Log in

Whole Fish on the Grill

Posted

Fire has been the cornerstone of civilization since early man.

It’s no wonder standing around a charcoal grill with an ice-cold beer gives you that undeniably primal feeling. It makes you, if only for a moment, feel connected to the past.

This August folks across the country will load up their grills with racks of ribs, giant T-bone steaks, and even whole suckling pigs. Here on the coast, grilling tuna and swordfish steaks makes for a lovely summertime meal. But whole grilled fish tend to be absent from the table.

By whole grilled fish I’m talking about the smaller, more local species. Scup, black sea bass, hake, Acadian red fish, and in the spring, mackerel. These types of fish are all wild-caught and considered sustainably harvested.

Most of these fish are also considered “trash fish.” The term refers to by-catch. They are caught accidentally while fishing for more marketable species like cod, haddock and halibut.

To read the complete story, click here to subscribe to Nantucket Today.