Grilled sea bass makes for a simple weeknight meal. Serve this white fish with grilled veggies for a complete summertime barbecue.
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What Is Chilean Sea Bass?
Chilean sea bass, also known as Patagonian toothfish, isn’t actually part of the bass family. It has firm, white flesh that produces thick flakes with a rich flavor (it’s around 14 percent fat by weight). Chilean sea bass average 15 to 40 pounds but can weigh up to 100 pounds and are often processed and frozen on the fishing boat.
Black sea bass and Chilean sea bass are common varieties of sea bass you can find in grocery stores. Sea bass is a fatty fish with a mild flavor and a meaty texture. Cook this fish on the grill or on the stovetop and garnish it with an herb oil.
4 Tips for Grilling Chilean Sea Bass
Follow these tips to make the best grilled Chilean sea bass:
- 1. Choose a fatty piece of sea bass. Chilean sea bass’s high-fat content helps prevent it from drying out or overcooking. Center-cut filets can have twice as much fat as a filet from the tail.
- 2. Lightly oil the grill grate and the fish. Chilean sea bass’s delicate flesh tends to stick to pans and cutting boards. To get crispy skin, start skin-side down and then flip the fish when it becomes more opaque and releases easily from the grill.
- 3. Grill vegetables alongside the fish. While the grill is already hot, grill some vegetables to serve alongside the fish fillets. In the summertime, try sliced zucchini, onions, and halved tomatoes. These veggies grill in the same amount of time as the fish and make for easy side dishes.
- 4. Experiment with flavors. Chilean sea bass has a mild flavor and can act as a blank canvas for a variety of flavor sauces. Baste the fish in garlic butter, squeeze with fresh lemon or lime juice, or top with fresh herbs like oregano, parsley, and cilantro. You can experiment with toppings for most mild white fish recipes, like halibut and hake.
Grilled Chilean Sea Bass Recipe
makes
prep time
5 mintotal time
20 mincook time
15 minIngredients
For the sea bass:
To serve:
- 1
Preheat a gas grill to medium heat or prepare a charcoal grill with two cooking zones: high heat and low heat.
- 2
Pat the sea bass dry with a paper towel and remove any remaining scales.
- 3
Place the sea bass filets on a sheet tray, then rub both sides of the filet with olive oil and season all over with salt and pepper.
- 4
Place the sea bass, skin-side down, directly on well-oiled grates in the high heat cooking zone. Do the same with the lemons.
- 5
Close the grill and cook until the skin releases easily from the grates, about 8 minutes.
- 6
Flip the sea bass and continue to cook in the low heat zone until the flesh begins to turn opaque and pale pink and the fat has rendered, about 2–7 minutes longer. To test for doneness, insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the filet. The internal temperature should read 145 degrees Fahrenheit.
- 7
While the sea bass cooks, make the lemon herb dressing. In a medium bowl, combine the minced shallot, lemon zest, garlic, paprika, and lemon juice. Season the mixture with salt and pepper to taste and set aside for 5 minutes.
- 8
Just before removing the sea bass from the grill, add the chopped herbs to the dressing and toss to combine.
- 9
Using a fish spatula, remove the cooked fish from the grill and transfer it to a serving platter.
- 10
Use tongs to remove the lemons from the grill and transfer them to the same serving platter.
- 11
Top the grilled fish with the lemon-herb dressing and garnish with flaky sea salt.
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