How to Grill Seafood

Summer has officially started. Dust that pollen off the grill and let’s get cooking!

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When it comes to grilling seafood, let the high temperatures and smoke do the work for you. For those looking for bonus knowledge, here are some ~hot~ tips to get you started.

Because most grillers use the direct grilling method rather than embers, spit-roasting, or smoking, our recommendations below apply to gas or charcoal grills.

Prepping

Our first hot tip is to preheat the grill. An unheated grill causes the seafood to stick. Also, make sure to turn on the grill with the lid open. Once heated up, give the grill a quick scrub to clean the grates. Many use a grill brush but we also recommend a raw onion chunk. This trendy method should remove grease, dirt, and carbon, while disinfecting the grates due to onion's acidity and moisture.

For those that love grill marks, try oiling the grate before placing down your seafood.

Want another way to lock in moisture? Lather your seafood with a mayo-mustard spread before grilling.

Spacing

Our second tip is to give your seafood the space it deserves. Give about 1 inch between products to avoid overcrowding the meat. It is also best practice to leave 1/3 of your grill space open. This space comes in handy when items need moving around to prevent overcooking.

Patience

Our next tip is patience. Trying to peel off seafood too early causes sticking and loss of product. Though difficult, wait for the proteins to release from the grill. We recommend cooking for 10 minutes per inch.

Once the meat is done, let it rest for another 10 minutes. This retains the juice and flavor. After all, no one likes a soggy plate.