Fish Type

  • Scale, gut and remove the gills of the fish.
  • Wash it well in salty water, seawater or a simple brine of 1/4 cup kosher or sea salt to 1 quart of water.
  • Make a few slashes along the sides of the fish. In this case, don’t cross-hatch the cuts because that exposes too much of the meat to the fierce heat of the grill. (Cross hatching is great for fried pompano.)
  • Rub the fish down with oil. I like olive oil, but you do you.
  • Salt it well, inside and out.
  • Get your fire hot. Real hot. Clean those grates!
  • Using tongs and a paper towel soaked in oil, slick down your grill grates right before you place the fish on the grill. Let them cook a solid 4 to 8 minutes, depending on the heat of your grill, before flipping.
  • Remove them, and finish with lemon and black pepper.
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Mexican Grilled Pompano

  • 3tablespoons achiote paste
  • 2cups sour orange juice (see below for substitutes)
  • 1/2teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1/4 cup olive oil

Fish

  • 2 to 4whole pompano, scaled and gutted (see below for other fish)
  • 1/2cup chopped cilantro
  • 1 to 3 habanero chiles, sliced thin

Recipe

  • Blend the marinade ingredients together until smooth.
  • Wash the fish in salty water, then slash them a few times on each side to the backbone; this opens the meat up to the marinade, and allows it to cook faster. Soak in the marinade in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, and up to a day.
  • Get your grill hot. Take the fish out of the fridge to come to room temperature. Clean the grates, then, using tongs, grab a paper towel and soak it in vegetable oil. Wipe the grates down with this, then set the pompano on the grill.
  • Grill the pompano until it’s slightly charred, about 4 to 8 minutes, depending on how hot your grill is. (If your grill isn’t super hot, cover the grill. If it’s raging, keep it open.) Using a spatula, carefully try to lift the fish; they should not stick to the grill. Flip the fish and cook for 4 to 8 minutes on the other side. Paint the fish with the remaining marinade.
  • Serve the pompano with the cilantro and chile garnish, along with some simple rice and beans, or flake it off into tacos.
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