Seafood
Small-Space Grilled Fish on Electric Grill
Whole grilled fish is the most impressive dinner you can produce on a small electric grill, and it is less difficult than it looks. The whole-fish approach is a cheat code because the skin and bones do the hard work of holding moisture and structure that a fillet requires you to provide with technique. The only real risk is the skin sticking to the grate, which you solve with a bone-dry fish, well-oiled grates, and the discipline to not touch the fish for the full 6-7 minutes on side one. Compact grills like the Weber Lumin Standard are actually better for this cook than larger grills because the smaller surface area means you can manage the temperature precisely and the fish are close to the center where heat is most uniform.
Ingredients
- 2 whole branzino (about 1 lb each), scaled and gutted
- 2 lemons, 1 sliced and 1 for serving
- 4 sprigs thyme
- 4 sprigs oregano
- 2 cloves garlic, smashed
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
Instructions
- 01
Pat the fish completely dry inside and out. Score the skin with 3 shallow diagonal cuts on each side to help heat penetrate.
- 02
Stuff each cavity with lemon slices, thyme, oregano, and a smashed garlic clove.
- 03
Brush the skin generously with olive oil and season inside and out with salt and pepper.
- 04
Preheat the grill to 425F. Oil the grates well, whole fish is the thing most likely to stick.
- 05
Lay the fish on the grill and do not touch them for 6-7 minutes. The key to not ripping the skin is patience.
- 06
Flip carefully with two spatulas. Cook another 6-7 minutes until the flesh at the thickest point near the spine flakes cleanly.
- 07
Serve whole with lemon wedges. Fillet at the table.
Pro Tips
From our kitchen
- ★Whole fish is easier than fillets on a grill, not harder. The skin protects the flesh and the bones keep everything together.
- ★Score the skin shallowly (no more than 1/8 inch deep). You are helping heat penetrate, not cutting into the flesh.
- ★A compact grill fits two 1-lb fish comfortably. The Weber Lumin Standard is the right size for this, larger grills actually make fish handling harder because you lose control of spacing.
We recommend for this recipe
Weber Lumin Standard Electric Grill
The Weber Lumin Standard Electric Grill's 242 sq in surface and 600°f searing temperatures and larger cooking surface than compact make it our pick for this recipe.
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