Will salt-baked sea bream taste too salty?

No. The skin acts as a barrier, so the flesh is evenly seasoned rather than salty. Brush away the excess salt, peel off the skin and lift out the fillets before serving with a drizzle of olive oil.

How long does salt-baked sea bream take in Charlie?

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes at 200°C (390°F), allowing roughly 20 minutes per kg of total fish weight. Then rest it in the crust for 5 to 10 minutes before cracking it open.

What should the salt crust feel like?

Like damp sand. Mix the 2 kg of coarse sea salt with 2 egg whites and the lemon zest until it packs firmly around the fish without crumbling, then press it down well to seal.

Where should the fire and tray go for salt baking?

Set about half a football of lumpwood charcoal at the back of the fire grate for indirect heat, and put the tray on the middle or upper rack, away from direct flame, so the fish bakes evenly.

Outdoor Cooking & Charcoal Oven Recipes / Bake

Cooked in the Charlie Charcoal Oven

Salt-Baked Sea Bream

Name: Salt-Baked Sea Bream
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 35 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Ingredients: 1 whole sea bream (1.2 to 1.5 kg), or 2 or 3 smaller sea bream totalling the same weight, gutted and scaled; 2 large egg whites; 2 kg coarse sea salt (Maldon or kosher); Zest of 1 lemon; 10g Fresh herbs (thyme, parsley, dill, or fennel fronds); 2 slices of lemon per fish; 1 tbsp Olive oil, to drizzle; ¼ tsp fennel seeds (optional)

Crack open the salt crust and there's beautifully moist sea bream underneath. The crust protects the fish as it bakes in Charlie, then comes away before serving. Herbs and a little olive oil are all the fish needs. A bit of theatre, with a useful job behind it.

Tait MillerChef, Wild & Fire Cooking

Bake

Prep20 minutes

Cook35 minutes

Serves4

DifficultyEasy

Oven temperature200°C (390°F)

RackTray on the middle or upper rack, for indirect heat

CharcoalAbout half a football of good quality lumpwood charcoal, set at the back of the fire grate for indirect heat

Ingredients

1 whole sea bream (1.2 to 1.5 kg), or 2 or 3 smaller sea bream totalling the same weight, gutted and scaled
2 large egg whites
2 kg coarse sea salt (Maldon or kosher)
Zest of 1 lemon
10g Fresh herbs (thyme, parsley, dill, or fennel fronds)
2 slices of lemon per fish
1 tbsp Olive oil, to drizzle
¼ tsp fennel seeds (optional)

Equipment

Everything used in this recipe. Already have Charlie? Add the accessories in one go.

Charlie Charcoal Oven£4,958.33Choose your oven, Charlie Charcoal Oven
Charlie Oven Cooking Rack£233.33
Charlie Oven Tongs 55cm£33.33

Method

Setting up Charlie

Set the fire at the back of the charcoal grate using around half a football of quality lumpwood charcoal
Preheat the Charlie Oven to around 200°C (390°F) with consistent, radiant heat, no open flames
Place the baking tray on the middle or upper rack, away from direct flame

Light your charcoal and bring the Charlie Oven up to around 200°C (390°F) using indirect heat with the fire set at the back of the grate.
Rinse and pat the sea bream dry. Stuff the cavity with lemon slices and fresh herbs. Optionally score the skin once or twice on each side.
In a bowl, mix the coarse salt with egg whites and lemon zest until it feels like damp sand. Add fennel seeds or crushed pepper if desired.
Line a tray with baking parchment or foil. Spread a 1 to 2 cm base layer of the salt mixture. Lay the sea bream on top, then completely cover with the rest of the salt, pressing down firmly to seal.
Place the tray on the middle or upper rack, away from direct flame. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes (allow roughly 20 minutes per kg of total weight).
Let the fish rest in its crust for 5 to 10 minutes after baking. Crack open the salt shell gently with the back of a spoon or knife.
Brush away excess salt, peel off the skin, and lift out the fillets. Serve with 1 tbsp olive oil.

Tips

The salt crust should feel like damp sand: firm enough to pack tightly around the fish without crumbling.
Do not worry about the fish being too salty, as the skin acts as a barrier, keeping the flesh evenly seasoned.
Score the skin lightly before packing to make it easier to peel away after cooking.
Let the fish rest in the crust for at least 5 minutes, as this allows the juices to redistribute for flakier fillets.
This recipe works beautifully as a centrepiece: crack the crust at the table for a dramatic presentation.

More recipes

The cook

Tait Miller

Chef, Wild & Fire Cooking

Chef Tait Miller specialises in wild, open-fire cooking, drawing on foraged ingredients and around 16 years in the industry. London-based, he's known for his outdoor cooking and foraging work, and led Charlie Oven's Greek Summer Feast Masterclass.

More recipes by Tait Miller

Frequently asked questions

Will salt-baked sea bream taste too salty?

No. The skin acts as a barrier, so the flesh is evenly seasoned rather than salty. Brush away the excess salt, peel off the skin and lift out the fillets before serving with a drizzle of olive oil.
How long does salt-baked sea bream take in Charlie?

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes at 200°C (390°F), allowing roughly 20 minutes per kg of total fish weight. Then rest it in the crust for 5 to 10 minutes before cracking it open.
What should the salt crust feel like?

Like damp sand. Mix the 2 kg of coarse sea salt with 2 egg whites and the lemon zest until it packs firmly around the fish without crumbling, then press it down well to seal.
Where should the fire and tray go for salt baking?

Set about half a football of lumpwood charcoal at the back of the fire grate for indirect heat, and put the tray on the middle or upper rack, away from direct flame, so the fish bakes evenly.