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We like to grill fish wrapped in aluminum foil so it doesn't dry out on the barbecue grid.

The issue is that we lose the skin of the fish as it sticks to the aluminum foil. Using baking sheets is an option but doesn't give the skin that charred crispy finish.

Any recommendations to prevent the fish from sticking?

samyb8
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2 Answers2

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Buy non-stick foil, use non-shiny side

IE00
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Proteins often stick if they are started in a cold pan. For non-stick surface on my pans which are not teflon-coated, the pan is heated to temp, then fat is added, then the protein. This is the technique to fry an egg in a cast iron, stainless steel, or carbon steel skillet.

Cooking is essentially food + heat. If not using a thermometer to measure heat or determine "doneness", the fish may have a dry texture because it was overcooked. Note that "carry over" cooking will bring the protein up a few more degrees after it is removed from the heat.

Suggestions:

  1. Dry the fish skin well and the make sure it's coated with some type of fat/oil so that it doesn't stick to the foil.
  2. Wrap fish in a layer of parchment paper inside the foil pouch; the parchment paper should stick less than the foil.
  3. Consider experimenting with different methods of cooking fish unwrapped on the grill…
    • Grill the fish over direct heat, hot and fast. This should provide a crispy exterior without drying the interior. Use a thermometer to determine doneness, otherwise the fish may become overcooked.
    • Grill over indirect heat to start and finish over direct heat. This is much like the reverse-sear technique for cooking a steak where the protein is brought up to temperature (using a thermometer!) on the indirect heated side of the grill, then move it to the direct side of the grill to finish it and add a crust.
    • Pre-heated a cast iron skillet in on the grill. Add fat/oil to the skillet, then add the fish. Flip once. Remove when desired temp is reached on thermometer.
beausmith
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