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.
This recipe comes from our recent American Steakhouse BBQ masterclass with Mark O'Brien.
Ingredients
Serves 4
2 whole sea bass, approximately 700 to 900g each, scaled and gutted
2 lemons, sliced
Neutral oil, such as rapeseed or sunflower oil
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
A small handful of flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped (optional)
Charlie Oven setup
Use good quality lump charcoal, ideally Stag Charcoal. Build a fire using roughly half a football sized pile of charcoal placed directly on the fire grates.
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.
Fit the cooking rack on the lowest runners, just above the charcoal.
Make sure the cooking rack is clean and lightly oiled before adding the fish. This helps prevent the skin sticking during cooking.
Method
Pat the sea bass completely dry, inside and out, using kitchen paper. Dry skin is the key to achieving a beautifully crisp finish.
Using 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.
Season the cavity with a little sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Stuff each fish with the sliced lemons.
Lightly 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.
Season the outside lightly with sea salt.
Place the fish directly onto the hot grill bars.
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.
Cook to temperature rather than to time.
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.
Carefully lift the fish from the grill and leave it to rest for 2 to 3 minutes.
Finish with the chopped parsley, a squeeze of fresh lemon and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil before serving.
Charlie Tip
Ask your fishmonger to scale and gut the fish for you, but leave the head and tail on. They help protect the flesh during cooking and make for a much more impressive dish when served at the table.
Why cook this in Charlie
The Charlie's enclosed design surrounds the fish with even heat while the charcoal crisps the skin beautifully. Cooking directly on the grill bars gives you all the flavour of live fire without drying out the delicate flesh. It is a simple technique that lets the quality of the fish shine.
What to serve with it
Serve with Persian jewelled rice, Borani Bademjan, roasted honey and chilli carrots or a simple green salad. A squeeze of fresh lemon and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil are all it needs.
This recipe was taught by Mark O'Brien during our American Steakhouse BBQ masterclass, where he shared simple techniques that allow great ingredients to speak for themselves.