Whole Grilled Fish over Charcoal

Cooking method

1. Step 1:

   

   How do you grill fish over a fire, and which fish is best? For the grill, go with fatty, meaty fish that doesn't have too many bones. Trout, salmon, chum salmon, tuna, or sea bass are all great choices. Carp works well too. This recipe uses a medium-sized tiger trout. Gut and scale the fish, and remove the gills.

2. Step 2:

   

   Grind the peppercorns in a mortar. They're wonderfully fragrant and pair beautifully with trout. You can also use pre-ground black or allspice pepper.

3. Step 3:

   

   Rinse the trout and pat it dry with a towel or paper towels, removing all excess moisture. Sprinkle the fish with salt all over and inside. Season it with black pepper and, to taste, dried rosemary — rosemary is a great match for saltwater fish. If you're using carp, swap the rosemary for basil or a pinch of oregano.

4. Step 4:

   

   Squeeze the juice of half a lemon over the top. Then drizzle the fish with olive oil.

5. Step 5:

   

   Massage the lemon juice, oil, and spices evenly all over the fish.

6. Step 6:

   

   Put the fish in a plastic bag or wrap it in plastic wrap and let it sit for a while. A small fish usually needs about 30–40 minutes to marinate.

7. Step 7:

   

   Meanwhile, light the grill. Once the fire has burned down and you're left with hot coals, move on to the next step.

8. Step 8:

   

   Oil a clean, dry grill basket well. Place the trout in it.

9. Step 9:

   

   Set it over the coals. Turning it now and then, grill the fish until an appetizing crust forms.

10. Step 10:

    

    When the fish is nearly done, drizzle a little lemon juice on both sides and leave it on the grill a bit longer. The cooking time depends on how hot the coals are and the size of the fish (mine took 20 minutes total).

11. Step 11:

    

    Serve the finished fish with fresh herbs, vegetables, and thin lemon wedges.

12. Step 12:

    

    The fish comes out tender and amazingly delicious!