This post is sponsored by Barbeques Galore.

Summer and Barbeques (BBQ) go hand in hand, add an impending long weekend (Australia Day) and you will need to duck out to the balcony or backyard to check that your gas bottle is full and ready to go, or maybe think about getting yourself a BBQ if you do not yet own one.

We use our BBQ all year round on a regular basis. I particularly like it because it is primarily Mr Fresh’s domain – meaning that I prep the food and he cooks it. Mr Fresh has taken ownership of that cooking space (and no other) so I say let’s BBQ often!

I admit that I am a BBQ virgin. Until recently I had never ever, ever cooked on a BBQ myself. As I said, it is Mr Fresh’s domain.  I had no idea how to turn it on, let along what to do once it was on, which setting to use, or which area of the BBQ to place the food etc. Mr Fresh gave me a quick run down of our BBQ in two minutes and I was cooking on it in no time while he stood by protectively….It was surprisingly easy, I think men make it more complicated than it actually is! Regardless of our personal cooking responsibilities, my point is that it is not a tricky appliance to operate, anyone can use one.

BBQ fish is one of our favorite BBQ meals. It is simple to prepare, very quick to cook, fresh and beautiful on the plate. It is also a convenient way to feed a crowd or to wow a dinner gathering. I love that there is no wastage of the fish when you buy a whole one. The only thing left from our meal was the head and skeleton, which can then be used to make a batch of stock. It is an economical way to purchase fish.

Ask the person at the fish shop to clean your fish (have it scaled and gutted) for you so that it is ready to cook when you get it home. I have included two preparation recipes for the fish as I could not decide which one we enjoyed the most.

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Whole BBQ Fish

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

20 mins

Total Time

30 mins

 

Summer and Barbeques (BBQ) go hand in hand. These two recipes for preparing a whole fish to cook on the BBQ - Asian Style and Szechuan Salted Snapper. Simple to prepare, very quick to cook, fresh and beautiful on the plate.

Course: Main

Cuisine: BBQ

Author: Kyrstie Barcak - A Fresh Legacy

Ingredients

Asian Style Snapper

• 1/2 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1/2 tablespoon light soy sauce
• a few fresh spring onions - finely chopped
• 2 small chilli - finely sliced
• 1 lemongrass stalk halved
• 1 lime sliced plus extra to serve if desired
• fresh basil leaves to serve

Szechuan Salted Snapper

• 2 teaspoons szechuan peppercorns - pounded to a course texture in a mortar and pestle
• 2 tablespoon pink salt
• Fresh coriander leaves
• 1 lemon sliced plus extra to serve

Instructions

1. Rub both sides of the skin of the fish with the combined fish sauce and soy sauce
2. Fill the cavity of the fish with the other ingredients and wrap in al foil. Ensure that it is well sealed but not thickly wrapped (eg: don't go overboard with the foil)
3. Add the szechuan peppercorns to the salt and mix to combine
4. Rub the salt into both sides of the skin of the fish and place the lemon slices and some of the coriander inside the cavity of the fish
5. Wrap the fish in one layer of al foil so that it is well sealed
6. Turn on the BBQ to heat to a medium heat of approximately 220 degrees celcius
7. Place the wrapped fish onto the grill, close the lid and cook for 10 minutes, turn and cook for another 10 minutes
8. Serve each fish with fresh herbs and more lemon or lime if desired, salads or vegetables of your choice.

Recipe Notes

**Note: the cook time will vary depending on the size of the fish that you are cooking. It is also based on using a bbq with a lid/cover.
The fish I cooked was Snapper. I used 3 x 650 gram Snappers to feed 5 adults and two children. Allow 300 grams per person when purchasing your whole fish. this will help you to select the correct size. This estimate is based on a few hungry men in the mix of dinner guests!

My dad was visiting us when we enjoyed this meal. In his opinion plain BBQ fish can not be beaten – a pinch of salt and a grind of pepper only to adorn it. In his words “adding lemon is almost too much”. He likes to experience the full flavor of the fresh fish, unmasked by other ingredients. For me – the chilli, lemon and herbs are necessary additions but it may just be because I love to see the fresh garden ingredients on my plate…

We recently added BBQ corn to our “must eat often” list. It is fabulously juicy and tasty. Just add the whole cobs in their husks to the top tray while the fish is cooking and turn every 5 minutes. They will be done in 15 minutes. Perfect to accompany your whole BBQ fish.

Enjoy the BBQ season.

How do you like your fish and what is your favorite food to cook on the BBQ? Are you a steak and sausages only fan or do you experiment?