NGC - Grilled Fish Advice Solicited - NGC

[Triple Jim]

My problem with bear is that it tastes fishy.

That's funny... I was thinking of asking if that was why you don't like it.   :D

[atavar]

Well, I decided to go with blackened talapia with grilled corn on the side.  I'll try to post some pictures later if it turns out well. 

[Triple Jim]

Use the side burner to get the skillet so hot that the butter evaporates if you don't get the fish in right away.  Depending on the thickness, it can fully cook with 45 seconds per side.

[rodekyll]

Another way I do almost any fish is deep fried.  You can whip up a pretty good meal in fast-food time.  This recipe works for both warm and cold blooded fish.

I mix a dry coating of various flours including white, tempura, seasoned chicken coating (basic crustez); some spices depending on my mood, and of course ground black pepper.  I mix it in a plastic bag like you use to put veggies in at the store.

Cut the skinned fish into about 1/4 - 1/3"-thick sticks as lengthy as you want -- always anti-grain in some direction.  Trim off anything that doesn't look pristine.  there's a small layer of dark meat that lies along the length of a salmon.  I trim that out, although some people like it.

Soak in milk

drop the fish sticks one at a time into the bag of mix and shake each.  If you put them in all at once they clump and/or don't coat completely.

Be sure your oil is hot.  I have my French fries cooking while I'm prepping the fish.  That way I know it's up to temp for the fish.

I lay the sticks out on a plate for fast access and then put them in the oil one at a time, as fast as I can for ten seconds.   Any more and your timing will be off taking them out.

Cook only until the crust turns color.  Break one open to see if it's gone from shiny to dull in the middle.  If it's got a tiny bit of shiny left, it's done.  It will finish cooking as it cools.

Use your favorite dips and vinegars.  It helps to loosen your belt ahead of time.

[normzone]

I don't know about that " if it's fresh it shouldn't smell fishy " thing. I think maybe what people are calling fishy smelling is an " off " scent or an " old fish " scent.

It SHOULD smell like fish - because it IS fish. It should just smell like fresh fish. I eat a lot of sushi, and I like the fried mackeral available at the asian restaurants, so I may be a special case.

(+) on the foil tray on the barbecue, and the old " coals on one side, fish over on the other side " also works well too. Now I'm hungry. This whole thing reminds me of the joke about why cannibals don't eat clowns.

[atavar]

The fish came out quite nicely.  I did blackened Talapia with Zatarain Blackened spices.  I cooked the fish in an adjustable fish basket so I could preserve the grilling experience and flavor.  Call me a purist or a codger, but if i am going to wrap food in foil or cook it in a pan I will do it in the house on the stove where it is handier.  I cook on the grill because I enjoy the grilled flavor.  The mechanics are not so important as the result.
I grilled this with four burners on high to give me 425F in the grill, 2 minutes on a side.  This was perhaps a titch underdone (better than overcooked), so I may increase it to 3 minutes per side next time, or perhaps preheat the grill longer to generate more heat. 
Along with corn grilled in the husk for 20 minutes on the warming rack which was perfect it was quite a tasty meal.

[Triple Jim]

It looks great, and you probably know already, but you grilled it with blackening spice, you didn't blacken it.

[Sasquatch Jim]

  Both tuna and mackerel are similar in that when first caught, you should reach in the gils and tear them out while holding the fish up by the tail.
 Blood pours out in a heavy stream so you hold him until he is drained.  This prevents the fish from tasting oily when you eat it.  Bears don't do this
 cause they generally don't catch tuna or mackerel.