Quality Market seafood and summer BBQs go hand in hand, but we know the idea of cooking seafood on the barbie can seem a bit daunting to some. So we asked our friends and BBQ experts The Que Club to give us some seafood BBQ hints and tips.
So, what is the most useful tip for a seafood BBQ?
“As is always the case cooking with seafood, it’s best to get it as fresh as possible,” says Pam Kavanagh, owner of The Que Club. “This will give you the tastiest results. Buy fresh, sustainable seafood – have a chat to your fishmonger, they should be able to tell you where your seafood comes from and when it was caught. Avoid anything that has a strong, unpleasant smell.”
“Don’t be scared of cooking seafood on the BBQ, the flavours work really well together, and the only limit is your imagination.”
Can you use any BBQ for seafood?
“Yes, you can use any BBQ to cook seafood, whatever you have and are comfortable cooking with at home will work well.”
Should you use the grill or the hotplate part of the BBQ for seafood?
“You can cook seafood directly on your grill, but certain smaller items are likely to fall through or not come off in one piece. To combat this, you can use a hot plate, a wooden plank, or even a piece of foil and baking paper on the BBQ.”
Can you cook any seafood on a BBQ?
“Choosing the right setup for whatever you are cooking is key,” continues Pam. “Smaller seafood is (generally) best cooked hot and fast, over direct heat. Larger fillets or whole fish benefit from a lower, slower, indirect cook. Then produce like mussels that are best cooked in a pan can still be done with a BBQ, just use your grill like you would a stovetop.”
What temperature should be used for seafood on a BBQ?
“Most seafood will benefit from what we call a ‘hot and fast’ cook. This means cooking it directly over charcoal with high heat. There are a couple of exceptions to this rule, which is mostly if you’re cooking a whole fish or if you’re slow smoking your seafood. Both of these will require an indirect cook (not directly over charcoal) and a longer cook time.”
Do you need to prep the BBQ for seafood?
“Your BBQ is ready to cook seafood as soon as it’s up to temperature. It is a good idea to clean your grill after to ensure there is no residue that can taint anything you’re wanting to cook on it afterwards.”
How do you recommend prepping seafood for a BBQ?
“As with everything, being prepared makes for the best results. Large fillets or whole sides of fish should be cleaned, descaled and pin-boned before cooking, descaling whole fish and gutting them is always a good idea (all of these can be done by your fishmonger).”
“I would normally avoid heavy marinades to get the best out of seafood,” advises Pam. “They can burn and overpower your seafood very easily. Fresh herbs and citrus are great to use while cooking though.”
What seafood makes for a great BBQ?
“Whole tiger prawns are great on the BBQ and they take very little time to cook,” says Pam.
“For something a bit different but not too difficult to manage, a cured and smoked side of salmon is very much a crowd favourite.”
Can you recommend a tasty seafood BBQ recipe?
Pam has been kind enough to share her tips on making a cured and smoked side of salmon, so you can try it out next time you are entertaining.
“To make the cured and smoked side of salmon, buy a side of salmon, skin on and pin boned,” instructs Pam.
“Then mix 500g of table salt and 500g of plain sugar, cover the flesh side of the fish with this mixture and leave it flesh side down in a large tray in the fridge for 2-4 hours.
“Rinse the mixture off thoroughly, then place it on a piece of baking paper on top of a piece of foil and season with your favourite BBQ rub.
“Cook the fish over indirect heat (120c/250f) with a wood chunk added to your fire for flavour for approximately 45 minutes, or until 57c/135f internally. Serve hot or cold for your next dinner party. Enjoy!”
You can try some delicious seafood creations by The Que Club each Friday evening, and for lunch on weekends in Feb at Prahran Market’s Plenty of Fish in the Sea seafood sessions. See our event page for further information.
The Que Club was born out of a love for cooking. By combining the best food, best brands and expert knowledge, they cater to hardcore barbequers, foodies, novice cooks and everyday people. Cooking on the barbeque should be embraced as a celebration of smoke and fire. According to The Que Club team, BBQ is soul food, social and fun.
