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Grilled Branzini (full fish)

NDG
NDG Posts: 2,435
edited July 2016 in EggHead Forum
Great sale on Full Fish Branzini (aka mediterranean sea bass) so had the W.F. Fish Guy clean it up for me.  Wasnt sure how to request this, so a quick google search landed me with post from Ohio Buddy Michael Ruhlman's link on how to grill Branzini . . so per Ruhlman, had them remove guts and gills & scale it.

Then pretty easy, salt inside & stuffed with lemon, fennel frond and herbs (rosemary/dill/parsley) from our backyard Herb Bed.  Grilled direct factory level, with cast iron grate, at around 500F for about 5 mins a side.  Served with caper compound butter on top, SourDough & Grilled Veg  (Zuk / fennel bulb / red onion) that we dressed after with lemon juice/s&p/fresh basil . . then hit grated parm.  Opened some white wine . . and had great meal.

First time going full fish, and was a little intimidated at first, but super easy cook.  We loved the experience of picking chunks off, family style, and fish was cooked exactly how we like it.  






Columbus, OH

“There are only two ways to live your life.  One is as though nothing is a miracle.  The other is as if everything is” 
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Comments

  • SmokingPiney
    SmokingPiney Posts: 2,319
    Nice! 
    Living the good life smoking and joking
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  • Sea2Ski
    Sea2Ski Posts: 4,131
    Looks great!
    I know they were small, but you left the cheeks? :nuh_uh:    They are the best part!
    --------------------------------------------------
    Burning lump in Downingtown, PA or diesel in Cape May, NJ.
    ....just look for the smoke!
    Large and MiniMax
    --------------------------------------------------

    Caliking said:   Meat in bung is my favorite. 
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  • NDG
    NDG Posts: 2,435
    @Sea2Ski  . . $hit I didnt know the cheeks were good !!!
    Columbus, OH

    “There are only two ways to live your life.  One is as though nothing is a miracle.  The other is as if everything is” 
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  • Sea2Ski
    Sea2Ski Posts: 4,131
    @NDG they are fantastic.  On those fish, they will be about the 1/2 to 3/4 the size of a dime.  Maybe. Still worth popping out!

    Side story:
    At a sister marina of where our boat is, there is a truck that is a fish cleaning service.  People with charters come back and this guy cleans the fish for them for a price.  They give the whole fish to him and they get back the filets. Since I am a "regular" around there, we casually know each other.  A few years ago, a charter came back with a bunch of tuna. I watched him blast through cleaning them and chatted him up. I asked if I could have the cheeks. He laughed, then I went and got a 6 pack, and over a beer we dug them out.  Must have been about 5 lbs of tuna cheeks.
    Now I just have to say "I'll take a bag" and he gives me all the cheeks from all the fish he cleans that are worth cutting out the following day. I tip him appropriately.  The only fish I pass on are the black drum.  Everything else I'll take - even bluefish, and I will not eat bluefish filets. 
    The cheeks are the best part!  
    --------------------------------------------------
    Burning lump in Downingtown, PA or diesel in Cape May, NJ.
    ....just look for the smoke!
    Large and MiniMax
    --------------------------------------------------

    Caliking said:   Meat in bung is my favorite. 
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  • NDG
    NDG Posts: 2,435
    Great Story & I learned something new!  What does one do with a 5 lb bag of fish cheeks?  Grill? I picture them in a big pot of fish stew or something.  Your BGE name should be . . BagOfCheeks!
    Columbus, OH

    “There are only two ways to live your life.  One is as though nothing is a miracle.  The other is as if everything is” 
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  • Sea2Ski
    Sea2Ski Posts: 4,131
    Depends on the type and size. Large cheeks like those from big eye tuna and larger bluefin and yellowfin you can slice further and eat like sashimi. Smaller cheeks and swordfish you can do a quick sear like scallops and slice even smaller and have them as  appetizers. 

    Never made a soup or chowder out of them, but that would work well with the right type of firm fish. 


    --------------------------------------------------
    Burning lump in Downingtown, PA or diesel in Cape May, NJ.
    ....just look for the smoke!
    Large and MiniMax
    --------------------------------------------------

    Caliking said:   Meat in bung is my favorite. 
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  • saluki2007
    saluki2007 Posts: 6,354
    Great looking meal NDG.  I remember a couple years back my family went to Rome for Christmas and my wife order the Sea Bass at a restaurant.  We teased her that it was going to come out whole and she got a little worried.  Well, it did come out whole but she took took it like a champ and ate the whole thing (sans cheek).
    Large and Small BGE
    Central, IL

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  • NDG
    NDG Posts: 2,435
    thanks @saluki2007 and sounds like your wife is a trooper!  According to Ruhlman, Whole Fish is supposed to be a much much easier way to get a moist/flakey fish (compared to fillet) and he says this BRANZINI aka EUROPEAN SEA BASS aka MEDITERRANEAN SEA BASS makes it super easy as the bones in this particular fish do not get dry . . keeping fish moist even when overcooked.  
    I dont know much about fish . . but worked for us . . so passing it along!
    Columbus, OH

    “There are only two ways to live your life.  One is as though nothing is a miracle.  The other is as if everything is” 
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  • 3woody
    3woody Posts: 6
    It's actually BranzinO... Great fish!

    Take a box of kosher salt mix in 2-3 egg whites in a large bowl. Place fish on tot of some parchment paper, cover fish totally with salt and bake for 25-30 minutes. 

    Its fantastic! 
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  • NDG
    NDG Posts: 2,435
    edited July 2016
    @3woody I have always wanted to try that salt technique . . some day.
    and . . . Branzini is plural  ;)
    Columbus, OH

    “There are only two ways to live your life.  One is as though nothing is a miracle.  The other is as if everything is” 
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  • GATraveller
    GATraveller Posts: 8,207
    That looks awesome. Thanks for sharing. 

    "Social media gives legions of idiots the right to speak when they once only spoke at a bar after a glass of wine, without harming the community [...] but now they have the same right to speak as a Nobel Prize winner. It's the invasion of the idiots."
                                                                                  -Umberto Eco

    2 Large
    Peachtree Corners, GA
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  • buzd504
    buzd504 Posts: 3,877
    3woody said:
    It's actually BranzinO... Great fish!

    Take a box of kosher salt mix in 2-3 egg whites in a large bowl. Place fish on tot of some parchment paper, cover fish totally with salt and bake for 25-30 minutes. 

    Its fantastic! 
    This is also works well with ice cream (rock) salt.
    NOLA
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