Grilling Whole Fish? Stand The Filets Up For The Best Results (Just Trust Us)

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Grilled fish is what summer is all about, but nobody likes it when the filets stick to the grill grates. It's the biggest problem you'll face when you're grilling fish, and Chef Matt Jost, Principal Research Chef at Creative Food Solutions, has the solution. In an interview with The Takeout, Jost pointed to a grilling method called "hook and cook" which keeps fish from sticking to the grill. In fact, the technique avoids the grates entirely by hanging the fish vertically on a hook. You end up with flavorful, smoky fish that can be plated in one piece, but there is a catch. Jost said the technique only works if you keep the skin on. "Once a whole fish is cooked through, the meat separates from the bones easily and can cause a fish without skin to slip off the hook," he explains.  

After the fish are cleaned and prepped, you'll hang them 6 to 12 inches above the heat source. Some chefs hang the fish by the tail, others by their gills, and others put the hook through the top of the head. You can use a hanging grill rack if you're working with a standard grill. If you have a fire pit, a campfire tripod or grill swing would make the job easier.

If you don't have any hooks around, you can use a live fire skewering method. You can use a round charcoal grill filled with sand for this technique or something similar. Build a fire in the center of the grill, then arrange the fish to stand up on stainless steel skewers around the edges to cook.

Some of the best whole fish you can serve to impress your friends are great when they're grilled standing up. Jost says branzino, rainbow trout, and red snapper are all perfect choices (they're also on our list of affordable seafoods that taste delicious). He notes you should skip flaky fish, like flounder or sole, because they'll just fall apart. "The best fish to grill vertically are the ones with a good layer of fat in the skin and marbling in the meat. They should also be rounder shaped, with thicker skins to support the weight when hanging," explains Jost.

You can flavor vertically grilled fish in just about any way, but remember that glazes will likely drip into the fire. For savory, flavorful fish, use cavity stuffings like citrus, salt, pepper, and herbs; such as rosemary, thyme, and cilantro. Some chefs score the outside of the fish to encourage even cooking and flavor distribution. The whole fish will be ready to eat at about the same time just like if you grilled it horizontally, and it'll taste great; especially the collar, which is a seriously underrated cut of fish.