Sunday, May 5, 2013

Chip’s Grilled Bluefish

This was another fish dish I had while Bev was in Sint Maarten (you can see the gills I grew if you come to the blogger party) and I debated whether or not to post it.  Since it was easy, tasty, and I got a good shot, I opted to put it up.  

When Bev and I were first married, her parents made regular fall trips to North Carolina’s Outer Banks to fish for Bluefish, as they made their fall migration, and Black Drum.  Even though she would not eat fish, Bev's mom could sure fry it up good and my first exposure to either of these fishes were at one of her feasts.  I thought both were delicious even though the Blue is known for a strong flavor – as I’ve said before, "never had fish that was too fishy." 

I actually bought the whole trout, posted previously, and this Bluefish filet to try in the smoker, but decided to have both while Bev was away as both Madison and I like fish.  I used the recipe from Food.com - as I wanted to wrap it in foil and cook on the grill and I like the use of mayo on fish, especially salmon.

Grilled Chip’s Bluefish – copied from Food.com

Ingredients:
1 lb. bluefish fillet, with the skin on
3/4 cup Hellman's mayonnaise, or other good brand, not fat free
1 -2 large onion, cut into 1/4 to 1/2 inch slices
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, to taste (I used lemon slices)
pepper
Old Bay Seasoning or cajun seasoning (optional)

I didn’t really follow the amounts, but just added what I thought was the right amount of each ingredient, including the Old Bay.

Directions:
1. Preheat Grill.
2. Lay pieces of Bluefish, skin side down, on UNGREASED aluminum foil.
3. Allow enough foil to make a package, sealed at the ends and folded at the top, allowing room for fish to steam.
4. Spread mayonnaise over the top of the fish, it should be very thick, if needed add more, the fish should look like a thickly frosted cake.
5. Lay onion rings on top of fish in several layers, sprinkle with seasonings, and add lemon slices.


6. Bring together foil and fold to make a seal lengthwise over fish, fold in ends.  Remember to keep air space on top of fish.
7. Place fish on preheated grill and close cover.
8. Grill at medium-high heat, about 350-375 for 15 minutes, depending on thickness if fillet.
9. After 15 minutes, carefully open package to check for doneness, you want it just barely done.  (I had a probe thermometer in it and pulled it at 135* internal temp.)
10. Fish is done if it is opaque and flakes easily with a fork.

(I omitted the following smoking process)
Leaving foil wide open, use a sharp knife or two tined fork to make several holes in the bottom of the foil.
Without disturbing the fish too much, make a few holes right through the fish and through the foil.
Close the cover to the grill and allow the juices and mayonnaise to drip through the foil onto the fire, this will get very smokey but you get that delicate smoked flavor.
After a few minutes of "smoking", remove foil and fish by just sliding if off the grill on to a platter or lifting it, foil and all carefully as not to break it.

11. Using a large spatula, gently slide fish off the foil onto a serving plate, the skin of the fish should stay stuck to the foil.

I thought it was very good and my entire meal was the fish and a piece of garlic toast – perhaps they were just a flavoring, but I also ate some of the onion slices.  I will definitely use the recipe and cooking method for other fish maybe with butter for milder fish.

Photos best if enlarged by clicking on them.

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by Almost Heaven South.

Larry

4/19/13 meal date

14 comments:

  1. You have a regular fish fry going on when Bev is not there-

    As always, it looks good.

    Velva

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  2. I've only had blue fish a couple of times. I think your preparation of the strong tasting fish was a good one.

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  3. Now that looks really good. I might have to try that with halibut.

    ~Ann

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  4. Larry, I've only had bluefish once...and it had much too strong of a fish flavor for me. Milder is better is my motto...when it comes to fish for dinner. I'll stick with crappie, tuna, tilapia or a quality piece of salmon. I think that Laurie would agree with me on this one food topic... Take Care, Big Daddy Dave

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  5. Bluefish don't migrate to these parts so I've never had any. I guess I'm going to have to try more trout recipes. I have had drum fish in New Orleans and man was it good. Good looking meal Larry.

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  6. My husband grew up in the north and Yankees love their bluefish and he insisted I should try it. Being a good sport, of course I did. He warned me that it had a strong flavor and he was right. Now any time we find bluefish we buy it, but it's very hard to find in the south. I like bold flavors in fish, not the mild, almost no flavor 'orange roughy' kind. It's been a while since we've had bluefish, but if I remember correctly, Meakin prepares it for breakfast, soaked first in milk, then pan-fried with a little flour for a light breading and serves it with lemon wedges.
    Sam

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  7. I have done fish like this a couple of times using trout. It turns out sooooo incredibly good. Simple and perfect! Bev just doesn't know what she's missing :)

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  8. I heard that mayo makes fish very tender. I've never tried bluefish before but this recipe makes me want to give it a go!

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  9. I haven't tried foil cooked fish with mayonnaise but I bet it does work great. I love your fish recipes! I miss our days of fishing for Trout on the Tellico River while camping at Spivey Cove. LOVE it!

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  10. Some of my kids like fish, and some don't. For the non-likers, I make steak on fish nights. No point in wasting good fish. I don't grill, but fish cooked in foil is awfully good and moist!

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  11. you are so right, blues have such a strong taste, bloody I believe is the term I was taught - most anglers down here like to bleed them as soon as they are caught, that is, caught far out in the gulf... a good soaking in buttermilk does fine too. I will have to share your recipe with the mayo.

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  12. Yep, as drick said, in Florida we were always taught to process and ice them ASAP, as in immediately upon catching them. Aggressive fish and when you get into a school of them they are a blast. You should stock your lake with bluefish ;) :)

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  13. Glad to see a recipe for bluefish - we went fishing for them a few years ago, and I didn't know what to do with the fish since I heard it can be tricky to work with.

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  14. This sounds awesome! Is Bluefish similar or related to Redfish or Red Drum that is now non-fishable due to the over-fishing of it? it's my favorite fish and impossible to find since it cannot be fished for commercial reasons.

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