Chilean Sea Bass Experiment

Egg-on-Medford · August 2008

So I decided to try to do a piece of Chilean Sea Bass on the BGE. Perhaps in retrospect, I should have used my new Woo 2. I prepared some sliced lemon, coarsely chopped tomato, cilantro, black olive and scallion. Too bad you can't smell this plate (need smellnet like Emeril's smellovision for TV)

Got the fire going; was gonna shoot for about 350 to bake the fish. Plenty of lump left over from my weekend ribs; I added a little fresh charcoal and made sure the holes were open. After about 5 minutes, I close the lid and leave the vent open and the daisy wide open--temp shoots up to 350 pretty quickly, so I close down. Lots of smoke; temp hovering around 250*F with the vent about 1/4 open and all the petals open. Yogi impressed; glad he is upwind.

Son coming home from volleyball practice soon.
Newbies like me pay attention here.
Need higher temp, so I open the daisy wheel all the way, I think, and the bottom a little more and go inside to deal with liquid refreshment.

Quickly shake up a 4321 margarita--4 oz Herradura Anejo Tequila, 3 oz fresh squeezed lime juice, 2 oz Gran Gala orange liqueur, 1 oz simple sugar syrup (always on hand in the frig).

Go back out and yeah, I've got the temp up. Up to 650 degrees. Before snapping the pic, I close down daisy and vent; temp responds quickly, probably not a lot of heat build up in the ceramic yet. I get 2 good "burps"--I can see how you can burn your arm if you're not careful.

Salt and pepper on the bass. Drizzle some EVOO on the fish and pour some Sauvignon Blanc in the bottom of the pan; have the fish sitting on lemon slices; put the rest of the stuff on.

Covered it with foil and put it on the egg around 375.
We interrupt this cook to show you my other new toy. Please don't be mad. I'm gonna get a CI grid for searing on the BGE. My son's filet (and a Tuscan chicken sausage to use in a pasta dish for tomorrow) on the Solaire Infrared searing at over 1000*F.

The bass was only up around 100-110 and the steak was near ready. I had to put the bass on the grill to finish it off up to around 140. Had some oven baked mac n'cheese as a side. My wife would hear nothing of doing it in the egg.

Ravenous carnivore son barely able to allow me to snap a pic. The steak a perfect slightly moist pink medium:

The bass with the chopped stuff:

Good, mild fish. The cooked tomato/olive/cilantro/scallion was tasty.

Still learning about timing and technique, obviously. I wanted to cook the fish with the chopped stuff and wine for flavor; maybe I didn't need the plate setter and should have used the Woo 2 with a higher temp, like 400-450, especially with the foil pan protecting the fish from burning. Or, simply, I should have put it on sooner, giving it 30-40 minutes to heat up slowly. Better luck next time--there will be a next time. I'm enjoying the learning process.

Comments and advice appreciated.

Daddyo · August 2008

I only made it once, but it was the best piece of fish I've ever cooked. With the exception of the Chilean Sea Bass I had once at the Bellagio, it's the best tasting fish I've ever eaten.

I coated mine with a little evoo and then dusted lightly with some tsunami spin. After that I put it on a non stick metal pizza plate that with holes in it and cooked it direct.

Yours looks great also. It is a very easy fish to prepare well.

JLOCKHART29 · August 2008

I have a Medium also. Your bass look great and an excellent right up. The settings for a desired temp at direct method will be completley differant from settings using platesetter. Using platesetter I will start my lump up with out it in the Egg bottom and top vents wide open and allow to climb to a "true temp" of around 275 to 300. By "true" I mean the starter is out and it is the burning lump creating the temp. I will then put in the platesetter and close the top vent with pettles wide open and bottom open about an inch. The platesetter will interupt the air flow and cause temp to drop but will rebound in a controled maner. This setting will result in a controled rise to about 350 degreese with no wind blowing. By controled I mean you got time to grab a refreshment but I have reservations about a man who would waist that 100% agavia in a mix!! :ohmy: :laugh: I never just walk off and leave the Egg for extended time untill all is stablize. Remember a wind on the intake side of Egg will really change settings.

Egg-on-Medford · August 2008

Thanks for the detailed explanation of temp control using platesetter. Makes sense. Now I just have to practice it.

As for the anejo tequila, this margarita recipe is based on the one at Adobo Grill in Chicago; they use whatever "premium" tequila you want. Usually, I'll use a reposado (I have several), occasionally Don Julio blanco. However, it's gotta be 100% "de agave"; regular old Cuervo Gold won't do it, since you're not diluting the fresh ingredients that much, only while shaking with ice (like a martini). With an anejo, it's an amazing drink and you can tell. Similarly, the lime juice has gotta be fresh squeezed--I tried once to use concentrate and there's no way.

Mr. & Mrs Potatohead · August 2008

I’m thinking that the fish entrée’ and the drink sound extremely inviting.
However, I’m going to suggest planking the fish, direct on the grill at the fire ring and I’m thinking that you will really love the out-come!

Egg-on-Medford · August 2008

Yeah, good idea. Then I could put the chopped stuff on it. Gonna get some planks. Any advice on temp / approximate time??

I'm filling a shelf in the garage with BGE "stuff"--wood chips, woo, temp probes,.....

Mr. & Mrs Potatohead · August 2008

Well… It really is a matter of choice regarding the planks but, I started with Alder, because I read that this was the traditional wood used by the natives on the West coast. Right or wrong, I can’t really say…But it’s what I do!
As for any tips:
1)) Soak your planks in fresh water for at least 1 hr.

Meanwhile: Set up the Egg / grill kettle for direct cooking** and get it up to a temp. of about 350, 400°F max.
** In regard to the Egg, this would be with the grill atop the fire ring and the planks directly on the grill.

2)) Place planks on Egg / grill, close lid and heat for about 3 to 4 minutes then flip the planks.

3)) Plank the fillets directly on the heated side of the plank and spread with a topping, marinade…..what ever. Place on the grill and cook with lid closed for about 15 minutes (or until fish is just opaque throughout and will easily flake).

Egg-on-Medford · August 2008

Thanks!

stike · August 2008

i usually suggest setting vents for the temp you want when you walk away.

it won't take much time at all to hit 350, and as you discovered, more often than not a person going away "for just a minute" stays away longer, and the egg is at 700 when you get back.

i've tried it, and i've found that the egg doesn't really get to temp much (if at all) quicker when the vents are wide open than when they are just set for the temp you want in the first place. if you want 350, and open the vents wide, you'll find the egg can't draw more anyway until it gets to 350. and then it can overshoot. if you set for 350, the egg will draw just as quickly as one that's wide open, and then it will stop closer to your desired temp.

for reference, if you want to talk numbers, your egg sears at 1200-1400 degrees. just as the element in your infrared is at 1100, the charcoal in the egg is about the same (or more). the air in both is NOT at those temps.

when you lay out in the sun, you are roasting at 11,000 degrees. the ambient/air temp is thankfully lower!

Austin Smoker · August 2008

Fine looking fish....but fantastic looking marg!!

Chilean Sea Bass Experiment

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