Food & Cooking Recipes Main Dish Recipes Grilled Whole Fish 4.3 (4) Add your rating & review Moist and flavorful, grilled whole fish is a surprisingly easy alternative to fillets. By Martha Stewart Martha Stewart Martha Stewart is a bestselling author, entrepreneur, and lifestyle expert who has taught millions of people through generations the joy of entertaining, cooking, gardening, collecting, crafting, and home renovating via her eponymous magazine, Martha Stewart Living, Emmy-winning television shows, and 99 books (and counting). Based in Katonah, N.Y., where she helms her 156-acre Bedford Farm, Martha is America's first self-made female billionaire. Editorial Guidelines Updated on June 13, 2023 Rate PRINT Share Prep Time: 25 mins Total Time: 50 mins Yield: 2 to 4 Serves The next time you're planning a seafood dinner, try making grilled whole fish instead of fillets. Cooking small whole fish keeps the skin and thin layer of fat intact, which adds extra juices and flavor. Not only delicious, the fat is also a source of healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Mild, white-flesh branzino is almost tailor-made for the technique: It has relatively few bones and they're simple to remove, so the fish is very easy to eat. Even serving whole fish is convenient, as you don’t need to do much for an eye-catching presentation. Simply plate the grilled fish and add lemon wedges and fresh herbs for a centerpiece-worthy entrée. Romulo Yanes Roasted Branzino With Lemon and Thyme How Much Fish to Buy In general, you'll need 1 pound of fish per person. This might mean buying multiple smaller fish, depending on the type you choose. Ingredients 2 whole branzino (each 1 to 1 ½ pounds), cleaned, heads and tails left intact 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper 2 thin wooden skewers or 6 toothpicks, soaked in water 30 minutes Vegetable oil, for brushing Dill & Lemon Filling 1 lemon, half thinly sliced, half cut into 2 wedges 3 sprigs dill, plus more for garnish (optional) Basil, Lime & Chile Filling 1 lime, half thinly sliced, half cut into 2 wedges 3 sprigs fresh basil, plus more for garnish (optional) 3 Thai or serrano chiles, left intact but split down 1 side Directions Season with olive oil, salt, and pepper: Preheat grill for direct-heat grilling over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, drizzle cavity of each fish with 1 tablespoon olive oil, then season generously with coarse salt and freshly ground pepper. Stuff fish with aromatics: Aromatics help keep whole fish moist while grilling. Stuff 1 fish cavity with lemon slices and dill and the other with lime slices, basil, and Thai chiles. If using just 1 filling, double amounts called for. Close cavity with skewers: Fasten each opening with a wooden skewer or toothpicks that have been soaked in water so they don't burn. This keeps the aromatics inside and also makes fish easier to handle on the grill. When securing the cavity with skewers, start at the tail end and go back through the head end. This will help keep the fillings in place. Cut slits: Using a paring knife, make long, 1/4-inch-deep diagonal slashes at 2-inch intervals on both sides of fish so they cook evenly throughout. This also allows any seasonings on skin (see step 5) to penetrate. Season again: Rub both sides of each fish with remaining olive oil and season with salt and pepper, working all into slashes as well as heads and tails—both are edible, and the tail becomes delightfully crisp when grilled. Grill fish: Brush hot grill with vegetable oil; immediately place fish on grill. Cook, undisturbed and uncovered, until undersides are charred and flesh along gills on undersides turns opaque, 5 to 7 minutes. Use half an onion to brush the grill with oil. This will help season and clean your grill. Flip over: Turn fish with 2 large spatulas. If they stick, wait a few seconds until skin sears enough to release cleanly. Grill on other side until charred and fish are just cooked through and opaque, 5 to 7 minutes more. Serve fish: Serve fish with lemon and lime wedges and more herbs. To serve, cut fillet free from top side of fish and remove with a spatula. Remove bones to free other fillet. Romulo Yanes Classic Grilling and Barbecue Recipes to Make All Summer Long How to Know When Whole Fish Is Cooked Stick an instant-read thermometer in the thickest portion of the fish; this is usually behind the top of the head. The thermometer should read 135 degrees. You can also check the flesh inside the cavity near the head. If it's opaque, the fish is ready to go. Cook's Notes Our grilling technique works with any small fish, such as striped bass or trout, so buy what looks and smells the freshest. Try These Other Grilled Fish Recipes: Grilled Fish with Spicy Canaloupe-Cucumber Salad Grilled Whole Fish with Lemon and Thyme Grilled Striped Bass Grilled Garlic-Lime Fish Tacos Grilled Salt-Rubbed Fish Sandwich Originally appeared: Martha Stewart Living, July 2013 Rate It PRINT Updated by Kirsten Nunez Kirsten Nunez Kirsten Nunez is a writer who focuses on food, health, nutrition, and DIY. She has a master's degree in nutrition, and has been writing professionally for nearly 10 years for digital and print publications, such as Martha Stewart, Shape, Real Simple, Healthline, and SELF. She also creates original recipes, which have appeared on product packaging in stores.