As a chef I am always shocked when someone tells me that they don’t know how to grill fish or that they are too afraid to even try grilling fish. The funny thing is that fish is best cooked fast over direct heat so not remove too much moisture and in turn leaves the grilled fish flavorful and juicy. As an added bonus it grilling fish is fast, literally you can take the fish off the grill within minutes, which makes it a perfect after work meal.

Now grilling fish is a very easy and natural way to cook fish, there are a few tips that can help you learn how to grill fish so it comes out perfect every time.

When you are learning how to grill fish the first task at hand is keeping the fish from sticking to the grill. With fish being so delicate if it gets stuck to the grill it can be the end of your nice diner but not to worry this is easy to overcome.

• First no matter what type of grill you use (gas, electric or charcoal) always make sure to pre-heat your grill. A general rule of thumb is should not be able to hold your hand right over the grill for more than five seconds.
• Second, unless you have a non-stick surface to work with you will need to either brush the grill with a little oil or you can brush the fish with a little before placing on the grill.
• Third, don’t be afraid to use a fish grilling basket they lock the fish which can make grilling even easier. Just don’t forget to brush the basket with a little oil so the fish doesn’t sick when you take is out.
• Finally, only flip once. When grilling fish or just about anything you only want to turn the items once. Cook the one side turn it over cook the other side then off the grill.

If you follow these tips when learning how to grill you should never have a problem with your fish sticking to the grill.

Knowing when the fish is done is the next hurdle to overcome when you are learning how to grill fish but again this really not a big deal once you know how to tell when the fish is done.

• First, a basic time frame for cooking fish is about 8-10 minutes for every inch of thickness or 4-5 per half inch.
• Second, you can use a fork and peek into the thickest part of the fish to test for doneness. Just poke the fork in a little way and kind of peel back a little, the fish should be opaque and its juices milky white. Underdone fish will be translucent with the juices being clear and watery, if over done the fish will be dry and part easily. (This is my least favorite methods because it kind of tears up the fish but it is always better to check when learning how to grill fish then to serve it raw)
• Finally, the best way to tell when fish is done is an instant read thermometer, just stick in the thickest part of the fish to check for doneness. Fish is done 145 degrees F.

As you learn how to grill fish and become more proficient at it you will be able to tell when your fish is done by simply touching it.

If you are one of the people that have always wanted to grill fish but have always been scared to try please don’t be. Grilling fish is easier than grilling chicken and there is so many types of fish and flavors that go so well together that if you’re not grilling fish you really are limiting what you can do with your grill. Just get out there and give it a shot and you will see how easy it is to grill fish.