Buying fish

Try lightly brushing the skin with olive oil to help stop the fish sticking to the grill. The skewer keeps the stuffing inside the cavity during cooking.

What a treat, stuffed with basil and barbecued directly over the coals for a crispy skin.

Buy from your local fishmongers and don't forget to ask him to gut it for you, he will be happy to do it and usually, fishmongers don't charge any extra.

Sea bass can be expensive to buy, so save this recipe for when its just a small party of friends.

Fish presented whole, on a silver serving dish (the throw away ones are excellent) surrounded with a mixed salad will impress and make the dish all the more enjoyable. But some guests may not like or may squirm at the sight of the head.

Super as a starter with a little bread and butter or as a main course with some barbecued new potatoes and salad.

You can buy barbecue fish holders in various sizes which will help you turn the fish during cooking but of course you will have extra washing up.

The secret is not to turn the fish too often, just once should be enough.

Method

Soak the wooden skewers for around an hour to stop them burning during cooking.

Wash the fish under a little cold running water, dry with kitchen paper. Stuff the fish with fresh basil close and carefully skewer the skin together.

Brush lightly with a little olive oil. Season with black pepper and place in the fridge until required.

Barbecuing

Direct over the coals: barbecue the fish for around 5 or 6 minutes each side.

Indirectly: barbecue for approx 30 minutes, turning once half way through cooking.

Check with a fork when the fish turns flaky its done.

Shopping list

2 medium size sea bass

New potatoes

Mixed salad

Wooden skewers

Fish fillets

You pay for what you eat.You can if you prefer not to look at the head while barbecuing, buy filleted fish, more expensive but no waste. This will require the fish to be cooked on a double layer of foil, closed if you wish but left open will allow a more Smokey barbecued flavour to be absorbed into the flesh, especially if cooked indirectly. This method is also helpful when you need to keep the fish warm after cooking, just close the foil  and place on the side of the barbecue until required.

Smokers

BBQ Rubs

S/S Gas BBQ

Woodchips

Indoor BBQ

Accessories

Gas BBQ'S

BBQ Tools

  BBQ Covers