Fabulous fish braai

Posted on 18 September 2018

With Heritage Day (also fondly referred to as Braai Day) on the horizon, here’s how to execute the perfect fish braai.

There’s no need to debone and skin the fish, or wrap it in foil – slap it directly on the grill and it’ll thank you with more flavour and moisture. Keeping the skin on protects the delicate flesh, holding it together. The bones will provide more flavour and keep the flesh juicy. And stuffing the fish’s cavity with fresh herbs and citrus will add a delicious punch.


Take: Fresh whole white fish (2kg in total), scaled and gutted.

Season it: Sprinkle with salt and pepper on each side and in the cavity.

Stuff it: Pop orange or lemon slices, chopped chilli, garlic and fresh herbs (we used parsley) inside the fish.

Oil it: Brush the whole fish (inside too) and a clean braai grid with olive oil.

Tie it: To prevent the stuffing from falling out while braaiing, twist butcher’s string around the fish and tie to secure.

Fire it: Place the fish on the grid over medium-hot coals (you should be able to hold your hand over them for five seconds).

Wait for it: It’s tempting to move the fish around but leave it for at least seven minutes before flipping it over. When it no longer sticks to the grill and the skin cracks, use a metal spatula and tongs to gently lift it and turn it.

Serve it: The fish is ready when the skin is crisp and charred and the flesh is flaky and opaque to the bone. This takes up to 15 minutes, depending on how big the fish is.

Drizzle the fish with oil and lemon juice (or marinate it – see below). Serve with delicious coconut rice on the side. Put it on to cook before you start braaiing:
• 1 tin (400g) coconut milk
• 1½ cups water
• 1 cup jasmine rice
Add coconut milk and water to rice in a pot and cook for about 15 minutes. Fluff the rice with a fork before serving.

Post-grill marinade

This latest trend in grilling adds more fl avour to the fi sh:
• Mix together 120ml olive oil, ½ red onion (thinly sliced), zest and juice of a lemon and salt and pepper in a small bowl. Set aside.
• Place your hot-off-the-coals fish in a large dish, pour the marinade over and leave for 10 minutes.

Here’s a tip if you don’t have a grid:
Wrap the fish in foil or banana leaves and lay it directly on the coals.






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