I love my grill. It saves me from having to clean up countless pots and pans, and it often saves me from smelling up the house…especially when it comes to cooking fish. I’m not a big fish fan, but my boys are, so grilling (and keeping the fishy smell out of my kitchen) is a great compromise.
The real trick to grilling any kind of fish is knowing how it holds up when cooked (does it flake, fall apart, etc.) and knowing how long to cook it (and not over cook it). Usually I buy my fish fresh at Whole Foods or frozen at Trader Joe’s. I prefer to thaw frozen fish completely before cooking it. The biggest lesson I’ve learned in cooking fish is to make sure it’s dry before you put it on the grill. Pat it down with a paper towel to remove excess liquid….after all you don’t want to steam your fish, and you also don’t want it to stick to the grate. My husband is on a strict diet, so I can’t put any oil on the fish or the grill. That’s no problem as long as the fish is dry and the grate is very clean. I use a wire brush several times before putting the fish down, I also make sure the grate is nice and hot. If you are new to grilling Delish is a very good website that will walk you through great tips on prepping and cooking fish on a gas grill.
This swordfish came from Trader Joe’s and had a little cooking instruction card in the sealed bag. You can also consult the fish monger where you buy your fish or look up cook times online. Be aware that marinades, dry rubs and sauces can accelerate or slow cook times.
Another bonus to grilling is you can cook multiple things all at once…as you can see I used a little spray olive oil on asparagus and threw it right on the grill for about 5 minutes. (Also, what you don’t see in the pictures, is a cheeseburger cooking for my daughter!)
How I grill Swordfish:
Heat your grill up so it gets medium to high heat. Use a wire brush to make sure the grates are clean. Use a paper towel to pat down the fish and make sure it’s dry. My steaks were a little over an inch thick. Place steaks directly on grate, close grill and cook 5 minutes, flip once and cook another 4 minutes. Voila! It’s that easy.
An easy Marinde
(if you want to get fancy):
2/3 cup white wine
1/3 cup lemon juice
2 T olive oil
2 T soy sauce
2 T poultry seasoning
Mix together in a zip lock bag. Add fish and let it marinate for about an hour before grilling.
