Foil-Wrapped Carp Grilled over Coals

Cooking method

1. Step 1:

   

   How do you grill foil-wrapped carp over coals? First, gather everything on the list. Fresh fish is best. If your carp is frozen, take it out of the freezer ahead of time and let it thaw completely at room temperature. Scale the fish and remove the guts and gills. Rinse it thoroughly, inside and out, then pat it dry with a kitchen or paper towel to remove any excess water.

2. Step 2:

   

   Prepare the stuffing. You can stuff the carp with any vegetables and herbs you like — onion, tomatoes, bell pepper, garlic, all sorts of fresh herbs, plus lemon and seasonings. The classic combo is a few onion rings and some lemon. The herbs and vegetables you choose shape the flavor and aroma of the finished fish, so go with your own preferences. I used dill, spring onions, tomatoes, a few green garlic shoots, and a little pepper.

3. Step 3:

   

   Rinse and dry the herbs. You can leave the spring onion and dill sprigs whole or chop them coarsely.

4. Step 4:

   

   Add the rest of the stuffing ingredients to the herbs and season lightly with salt. Cut slashes into the carp with a sharp knife, as shown in the photo. Wash and dry the lemon. Cut half of it into thin rounds, then cut each round in half. If your lemon is very large, cut the rounds into quarters instead. Tuck a piece of lemon into each slash on the fish.

5. Step 5:

   

   Toss the stuffing together.

6. Step 6:

   

   Stuff the fish with the herb-and-vegetable mixture.

7. Step 7:

   

   Lay a sheet of foil on a flat surface. Place a few lemon slices in the middle and set the carp on top of them. Season the fish with salt and pepper (or sprinkle on a ready-made fish seasoning). Drizzle the carp with a little lemon juice.

8. Step 8:

   

   Wrap the fish tightly in foil on all sides. Don't skimp on the foil — use several layers so it won't tear during grilling and the flavorful juices stay sealed in.

9. Step 9:

   

   Light the grill and wait until it burns down to embers. If the coals are too big, break them up with whatever you have on hand into smaller, roughly even-sized pieces.

10. Step 10:

    

    Spread the coals into a thin, even layer and set the carp on top. Scatter a light layer of the remaining embers over it. Let it cook this way for 40–50 minutes. My carp weighed about 2 lbs (1 kg) and I cooked it for 40 minutes.

11. Step 11:

    

    Carefully lift the fish off the grill. Wait until the foil has cooled a bit.

12. Step 12:

    

    Unwrap the foil and serve the carp!

13. Step 13:

    

    Serve fresh or grilled vegetables alongside the fish. It's delicious both hot and cold!