Otto – the real god of the seven seas How to grill fish and seafood – the best tips and tricks Otto – the real god of the seven seas How to grill fish and seafood – the best tips and tricks
How do you grill fish on the O.F.B.?
Skipper Otto dug deep to answer that question and met up with good ol‘ uncle Neptun. He came back with a net full of fresh tips and ideas for fish and seafood on your grill. Otto tells you everything you need to know about grilling seafood.
What kind of fish and seafood can you grill on the O.F.B.?
Well, a whole sperm whale could be a little too heavy, but as long as the food fits on the 12.8 x 10.4 inch. grill grate, you’re good. From the juicy salmon steak up to a lean prawn skewer, Otto’s O.F.B. will grill everything to perfection. Because of the high temperatures, the O.F.B. delivers a crispy crust while the meat stays tender as butter. Otto will get back to it in a bit.
Grill fish – the supplies
Before you set sail, you obviously need the right equipment on board. What kind of instruments you need is depending upon the catch you made. They can help you to turn your fish or seafood on the grill without ripping it apart.
Wooden skewers: ideal for prawns and smaller seafood.
Fish tongs: qualify for grilling a whole fish – they prevent the tattering of the fish while turning.
Grill tray: perfect for tender fillets without skin, which would otherwise fall apart.
Aluminium foil: forget it, use a grill tray.
Spatula: supports the turning of the fish together with the grill tongs.
Grill tongs: for more solid fish like salmon or tuna the good ol’ grill tongs are sufficient
Prepare the O.F.B.
With Otto’s high temperature grill, you can get started in no time. Preheat the O.F.B. onto 1500°F / 900°C for three minutes and you’re good to go! Due to the extremely quick preparation time the O.F.B. is perfect for spontaneous grilling sessions or for example tailgating.
Preparing fish: What am I supposed to do with the skin?
If the skin is scaled, you don’t have to remove it. It gives the fish a more aromatic and juicy flavor. The Maillard reaction will also give it a nice crust, loaded with finest roast aromas.
Otto’s tip if you’re grilling whole fish: scratch the skin crosswise with a distance of one inch prior to the grilling. This ensures an even cooking and it also looks nice.
Marinate and season fish
For marinade-lovers
Marinades and seasoning give grilled seafood a special aroma boost. In contrast to pickled fish, marinated fish only needs to steep for three hours maximum. Especially tender fish even less. The delicate texture of the fish would get crumbly with a longer seeping time. Typical basis ingredients for fish marinades are oil, soy sauce, white wine as well as lemon and lime juice. Garlic, onions, chosen herbs, mustard and ginger also compliment the fish taste.
For herb-lovers
Alternatively, you can scratch the skin of the fish and season it with fresh herbs and spices. If you have a bigger specimen you can cut it open and stuff it with herbs and lemon slices. This brings an intense flavor from the inside-out and is also an eye-catcher.
For purists
If you want to emphasize the taste of the fish itself, you can also just do wihtout marinades. Just a few splashes of lemon juice, salt and pepper will do the job.
Fish on the grill: temperature and cooking level
Top-down heat for fish and seafood
Otto’s answer to the crucial question: “How do you grill fish?”, is: “With a lot of heat and the O.F.B.!” That may sound surprising since seafood gets easily burned and is very sensitive. But, high temperatures deliver delicious roast aromas and prevent the fish or seafood from sticking to the grill grate.
Thus, Otto recommends temperatures between 1300°F / 800°C and 1500°F / 900°C. The Meat-O-Meter should be set between stage 5 and 3, so the seafood is not too close to the burners. As soon as a golden-brown crust is visible, the fish should sit for a little while longer at low temperature. This is obviously depending on your desired cooking level. Due to the extremely short grilling time on the O.F.B., fish and seafood stay tender on the inside, keep their structure without tattering and get super crispy. Make sure to turn the fish only once, so it stays solid.
When has the fish reached your desired cooking level?
The perfect cooking level is upon you. Use a knife to cut open the fish and check the color on the inside. If you have a more solid fish like tuna or salmon, the inside is supposed to be translucent and slightly pink. This means it is still juicy. If the color has already turned consistently pink or even brownish, you cooked the fish all the way through. If you have a white fish, make sure that the color is consistently white. You should also be able to easily pull out the back fin.
Otto’s recipes for fish and seafood:
Use your newly acquired knowledge and grill one of those delicious meals:
Grilled Prawns with lemongrass and papaya salad
Seared Salmon Steak with Lamb’s Lettuce
Grilled Sardines with Gremolata
Grilled Sea Bass with Cauliflower
Fresh Tacos with whole grilled fish
How do you grill fish on the O.F.B.?
Skipper Otto dug deep to answer that question and met up with good ol‘ uncle Neptun. He came back with a net full of fresh tips and ideas for fish and seafood on your grill. Otto tells you everything you need to know about grilling seafood.
What kind of fish and seafood can you grill on the O.F.B.?
Well, a whole sperm whale could be a little too heavy, but as long as the food fits on the 12.8 x 10.4 inch. grill grate, you’re good. From the juicy salmon steak up to a lean prawn skewer, Otto’s O.F.B. will grill everything to perfection. Because of the high temperatures, the O.F.B. delivers a crispy crust while the meat stays tender as butter. Otto will get back to it in a bit.
Grill fish – the supplies
Before you set sail, you obviously need the right equipment on board. What kind of instruments you need is depending upon the catch you made. They can help you to turn your fish or seafood on the grill without ripping it apart.
Wooden skewers: ideal for prawns and smaller seafood.
Fish tongs: qualify for grilling a whole fish – they prevent the tattering of the fish while turning.
Grill tray: perfect for tender fillets without skin, which would otherwise fall apart.
Aluminium foil: forget it, use a grill tray.
Spatula: supports the turning of the fish together with the grill tongs.
Grill tongs: for more solid fish like salmon or tuna the good ol’ grill tongs are sufficient
Prepare the O.F.B.
With Otto’s high temperature grill, you can get started in no time. Preheat the O.F.B. onto 1500°F / 900°C for three minutes and you’re good to go! Due to the extremely quick preparation time the O.F.B. is perfect for spontaneous grilling sessions or for example tailgating.
Preparing fish: What am I supposed to do with the skin?
If the skin is scaled, you don’t have to remove it. It gives the fish a more aromatic and juicy flavor. The Maillard reaction will also give it a nice crust, loaded with finest roast aromas.
Otto’s tip if you’re grilling whole fish: scratch the skin crosswise with a distance of one inch prior to the grilling. This ensures an even cooking and it also looks nice.
Marinate and season fish
For marinade-lovers
Marinades and seasoning give grilled seafood a special aroma boost. In contrast to pickled fish, marinated fish only needs to steep for three hours maximum. Especially tender fish even less. The delicate texture of the fish would get crumbly with a longer seeping time. Typical basis ingredients for fish marinades are oil, soy sauce, white wine as well as lemon and lime juice. Garlic, onions, chosen herbs, mustard and ginger also compliment the fish taste.
For herb-lovers
Alternatively, you can scratch the skin of the fish and season it with fresh herbs and spices. If you have a bigger specimen you can cut it open and stuff it with herbs and lemon slices. This brings an intense flavor from the inside-out and is also an eye-catcher.
For purists
If you want to emphasize the taste of the fish itself, you can also just do wihtout marinades. Just a few splashes of lemon juice, salt and pepper will do the job.
Fish on the grill: temperature and cooking level
Top-down heat for fish and seafood
Otto’s answer to the crucial question: “How do you grill fish?”, is: “With a lot of heat and the O.F.B.!” That may sound surprising since seafood gets easily burned and is very sensitive. But, high temperatures deliver delicious roast aromas and prevent the fish or seafood from sticking to the grill grate.
Thus, Otto recommends temperatures between 1300°F / 800°C and 1500°F / 900°C. The Meat-O-Meter should be set between stage 5 and 3, so the seafood is not too close to the burners. As soon as a golden-brown crust is visible, the fish should sit for a little while longer at low temperature. This is obviously depending on your desired cooking level. Due to the extremely short grilling time on the O.F.B., fish and seafood stay tender on the inside, keep their structure without tattering and get super crispy. Make sure to turn the fish only once, so it stays solid.
When has the fish reached your desired cooking level?
The perfect cooking level is upon you. Use a knife to cut open the fish and check the color on the inside. If you have a more solid fish like tuna or salmon, the inside is supposed to be translucent and slightly pink. This means it is still juicy. If the color has already turned consistently pink or even brownish, you cooked the fish all the way through. If you have a white fish, make sure that the color is consistently white. You should also be able to easily pull out the back fin.
Otto’s recipes for fish and seafood:
Use your newly acquired knowledge and grill one of those delicious meals:
Grilled Prawns with lemongrass and papaya salad
Seared Salmon Steak with Lamb’s Lettuce
Grilled Sardines with Gremolata
Grilled Sea Bass with Cauliflower
Fresh Tacos with whole grilled fish
