Outdoor Cooking & Charcoal Oven Recipes / Fish

Whole grilled sea bass cooked in the Charlie Oven

Cooked in the Charlie Charcoal Oven

Whole Grilled Sea Bass

Cooking a whole sea bass over charcoal is one of the simplest and most rewarding things you can do in the Charlie. The skin protects the delicate flesh while picking up a light smokiness from the charcoal, keeping the fish beautifully moist. Stuffing the cavity with fresh lemon gently perfumes the flesh as it cooks, while grilling directly on the bars creates crisp, golden skin that is full of flavour.

Mark O'BrienChef
Grill
Prep10 minutes
Cook14 minutes plus resting
Serves4
DifficultyEasy
Oven temperature220 to 250°C (430 to 480°F)
RackCharlie Oven Cooking Rack on the lower rack, just above the charcoal. The fish goes directly on the bars
CharcoalAbout half a football of good British lumpwood charcoal

Charlie Oven — https://charlieoven.com/blogs/charcoal-recipes/whole-grilled-sea-bass

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Ingredients

Method

Charlie Oven setup

  1. Use good British lumpwood charcoal. Build a fire using roughly half a football sized pile of charcoal placed directly on the fire grates.
  2. Bring the Charlie Oven to around 220 to 250°C (430 to 480°F) and set it at that temperature by pushing both vent knobs in to one inch open.
  3. Fit the cooking rack on the lowest runners, just above the charcoal.
    Why this mattersMake sure the cooking rack is clean and lightly oiled before adding the fish. This helps prevent the skin sticking during cooking.

Method

  1. Pat the sea bass completely dry, inside and out, using kitchen paper. Dry skin is the key to achieving a beautifully crisp finish.
    Why this mattersUsing a sharp knife, score the skin two or three times on each side. This helps the fish cook evenly and allows the seasoning to penetrate.
  2. Season the cavity with a little sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
  3. Stuff each fish with the sliced lemons.
    Why this mattersLightly brush the outside of the fish with a neutral oil. Oils such as rapeseed or sunflower are ideal because they can withstand the high cooking temperature without burning.
  4. Season the outside lightly with sea salt.
  5. Place the fish directly onto the hot grill bars.
  6. Leave the fish undisturbed until the skin naturally releases from the bars before carefully turning. If it sticks, leave it for another minute. The skin will release once it has properly crisped.
  7. Cook to temperature rather than to time.
  8. The fish is ready when the thickest part reaches an internal temperature of 60 to 63°C (140 to 145°F). The flesh should lift away easily from the backbone while still looking moist and succulent.
  9. Carefully lift the fish from the grill and leave it to rest for 2 to 3 minutes.
  10. Finish with the chopped parsley, a squeeze of fresh lemon and the optional 1 tbsp finishing extra virgin olive oil before serving.

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The cook

Mark O'Brien

Chef

Mark O’Brien was a finalist on MasterChef: The Professionals 2026 and the first Irish chef to reach the final. After more than a decade in top London restaurants, he now runs Snake Oil Barbecue in Margate, bringing serious chef skills to his love of American BBQ and cooking over fire.

More recipes by Mark O'Brien

Frequently asked questions

  • How do I stop the sea bass sticking to the grill?

    Make sure the cooking rack is clean and lightly oiled, pat the fish completely dry and brush the skin with a neutral oil. Then leave it undisturbed until the skin releases naturally before turning it.

  • What internal temperature should whole sea bass reach?

    The fish is ready when the thickest part reaches 60 to 63°C (140 to 145°F). The flesh should lift away easily from the backbone while still looking moist. Rest it for 2 to 3 minutes before serving.

  • Why score the skin of the fish?

    Scoring the skin two or three times on each side with a sharp knife helps the sea bass cook evenly and lets the seasoning get into the flesh. It also helps the heat reach the thickest part.

  • What heat and rack does Charlie need for sea bass?

    Bring Charlie to 220 to 250°C (430 to 480°F) with about half a football of good quality lumpwood charcoal, then set both vent knobs to one inch open. Fit the cooking rack on the lowest runners, just above the charcoal.