Score and dry the fish, oil the fish rather than the grate, and cook over moderate heat on a clean hot grate without moving it until the skin releases. Flip once with two spatulas or a basket. Done at the spine when the flesh is opaque.
Step by step
Score and stuff
Cut three or four diagonal slashes through the skin on each side, which helps it cook evenly and lets you judge doneness. Fill the cavity with lemon slices and herbs, and season inside and out.
Dry it thoroughly
Pat the fish completely dry, inside and out. Wet skin sticks and steams. This matters more than anything else.
Oil the fish, not the grate
Rub oil over the skin and into the scores. Oil on the bars mostly burns off before the fish arrives; oil on the fish is what prevents sticking. Scrub the grate and get it properly hot first.
Cook moderate, not fierce
A raging fire burns the skin before the middle warms. Use a moderate bed, and do not touch the fish for the first several minutes. It sticks when it goes on and releases as it crisps; if it resists, it is not ready.
Flip once, cleanly
Slide two spatulas under and turn it in one confident movement, or use a fish basket, which removes the problem entirely. Cook the second side, then check at the deepest score: the flesh should be opaque and lift from the bone.
Why whole beats fillets over fire
A whole fish is far more forgiving on the grill than a fillet. The skin and bones protect the flesh from the fierce heat, so it stays moist, and the cavity can be stuffed with aromatics. Oily fish like sea bass, bream, mackerel and sardines are the most forgiving of all.
The order of the cook
Cook fish before anything fatty, on a fresh clean grate. A grate coated in burnt pork or chicken fat is exactly what fish skin welds itself to. Fish first, on clean hot bars, and half the battle is won.
If flipping a whole fish makes you nervous, a fish basket makes it trivial and removes any chance of it sticking or breaking. Oil the basket as well as the fish. There is no shame in it; plenty of good cooks use one every time.
Common questions
What is the best fish to grill whole?
Sea bass, bream, snapper, mackerel, trout and sardines all grill beautifully whole. Oily fish are the most forgiving. Choose fish around 400g to 1kg for easy handling.
How do I know when a whole fish is cooked?
The flesh at the deepest score should be opaque and lift cleanly from the bone, around 55°C at the spine. It cooks in roughly ten minutes per inch of thickness at the thickest point.
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