Jamaican Roast Fish on the Grill (Easy Recipe & Tips)
Looking for a delicious and easy-to-follow roast fish recipe? Look no further! This Jamaican roast fish dish is perfect for any occasion.
Jamaican roast fish on the grill is a simple and tasty fish dish that everyone can enjoy. It is seasoned with Jamaican seafood spices and then is put in a piece of foil over the grill to cook.
It’s simple to make, and the result is a mouth-watering meal that your guests will love. So fire up the grill and get started!
This dish is not only delicious, but it’s also easy to make! Here’s everything you need to know about grilling Jamaican roast fish.
What You’ll Need:
Fresh tilapia. Credit: canva
1 whole fish (red snapper, tilapia, or salmon all work well), scaled and gutted
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon dried thyme leaves
2 cloves garlic and ginger, minced
1 lemon, juiced
1 scotch bonnet pepper, seeded and finely chopped (optional)
Aluminum foil
Charcoal or gas grill
How to Grill
Grilling inside a pice of foil. Credit: canva
Start by preheating your grill to medium-high heat.
Then, clean your fish and brush it with olive oil. This will help to prevent the fish from sticking to the grill.
Next, create a foil pouch for your fish. This will help to keep all of the flavors contained during cooking.
Place your fish on a large foil, and add in some chopped onion, garlic, ginger, thyme, and scotch bonnet pepper (if desired). Wrap everything up tightly in the foil, and make sure that there are no holes or openings.
Place the foil pouch on the grill, and cook for about 15-20 minutes or until the fish is cooked.
Once done, carefully open up the pouch (watch out for escaping steam!), and enjoy your delicious Jamaican roast fish! Serve with rice and peas or your favorite sides.
Flaky cooked roast fish. Credit: canva
Tips for Grilling Whole Fish
Black snapper. Credit: canva
Choose the right fish. When grilling whole fish, you want to choose a type of fish that is firm but not too oily. Good options include striped bass, trout, or snapper. You’ll also want to make sure your fish is fresh—the last thing you want is for your family to smell fishy business.
Prep your fish. Once you’ve chosen your fish, please give it a good rinse and pat it dry with some paper towels. You’ll want to remove the scales if you’re using a striper or trout. To do this, run your knife against the grain of the scales (from tail to head), and they’ll pop right off. For snapper, you can leave the scales on—they’ll help protect the flesh of the fish while it’s grilling.
Get your grill nice and hot. Preheat your grill to 400 degrees Fahrenheit before adding your basket filled with whole fishy goodness.
Grill those babies up! Once your grill is preheated, place your basket on the grates and let those bad boys cook for about 8-10 minutes (depending on the size of your fish). Keep an eye on them—you don’t want them to overcook!
Let them rest. Remove your grilled fish from the heat and let them rest in the basket for about 5 minutes before serving. This will allow the juices to redistribute throughout the flesh of the fish, making for one juicy, delicious meal.
Jamaican Food
Jamaican jerk chicken leg. Credit: canva
Jamaican food is a fusion of African and Caribbean cuisines. You will find many influences from Africa, Europe, and Asia.
Food has its roots in the slave trade. It is known for its bold, spicy flavors, fresh seafood and meat use, and the wide variety of ingredients used in traditional recipes.
Many say it tastes like a combination of Indian, Chinese, and Mexican food.
In addition to Jamaican roast fish, there are many other delicious Jamaican cuisine options to choose from. Some popular dishes include jerk chicken, curried goat, ackee, and saltfish.
FAQs
How do you roast fish on a charcoal grill?
You can roast fish on a charcoal grill by placing a piece of fish on some skewers, then cooking it over indirect heat.
The best way to do this is to place the skewers of fish over the coals, and then let them cook for about 10-15 minutes, or until the fish is cooked through.
You can also put a piece of foil over the grill if you want to create an even more gentle heat. This will help to prevent the fish from burning. Enjoy!
How long do you BBQ a fish for?
It depends on the size of the fish.
For a whole fish, I would start checking the temperature at about 10 minutes per inch of thickness. You want it to be cooked through but still juicy, so you may need to go a little longer if it’s thicker.
For fillets, I would start checking at 5-7 minutes per side, depending on the thickness.
What’s in Jamaican seafood seasoning?
Jamaican seafood seasoning is a spice mixture that usually contains allspice, scotch bonnet peppers, garlic, onion, and thyme. It’s used to season fish, shrimp, crab, and other seafood.
The flavor of Jamaican seafood seasoning is spicy and peppery with a hint of sweetness. The spice mixture can be made at home or purchased from a store. It’s especially popular in Jamaica and the Caribbean region.
