How to Cook Bluefish

Step 1

Preheat your grill for 10-20 minutes. Gas grills are pretty easy to turn on and they take 10 minutes or so to heat up. Charcoal grills take about 20 minutes. It's best to use a chimney starter when lighting a charcoal grill as opposed to lighter fluid, since lighter fluid can impart a chemical flavor.Make sure the lid is open and when you're lighting the grill.Clean ashes from your charcoal grill before using it.

Step 2

Scrub the grill with a brass-wire brush and oil it after. When you've heated the grill, thoroughly scrub the grate with a brass-wire brush. Next, dip a paper towel in some canola or macadamia oil. Using a pair of tongs, grab the paper towel and rub it across the grate of the grill.You don't need to use a lot of oil. A small dab should do.

Step 3

Sprinkle salt and pepper on your fillets. It's all about personal preference when it comes to how much salt and pepper to season your fillets with. If you're unsure, 2 to 3 pinches of salt and 1 pinch of black pepper should do.

Step 4

Coat the fillets with a tablespoon of olive oil. You can either use a spoon to drizzle the oil over the fillets or you can use a pastry brush to gently smear the oil across the surface of the fillets. No matter which method you use, try to make sure the whole fish is evenly coated with the oil.

Step 5

Drizzle some lemon juice on a plate. When the fish is finished on the grill, you'll be placing it on a plate. By putting some lemon juice on the plate, you'll add flavor to your bluefish. The lemon will easily soak into the cooked bluefish.There's no need to soak the plate in lemon juice. All you need is a small drizzle across the plate. You don't want your fish to taste completely like citrus.

Step 6

Place the fish on the grill skin side down and close the lid. Cook the fish in the grill for 3 minutes without touching the lid. After 3 minutes, turn the heat down to medium, open the lid, and flip the fillets onto the flesh side. Close the lid again and cook the fillets for another 3 minutes for every inch of thickness in the fillets.

Step 7

Test to see if the fish are done with a spatula. Place the spatula under the fillet and lift the fillet up. If the flakes on the fillet separate, that means the fillets are cooked. If the flakes don't separate, cook the fillets for another couple of minutes.Don't worry if the fillet breaks. The skin will hold it together so the fillet will still look intact when you serve it.

Step 8

Remove the fillets from the grill using tongs. Keep the fillets skin side up when removing them from the grill to ensure they don't get soggy. Place the fillets on the plate you drizzled with lemon earlier.

Step 9

Season the fillets with herbs and serve. Sprinkle your parsley, cilantro, mint, or another herb onto the fillets. Once that's done, your bluefish is ready to serve.Refrigerate your cooked bluefish within 2 hours of cooking in shallow airtight containers. Consume the bluefish within 4 days.