Whole Fish on the Braai
Servings: 4
Tip:
First you need a great place to buy fish. Get this right and you are half done. Fish needs to be very fresh. It should have no odor at all. The eyes should be clear. Buy it from a reputable place that can prep the fish for you. This includes cleaning (gutting), scaling and removing the gills. At that point, it’s grill ready. We really like to braai red snapper and think of a 3lb fish as plenty for 4 adults. For a wood fire, the meatier and thicker the whole fish, the more forgiving the process will be as it pertains to cooking it well without over drying it.
Ingredients:
3 lb fish of your choice
high quality olive oil
kosher salt (the rougher cut/chunkier the better)
lemons
fresh garlic
finely chopped parsley
finely chopped thyme.
Directions:
Most likely you will not rush right home and braai after you buy your fish, so it will end up in the fridge for a bit. To that end, bring it out of the fridge at least 30 minutes before you plan to braai.
What we love about all of this is that if the ingredients are right, you are going to have a beautiful dinner. It’s also fast, so if you have side dishes, get to work on those first. After you have taken the fish out of the fridge and let it set to room temp the whole process for prep and braai may only take 20 minutes.
Rub the entire fish down with olive oil. Stuff the inside with your garlic, lemons and chopped herbs. Lastly coat the exterior with the kosher salt.
That’s it.
Now - the fire. We like the braai at 400 degrees or so. It’s a fine line between medium + and high heat. Lean towards medium +. Lay the fish on it’s side, either directly on the grate or in a fish/braai basket. Wait 7-8 minutes for a 3 lb fish. Like everything on the braai, it will let you know when it’s ok to flip. If it’s hard to flip or sticking, it’s not time.
Flip. If you have a basket, this is easy - just grab your oven mit, hold the handle and flip. Without a basket, this will take some artistry with the largest spatula (or even two) that you have. Go slow.
Wait another 7 minutes. Check the meat with a fork. When it is white, flaky and medium firm, you are golden. Place onto a large cutting board or baking sheet - something that will capture the water from the fish as it can be messy.
Let it sit for a few and then carve. Go slow here and use a sharp, thin knife. Think of the fish as two sided (as it is); slicing the meat from one side (we work from tail to head) fully and then flipping it to do the other side. The slower you go here, the less bones will end up on your guests plates.