EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT GRILLING FISH, BUT WERE TOO AFRAID TO ASK:
AU: Okay, first things first… What should I buy at the store?? Like, what’s a good entry-level fish to grill?
EK: A Swordfish steak is actually a great entry-level fish to grill because it has a meaty texture that is much easier to grill than a delicate fillet. Salmon steaks, tuna steaks, halibut steaks and mahi-mahi steaks are also good choices. Shell-on shrimp (technically shellfish) are also great for first-timers.
AU: Should I buy fresh or frozen??
EK: If you have a boat dock or a fishmonger near you, who brings in day-boat fish, buy it fresh. Otherwise, I recommend purchasing frozen fish and shellfish. I am a huge fan of the IQF (Individually Quick Frozen) seafood, because it is frozen just after it is caught, so when you thaw it, it is almost as fresh as the day it was caught.
When you buy fish at the fish counter at a grocery store, most of the fish comes to the store frozen and they thaw it before they sell it. The texture and the taste of the fish will always be better if you thaw it at home instead of buying thawed fish at the grocery store. You can also grill fish from frozen. The Swordfish steaks you see in my photos below were purchased vacuum-sealed from Trader Joe’s and grilled from frozen
AU: I know that grilling chicken that is skin-on, bone-in is a little more forgiving than boneless, skinless. Is the same true for fish?
EK: Grilling a whole fish is very intimidating, but it shouldn’t be! Grilling a whole fish is actually one of the simplest ways to prepare fish. In fact, my favorite method is to season the inside of the fish with EVOO, a little salt and pepper, and stuff it with fresh herbs before wrapping the fish like a mummy with thin cut bacon. The bacon acts both as a barrier to prevent sticking and seasons the fish!
The bonus is it’s a beautiful presentation, and looks very impressive when you serve it. I like to use this method for smaller fish like trout, but you can also use it for meaty boneless, skinless fillets like halibut.
AU: I think my biggest fear is that the fish won’t ever release from the grill grates, or it falls through them, or—god forbid—a combination of that. What’s the best way to prevent stickage and make me feel like a master griller??
EK: I sound like a broken record, but OIL THE FOOD, NOT THE GRATES is your biggest friend. You also want to make sure that the grill cooking grates are very clean. And, never try to flip the fish until it has finished cooking on that side. As I’ve said before, all protein sticks when it hits a hot surface. When it finishes cooking, it will naturally release itself, but you must brush every piece of fish that you cook with a light coating of olive oil to make sure that it stays juicy and helps to prevent stickage.
AU: How do I tell when fish is done? Instant-read thermometer? Visual cues?
EK: Historically, instant-read meat thermometers have not been used to test the doneness of fish. Many cookbook authors and recipe developers tell home cooks to “flake it apart with fork,” and if it’s flaky, it’s done.
I’m not one of those people, because I don’t want to serve a piece of fish that has already been cut into. For that reason, I’ve created a list of visual cues that help me determine when the fish is done:
If the fish is easy to turn, then I know that it has finished cooking on that side, once I’ve cooked both sides and can remove it from the cooking grates without a struggle, I know that it’s fully cooked.
In the case of salmon, I know the salmon is done when the white lines across the fillet becomes semi solid and “cooked.”
When fish is opaque in color, and no longer shiny and translucent, it will be done.
3-INGREDIENT, 3-STAR GRILLED FISH
EK: Last week we talked about brown butter and toasted milk powder in Anthony’s Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies. I mentioned how both of us love making a savory nutty brown butter with pecans, hazelnuts and sliced almonds for fish, and especially grilled fish. Anthony and I were talking about how good it is, and we decided that it was too good not to share!
EK: The first thing you will notice is that it is a Three Ingredient Recipe! And who doesn’t love a three-ingredient recipe— the olive oil, salt and pepper don’t count:) Besides the ease of preparation, the thing that I love about it is that it tastes like a 3-star Michelin meal! The complexity of the brown butter and the texture and taste of the butter-toasted nuts over the simple grilled fish make you think that it is much more complicated to make, but it’s not!
And, you can even make the Nutty Brown Butter and Pecans in advance and slowly reheat it just before serving the fish. I am partial to swordfish and pecans but this general idea is great for lots of different fish and shellfish, as well as some meats. I give additional pairings in the printable recipe.
Essentially, you are making brown butter and slowly toasting the nuts in the butter as it browns. The butter takes on some of the flavor of the nuts and makes it even nuttier! The biggest thing to remember is that you must start with a cold skillet, use a low heat and take your time. You do not want to burn the butter or the nuts.
EK: The butter and nuts will be very foamy as they brown. You need to stir the nuts and the melted butter occasionally as it browns and becomes foamy. As soon as you smell that delectable tell-tale roasty toasty nutty brown butter smell, turn off the heat and let it sit.
EK: Once you have the sauce, it’s time to grill the fish. I use my basic Fish 101 technique to grill the fish. There are three main steps:
Preheat the grill
Brush the fish steaks with olive oil and season with salt and pepper
Make sure that the cooking grates are super clean
I preheat the grill on high, and just before grilling, I lift the lid, turn all the burners down and clean the cooking grates one more time. They are easier to clean when they are super hot and the time it takes for me to brush the grates cools them down to the perfect temperature, so the grill marks are golden brown and not black.
Once you put your oiled-and-seasoned fish on the grill, lower the lid so that the grill is covered. This is very important. Remember, You wouldn’t bake a cake with the oven door open, so don’t grill with the lid up.
DID YOU KNOW?: You can grill frozen fish while it is still frozen! I grill both frozen and fresh swordfish the same way. The only difference is that the frozen swordfish steaks take a little longer to cook on the first side, about 8 minutes, depending on the size and thickness of the steak.
EK: When you turn the fish, you can use tongs or a spatula. Most of the fish will release itself naturally, but you may have a few spots that stick. Nudge them gently with the tips of the tongs or a thin fish spatula until you can pick up the whole fish steak easily.
If you’ve oiled the fish, and have clean cooking grates, the only reason you should have a big issue with sticking is if you try to turn the fish too early. Once it is cooked on a side, it naturally releases itself and is easy to flip.
The second side should take about 4 minutes for either fresh or frozen, because at that point, the steak will be full thawed and half cooked.
Remove from the grill, let it sit for about 5 minutes and spoon the Nutty Brown Butter and Pecans over the fish. Serve immediately and enjoy! This sauce is your back-pocket secret for elevated, but easy grilled food in a flash!
