Fish grilling question

[jack88]

I hope I'm posting on the right section...I have a question with regards to grilling a fish-I wonder, is there a simple, oil-free way to grill a fish using a pan or a grilling net, yet not getting the fish skin sticky all over the pan / net?
It sounds stupid, but it's a challenge I'm facing at least once a week The only way I can think of, is simply to put heavy amounts of oil, which will cost in more calories...
Any suggestion? [url=http://www.bbqforums.net/forums/]BBQ[/url]

[Rebecca]

Regrets, but I don't know how to prevent fish skin from sticking to a grilling net or pan without using generous oil.

My least concern is the calories in oil. We all need QUALITY oils.

My biggest concern is that high heat from grilling denatures oils, contributes to the formation of free radicals and, therefore, a carcinogen. Please check out my articles on fats and oils.

[bzb]

I know - old thread, but new reader!

Question: have you tried grilling on a plank? Well soaked plank renders luscious steaming aroma and the skin sticks to the plank, which you can either re-use or toss.

Just wondering . . .

bzb

[55057]

To the members idea of grilling fish on a plank. What knd of wood are you using for this? And what results have you had with this process?

[bzb]

I've been using cedar planks, which are generally available in kitchen products stores, and in supermarkets, in my area (northeastern US). I'm sure other types of wood will work well, too. The wooden plank is submerged in water for anywhere from an hour to 3 or 4 hours, and then placed over the cooler part of a grill. In other words, if you have a grill with multiple burners, keep some of them on low, and place the plank there, while the others are left on high. If you're working with charcoal, keep a portion of the coals cooler, or lower down, and place the plank there. Indirect heat from the hotter burners or hotter coals will cause the plank to steam and smoke, generating a delicious smokey infusion for the fish to absorb. The fact that the fish's skin will usually stick to the plank is an additional benefit. This effect seems to work better the hotter the fire, but should work to one extent or another regardless of the amount of heat.

Try it - salmon works particularly well this way. It is a traditional method of cooking salmon from the Pacific Northwestern U.S.

bzb

[bzb]

P/S - You'll want to use planks made for this purpose, as lumberyards and the like will have wood treated with various chemical processes, and you DON'T want to use these. Try to find the ones sold in supermarkets or kitchen stores, as these are made for the purpose. I'm sure they can be found online, if you can't find them locally.

bzb