Cod loin - cooking technique for skinless meaty fillets?
I have some lovely thick and meaty cod loin - a skinless flaky piece of fish about 1.5" thick. I'm looking for suggestions on the best way to cook it? Direct on the bars or perhaps on a CI griddle, or maybe indirect and 'baked'?
The usual indoor recipes for this fish would suggest baking it on a baking tray about 375-400f, so I'm thinking maybe cooking it indirect in the kettle or kamado? It needs a little care or it will fall apart.
Cookers:
Stump's Baby
MGrills M1 SS
Weber Spirit propane
Vintage PK Grill
Gozney Roccbox propane/wood pizza oven
Frontgate portable infrared grill
Propane Lobster/Corn cooker
Magma Marine Kettle 2 Grill and Stove Party Size (boat)
Kenyon City Grill (boat)
Gadgets:
Looftlighter (original and wireless)
Weber charcoal chimney
Chimney of Insanity
BBQ Dragon
BBQ Guru Party Q
Flame Boss 500
iGrill2 and iGrill mini
Backlit Thermapen
Infrared Thermometer
Stainless smokebox for gas grill
sawdust "maze" for cold smoking
Indirect in the kamado would be wonderful. I use disposable mesh grids for fish so I don't even have to try getting it off the grill in one piece. I've never used a frog mat but I suspect that would work as well. I tend to cook fish at much lower temps for much longer on the grill, and the kamado should help keep it from drying out.
I agree on the indirect method. I have done that with Redfish fillets and Flounder on my WSCGC. I like to use 275°-285°
grill temp in the indirect portion of the grill.
I am a long time user and enthusiast of the Frogmats. They are great for this food and cooking method.
Try the traditional Old Bay Seasoning or Marietta's Seafood Rub before, or Citrus Salt at the finish.
Good shake of Johny's Lemon & Dill Seasoning. Lightly oil your grate. Grill direct or indirect but pretty hot, for about 3 minutes a side. Finish with a little dab of butter (or flavored butter). Do NOT overcook! Works great for halibut, and should do as well with cod. Good luck!
Season it as you will - to your tastes. Put a bed of sliced lemons down on top of foil. I like to add onions and bell peppers but lemons are sufficient. Place the fish on top of the lemons. Put another layer of lemons over the top. Wrap the foil tightly. Cook hot. Unwrap to let some smoke in. You can pick up the foil and put it directly onto what you are serving. Works perfectly for fish that tends to flake. The juice from the lemons (and/or onions and bell peppers) will keep it moist.
Thanks everyone. Some good tips - hadnt thought about Frogmats and even have a very similar thing in the cupboard...
In the end I went with indirect in the Weber kettle. 400f I roasted a large foil pan of home grown veg for 20 mins and then added the fish on top, and a few mins from the end added some chard stalks, and then the leaves to wilt for a couple of mins.
Seasoning was the Coastal California Fennel Pollen Rub from Savoury Spice - I picked up a few jars of various rubs when I was in CA earlier this year. This was fantastic on the fish and I say that even as someone who is not really a fennel fan. First time I'd used it and it got rave reviews from everyone. I have a few different rubs from them to try next.
I love seasoning my cod with the Essence of Emeril seasoning. Then I put my cast iron pan on the grill and get it screaming hot. Toss in a bit of clarified butter and put the cod on and step back.
This is right up my alley. I have both fished cod (in northern Norway) and cooked and eaten plenty. It is a lean fish, so it needs gentle handling. I would definitely brine it. Put it in a 5% wet brine, or dry if you prefer that. I always use dry brine except for pieces of fish like this. 5 % means 500 grams of water with 25 grams of salt. Then place it on a frog mat, or like you did, on veggies, and cook it using indirect heat until the inner temp is 120° F (48° C). Place the fish on the plate and spoons some clarified butter over it. Delicious!
hadnt thought of a wet brine. I've done salmon with a sugar & salt dry brine, and the result was amazing, but it dried it out ready for smoking rather than keeping it juicy. Will try it next time though for a test. Thanks
I've quit grilling fish... except for the searing step. Sous Vide is easier and produces a better finished product in my opinion. For Cod I would put it in the SV bag with some butter and your chosen spices and vacuum seal it. Put it in your preheated bath tub at 132° for a half hour. Take it out of the bag and blot it dry with paper towels and the sear it to add some color to the surface. Then add a dill flavored hollandaise sauce.
If you're going to sear it on your grill the smooth side of your grillgrates works great if you have a fish spatula.
I see the appeal of SV fish but the few times I've had it I have really not liked the texture it gives - feels too slimy. The sear might help that I guess.
The sear makes ALL the difference in the world on SV anything. If you eat red meat, chicken or fish right out of the SV bag, without searing it to give it color and texture, it would look awful and not feel good in your mouth.
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