“ Should you really grill fish? Skipper Otto met up with Uncle Neptune to find out, and came back with a net full of fresh tips and ideas. Otto has dived deep into the world of fish and seafood grilling – read on to learn the secrets of the sea yourself! ”
Start with a basic marinade
Salt and oil are the two first ingredients of any marinade. You can also add soy sauce or sugar as additional taste boosters. Learn more about the basic ingredients and techniques of meat marinating.
What types of seafood work on the Otto Grill?
Any types! Well, a whole whale might be a little too heavy, but as long as it fits on the 12.8 x 10.4 inch grill grate, you’re good to cook any fish you like. From a juicy salmon steak to a lean prawn skewer, the Otto Grill will grill every succulent sea creature to perfection. Because of its high temperatures, the Otto Grill delivers a crispy crust with a tender, buttery inside.
Extra equipment you'll need
Before you set sail, you need the right equipment on board. What you need depends on the catch you made. First, you'll need something to help turn your food without ripping in apart.
Wooden skewers: Ideal for prawns and smaller seafood.
Fish tongs: These are needed for grilling a whole fish as they prevent the fish from falling apart while turning.
Grill tray: A good idea for tender filets without skin, which tend to fall apart.
Aluminum foil: Forget it. Use a grill tray.
Spatula: Supports the grill tongs while turning the fish over.
Grill tongs: For a more solid fish like salmon or tuna, the good ol’ grill tongs are sufficient for flipping without ruining your beautiful filet.
Grilling salmon steaks to juicy perfection
Prepare the Otto Grill
With Otto’s high temperature grill, you can get started in no time. Preheat the Otto Grill to 1500°F for three minutes and you’re good to go! Thanks to its extremely quick preparation time, the Otto Grill is perfect for spontaneous grilling sessions or for on-the-go tailgating.
Prepping fish: what to do with the skin
If the skin is scaled, you don’t have to remove it. It gives the fish a more aromatic and juicy flavor. The Maillard reaction will also give it a nice, aromatic crust. Otto’s tip for a whole fish on the grill: slightly cut crosswise slits in the skin one inch apart prior to the grilling. This creates vents and ensures the filet is cooked evenly. Bonus points: it also looks nice.
Fish seasonings and marinades
For marinade-lovers
Marinades and seasonings give grilled seafood a mouth-watering aroma. In contrast to pickled fish, marinated fish only needs to sit a maximum of three hours. Especially tender fish needs even less time to marinate-- the delicate texture of the fish will fall apart on the grill with a longer marinating time. Typical fish marinade ingredients are oil, soy sauce, white wine, and citrus, usually lemon and lime juice. Garlic, onions, certain herbs, mustard, and ginger also complement a fish marinade.
For herb-lovers
Alternatively, you can scratch the skin of the fish and season it with only fresh herbs and spices. If you have a large whole fish, you can cut it open and stuff it with herbs and lemon slices. This brings an intense flavor from the inside to the outside of the fish and makes it look great too.
For purists
If you want to emphasize the taste of the fish itself, you can also do without marinades. Just a few splashes of lemon juice, salt, and pepper will do the job.
Temperature and cooking level: top-down heat for seafood
Otto’s answer to the all-important question, “How do you grill fish?” is this: “With a lot of heat, and on the Otto Grill!” That may be surprising, being that seafood is easily burned and very sensitive. But hear us out. High temperatures deliver delicious aromas and prevent food from sticking to the grill grate. Because of this, Otto recommends temperatures between 1300°F and 1500°F. The Meat-O-Meter should be set between stages 5 and 3, so the seafood is not too close to the burners. As soon as a golden-brown crust is visible, the fish should sit for a little while longer at a low temperature. This, of course, depends on your desired level of doneness. Thanks to the extremely short grilling time on the Otto Grill, fish and seafood stay tender on the inside, keep their structure without falling apart, and develop a delicious, super crispy outside. Make sure to turn the fish on the grill only once so as not to move it around too much. This will prevent the fish on the grill from falling apart and let it retain its perfect filet shape.
When is your fish done on the grill? The perfect degree of cooking is up to you. If you are unsure, use a knife to cut open the fish and check the color on the inside. If you have a more solid fish like tuna or salmon, the inside should be translucent and slightly pink. This means it is still juicy. If the color has already turned thoroughly pink or even brownish, the fish has been cooked all the way through. If you have a white fish, make sure that the color is consistently white. You should also be able to easily pull out the back fin.
Otto’s recipes for seafood and fish on the grill
Use your newly acquired knowledge and grill one of these delicious fish dishes:
Grilled Prawns in spicy marinade
Seared Salmon Steak with Lamb’s Lettuce
Oysters Rockefeller
Grilled Sardines with Gremolata
Grilled Sea Bass with Cauliflower
Fresh Tacos with whole grilled fish
Grilled Salmon with spicy Baharat butter
Grilled Prawns with lemongrass and papaya salad
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