Tilapia on the Egg?

corey24

Have you guys cooked Tilapia filets on grill? If so, how?  I have some of those cedar planks to try out over direct heat?  Would that be good? Other ideas?

Thanks!!

Mattman3969

I had decent luck at about 400 raised direct. If you go this route make sure you clean your grid really good and right before you put the fish on wipe the grid with a paper towel soaked in olive oil or a non stick spray. My best result have been on the CI griddle. Get the egg to about 500 and let the CI get good and hot and you basically sear the fish a couple of mins each side. I use a creole seasoning when doin it this way.

freedog74

@corey24 - I cooked them direct at 300 until the tilapia was done.  

buzd504

Blecch.  I'm not sure Tilapia is even a fish.  (and granted, it does a good job of soaking up whatever flavor you put on it, but if you look up the way it is farmed and the sustainability and nutrition aspects of farmed tilapia, you will pretty much select anything else).  (Also granted, I am lucky enough to live in a place where fresh seafood is readily available, so YMMV and take that with a grain of salt).

corey24

Any thoughts on how it may do on those cedar planks?

Foghorn

I've done a variety of fish on cedar planks with good results but I've never done tilapia.  I suspect it will do very well. 

There are some keys to cedar plank cooking that I've learned the hard way.

- Soak the plank - 30 minutes seems to be adequate but I try to do it for an hour.  It does not impress anyone (least of all my in-laws....) when the plank catches fire and starts burning the fish.

- Keep the temp no higher than 350.  Even a moist plank can dry out and catch fire when things get really hot.

Depending on the thickness of the fish, it will take 20 - 30 minutes to cook it.  It takes about 10 minutes for the plank to heat up and start the cooking process.  The beauty of plank cooking is that there is a fairly generous window (about 10 minutes) where the fish is cooked but still moist - as opposed to about a 1 minute window when cooking fish direct.

The fish will get some flavor from the plank and will also get the flavor of the rub or whatever else you put on it (like lemon slices) - enjoy.

ShadowNick

I really like tilapia marinated in some olive oil and mesquite seasoning then cooked over a cedar plank. Damn good

henapple

buzd504 said:

Blecch.  I'm not sure Tilapia is even a fish.  (and granted, it does a good job of soaking up whatever flavor you put on it, but if you look up the way it is farmed and the sustainability and nutrition aspects of farmed tilapia, you will pretty much select anything else).  (Also granted, I am lucky enough to live in a place where fresh seafood is readily available, so YMMV and take that with a grain of salt).

If I saw what a catfish ate I'd never touch one but they're damn good fried. I fed cattle as a kid at a slaughter yard. The flatulence alone could make you rethink eating meat. Hot dogs. ..lips and **** but great at a ballgame.

Grillmagic

I grill Tilapia once a week and do a simple EVOO and Raging River Direct at 375/400 and it always comes out great, I do however have a close grilling buddy who refuses to eat Tilapia for the same reasons Buzd504 has explained. It always comes out great but it's no Salmon. 

twlangan

My very first cook when I got my new Egg was tilapia. Would have been something else I'm sure, but I had just gotten it into my table and it happened to be Good Friday.

It was great stuff and I've done it several times since. I coat with olive oil and sprinkle lemon pepper seasoning on it. Cook at 350 indirect. Only takes 10-15 min. Use a wide spatula to apply and remove them since they fall apart very easily.

BYS1981

I think when using planks you want too cook direct to induce smoke, but it is technically cooking.the fish indirectly.

So set up as a direct cook, but it will cook as indirect on a plank.

SMITTYtheSMOKER

What are you looking for as an internal temp on that fish?  140-145?

R2Egg2Q

I cook tilapia filets quite often (had one tonight in fact) but don't recall ever planking them as they're pretty thin and fragile and I prefer to cook them direct similar to what Mattman said or I throw them on a grillgrate. They're a quick cook (about 3 mins per side) at 400-420. I pulled mine tonight at an IT of 130 and in a couple of minutes of rest it went up to about 138. This was a cook with some hake loins for the Mrs. I reserve my planks for whole fish or salmon.

Griffin

After doing a little reading up on tilapia, I haven't bought it in years, probably 5 or more. I suggest if you like tilapia, don't ever research into it. Or farm raised fish from Asia or South America. Sometimes not knowing is better and you can't unlearn what you learn.

corey24

 That fish looks great......

Whaler

Louisiana , Tilapia, Come on man !

schoenb8

I have done tilapia on cedar planks several times over the past few weeks with pecan wood.  When compared to salmon on cedar planks, I think it cooks a bit faster, but I must admit that is very dependent on the thickness of the filet. I shoot for 350 direct for about 8-10 minutes.  I put a bit of simple rub like Jamaican Firewalk and EVOO. As far as the quality of tilapia, ignorance is bliss!!  

Little Steven

Griffin said:

After doing a little reading up on tilapia, I haven't bought it in years, probably 5 or more. I suggest if you like tilapia, don't ever research into it. Or farm raised fish from Asia or South America. Sometimes not knowing is better and you can't unlearn what you learn.

True dat. Did you see the Chinese one with the dead pigs floating around the fish farms?

Cymbaline65

Griffin said:

After doing a little reading up on tilapia, I haven't bought it in years, probably 5 or more. I suggest if you like tilapia, don't ever research into it. Or farm raised fish from Asia or South America. Sometimes not knowing is better and you can't unlearn what you learn.

Yeah, I'm with Griffin etc on this one.

corey24

Whaler said:

Louisiana , Tilapia, Come on man !

Lol.....North Louisiana. Not quite as abundant with fresh fish as the south although we have our fair share.