How to grill fish steaks that turn out perfect is actually pretty easy. Steaks are the easiest cut of fish to grill. Since they are thick and compact, they won’t fall apart easy like fish fillets. Some fish steaks even come with a section of their backbone, which provides even more support. Just like with a beef steak you can also get those appealing grill marks on your fish steaks.
The most popular fish steaks for grilling are you tuna steaks, swordfish steaks, and salmon steaks. Tuna and swordfish are really lean, so it is best to marinate them prior to grilling to add more flavor and keep them from drying out. It is also good to baste those two steaks while grilling as well.
Now salmon steaks on the other had have more fat and oils within them, you will see the marbling in the fish steak. Salmon is less likely to dry out compared to tuna steaks or swordfish steaks, but it can also benefit from a bit of marinade as well. A marinade will add in different flavors that will really enhance the fish steak.
You can grill any fish steak you prefer, but for my example I’m going to be grilling a tuna steak. Depending upon where you get your tuna from it may have dark or bloody spots on it. This is nothing to worry about; those sections can be trimmed off. Many people like to serve their tuna steaks rare in the center, like a beef steak. If you like this as well, make sure you purchase the best fish available.
If you would like to grill your steak through, it is best to get a ½ inch cut, otherwise get a ¾ to 1 inch thick cut. Since tuna steaks are lean and can dry out with grilling, I’m going to marinate them. Teriyaki is always good, or any other pre-packaged marinades you’d like. For mine however, I’m going to make a simple marinade using fresh basil, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, and white wine vinegar.
In a food processor or blender add a bunch of fresh basil that is washed and stemmed, about 4 cloves of garlic, the juice of one lemon, a tablespoon of white wine vinegar, and a cup of olive oil. I also throw in a teaspoon of salt and pepper too. I blend all of this until smooth. Here is the food processor I use; it is so handy for so many things. This mixture is poured over the tuna. I let it marinate for up to 2 hours covered in the refrigerator.
Set up your gas or charcoal grill for direct grilling over high heat. I like to add a little smoke to my tuna steaks, so I’ll add about a handful or two of wood chips to the coals. If you have a gas grill, no worries, you can smoke with that too. You will just need yourself a smoker box like this one. Check out my article on smoking with a gas grill for more tips on that subject.
Once your grill is ready and the tuna steaks are done marinating, put them on the grill over the heat. Make sure you oil the grate prior to putting them on so they do not stick. If you want your steaks rare grill for about 2 to 3 minutes per side, otherwise if you want them medium grill for 4 to 6 minutes per side. To add those attractive crosshatch marks on them rotate the steaks 45 degrees after 2 minutes of grilling.
You can tell the amount of doneness by poking the fish steaks. A rare steak will be pretty soft with just a bit of resistance; a medium steak will be pretty firm. Once they are done to your liking put them on a platter and let them rest for about 3 minutes before serving.
That is how to grill fish steaks that turn out amazing. Make sure you experiment with different marinades or even rubs. Also try grilling a variety of different fish steaks, whether it be tuna, swordfish, or salmon.
image courtesy of Naveg/flickr