Regular visitors to my blog will know that I do enjoy seafood or rather, I love seafood and fish. Canada has an abundance of seafood and fish as Canada stretches from the Pacific to the Atlantic, with thousands upon thousands of lakes in between.
The other day I went to the market and pulled out a farm-raised rainbow trout, netted live from the tank.
Rainbow trout are part of the salmon family and this is one of my favourite fresh water fish because it’s affordable, readily available and delicious.
I normally buy one fish per person but this sucker was huge, enough to feed four. Whenever I have a large fish, I score the outside so that I can portion out the fillets easier.
Once again, if possible, buy whole fish. A whole fish will tell you if it’s fresh from the clear eyes, the fish will not smell “fishy”, the meat is firm. Strangely, fresh rainbow trout also comes with a slightly slimey skin (in trout’s case, it’s a good thing) but it can easily be washed off when preparing your fish.
I grilled this rainbow trout and if you follow these grilling musts, your fish will turn out succulent, cooked to perfection, in tact and not left behind on your grill:
- Preheat your BBQ to a high temperature before grilling
- Brush & scrape your grill to remove any residue from your previously grilled foods
- Wipe the grill with some towel that’s been treated with some vegetable oil (this lubricates the grilling surface)
Beyond grilling this rainbow trout, I kept the dressing of this delicious fish to a minimum – I like the taste of my fish and I want a complement to it’s flavour.
I whipped up a Sauce Vierge, courtesy of famed New York chef, Eric Ripert. This “sauce” is nothing more than a “Latholemono” (oil-lemon sauce) with a medley of chopped fresh herbs.
Rainbow trout has a mild flavour and the Sauce Vierge (virgin) provided the perfect “punch”, aroma and flavour.
I can still recall the aroma of the fish as this Sauce Vierge hit the warm meat of the fish…Ummm!
Grilled Rainbow Trout With a Sauce Vierge
(for four)
1 large rainbow trout ( or 4 individual fish)
coarse sea salt
fresh ground pepper
vegetable oil
Sauce Vierge
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp. chopped capers
1 tsp. minced shallot
1/4 tsp. minced garlic
1 Tbsp. finely chopped chives
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
- Wash, clean gut your trout and reserve in the fridge for up to 3 days (trout holds up well).
- Bring your trout back to room temperature before grilling. Pre-heat your grill and follow my pre-grilling tips above.
- Rub vegetable oil inside & out of the fish and season with coarse sea salt and fresh ground pepper.
- Place the fish on your well-lubricated fish and grill on each side for 3-6 minutes (depending on thickness). I grilled this fish for 5 minutes per side.
- Flip the fish and grill the other side for roughly the same amount of time.
- To test for doneness, use your BBQ tongs to gently pinch the top part of the fish, where the dorsal fin is located. Your fish will be cooked perfectly when the upper bone easily comes off the body of the fish.
- Using a spatula or two, carefully remove the fish from your grill and place on a platter. Using your hand and a spatula, make a cut into the fish, place the spatula between the piece of fish and the the spine and carefully lift each portion of fish to the plate.
- Check for any remaining pin needles and remove them. Remind your guests to still be on the lookout for pin needles but let them know that rainbow trout has a large spinal column and that it makes for a very easy fillet.
- Spoon a dollop of Sauce Vierge over each fillet along with a wedge of lemon.
59 Responses
Holy smokes, Peter, I just love the color on that plate of food. I bet th e trout was moist and juice…
Holy smokes, Peter, I just love the color on that plate of food. I bet th e trout was moist and juice…
Holy smokes, Peter, I just love the color on that plate of food. I bet th e trout was moist and juice…
Holy smokes, Peter, I just love the color on that plate of food. I bet th e trout was moist and juice…
Holy smokes, Peter, I just love the color on that plate of food. I bet th e trout was moist and juice…
Holy smokes, Peter, I just love the color on that plate of food. I bet th e trout was moist and juice…
Holy smokes, Peter, I just love the color on that plate of food. I bet th e trout was moist and juice…
Holy smokes, Peter, I just love the color on that plate of food. I bet th e trout was moist and juice…
Holy smokes, Peter, I just love the color on that plate of food. I bet th e trout was moist and juice…
Thanks for the great barbecing tips Peter – it sounds like a terrific way to cook fish, and served wit a lemon sauce, what could be better? BTW, I like the look of the rice that you served with it!
Lovely!
My granddad used to go fishing for trout – and I still prefer trout to salmon now. I remember getting up in the morning to find 2/3 huge fish staring at me from the kitchen sink – I think I’d appreciate them much more nowadays!
That’s the kind of food that makes me happy, Peter. I love, love fish!
yummy,yummy Peter, I love fish! I could eat fish all days!!! We have a lovely sea (Pacific) but the fish is cost, also I try to buy always! xGloria
Mmmm que rico, Peter! I bet it had a wonderful flavour :D. I love the taste that grill gives to fishes! It’s been some days I’ve been asking my fishmonger for trouts and they also have to be farm-raised… our rivers are probably not in good shape!!! The one we have here with orange colour it’s called trucha asalmonada (meaning colored like salmon)
Now I really like the look of that!
I quite fancy that Vierge sauce.
Peter that, I’m sure, is ‘Trout-alicious’ LOL – Anyone reading this will think I’m quite mad (it’s a joke we have going between us)! But then I am quite mad I suppose.
Sounds delicious! This is the state fish of Utah and I’ve caught quite a few of them myself. (Not recently though, this was back in my fishing days.)
Peter – I love the colours in the photograph. It makes me incredibly hungry…
Got to love our trout. Here in the Okanagan we have a landlocked salmon called Kokanee which is about the size of most rainbow trout. Excellent when freshly caught because you will never see them for sale in any store or fishmongers any where.They would be perfect too with your sauce:D
I LOVE trout. I swear it is one of the reasons that we keep vacationing in NC!!! You have made me a real fan of the lemon sauces for fish! This looks great Peter!
Spectacular photo, Peter. Looks like spring on a plate.
Myself, I am a coward when it comes to fish on the grill. Maybe I’ll practice that skill this summer.
I can’t stop looking at that picture!
Nina, it was moist and countered with the crispy skin…the bacon of seafood!
Cake, thanks…you have lots of great fish Down Under and as for the rice…it’s easy and I’ll post it soon.
Aww Kittie, remembering Grand-daddy? If you know anyone who fish’s for trout and offers…jump on it!
Patricia, Fish and your desserts would be the ultimate!
Gloria, I try and eat as much seafood as I can.
Nuria, nothing wrong woth farm-raised fish.
Jan, I enjoy our little isms…they’ll catch on we’re merely being silly.
Kalyn, go for it! I recall you lamenting about not enough fresh fish in Utah. Trout is an excellent alternative to salmon.
Gbvc, sorry but we eat with our eyes sometimes.
Val, yes the yummy Kokanee…if I lived there, I’d be eating it too.
Judy, fish and lemon were made for each other.
Leah, I’ve broken it down simply…don’t be afraid.
Looks really good! I have ever cooked a whole trout only fillets, but I agree that it is best nice and simple. I usually just add garlic and oil or oil and a herb. So nice.
Hooray for the fish! Hooray for Peter! After this little display, I am going to make sure to bring back a couple of fish from our Muskoka cottage trip in July, and I am going to come right to your door with them! :-) I will be wearing a napkin round my neck when I show up too… lol
Oh Peter. Never has one made fish look so appetizing. There will be whole grilled fish on the Grill this summer!
Hey Peter, I gave you an award. Pick it up on my blog!
Peter,
Sauce Vierge..oh wow.
Brilliant as usual, my dear!
All you need with this is a good bottle of wine. I love fish and like the idea of ‘Sauce Vierge’.
I’ve always been pretty good at avoiding doing the fish on the grill thing – for no reason other than fear. Everyone tells me I’m crazy that fish is so easy – ok, you talked me into it. I’m much better with the step by step and you did a good job.
Oh, my, my! This looks so delicious. I love trout but never thought of grilling it this way. Great recipe!
Are you sure you’re not an undercover fisherman?…LOL. Seriously. the trout looks divine and I gotta say that sauce Vierge is kinda sexy! (am I allowed to use that word here?)
Today I was at a pond (wetland ratings class) that stocked with trout, and remembered how my grandpa used to take me trout fishing when I was a kid. I love trout, and haven’t had it in such a long time!
Trout live from the tank – that’s pretty cool Peter! Great job.
Hi Peter – Some days I can find more time and some days less time to blog and read my favorites. I am always amazed and impressed by the amount of fabulous foods you cook in a week!
I agree on the trout, keep the sauce fresh and bright and let the delicate fish flavors shine through. And those are some gorgeous colors on the plate!
I have just added Rainbow Trout to my list of fish to try. It looks really good. I still want to try cooking a full fish.
Looks just wonderful, Peter. I’ve always been squeamish about cooking the whole fish. My fishmonger had a beautiful haul last weekend and as I was looking longingly at it, he told me that he would clean and gut some for me. I told him I would be back when I found a great recipe. Got one! Thanks!
I’m with Susan… major squeaminess at cooking a whole fish. I’d definitely have to have someone gut it for me, but they’d have to chop off his head too because I can’t get over the whole “looking at me” thing.
I love how you “whipped up” such a fancy (sounding) sauce, you gourmet you!
That is one beautiful fish, Peter! Besides tasting delicious, one of the great things about trout is no scales. I love your recipe, especially that sauce!
Looking good, Peter! I can almost taste the crispy bits! That sauce looks really fresh and delicious too. Excellent show, my friend! :)
“residue from previous grill”…it’s only me, or does it really sound sexy? hehehe
ur fish is as gorgeous as always, peter! i need to experiment more with seafood, the only one i did was a couple of ugly fried fish
Great post!
I eat vicariously through your blog.
Paul
Damn, that plate of fish looks good! I am sooooooo jealous of people with the ability to grill food (inside or out!).
how good did your breath smell after this one, Peter!? perfect grilled flesh… i love it a bit crunchy.
Those last 2 photos did me in. As I don’t know if I could bring myself to grill a whole fish (head, eyes, gills and all,) can I just come to dinner at your house instead?
Seriously though, the finished meal looks divine. I find myself turning to your recipes more & more!
The fish looks great and I also love how lively and colorful the plate looks–a great play on *rainbow* trout.
The fish looks great and I also love how lively and colorful the plate looks–a great play on *rainbow* trout.
The fish looks great and I also love how lively and colorful the plate looks–a great play on *rainbow* trout.
The fish looks great and I also love how lively and colorful the plate looks–a great play on *rainbow* trout.
The fish looks great and I also love how lively and colorful the plate looks–a great play on *rainbow* trout.
The fish looks great and I also love how lively and colorful the plate looks–a great play on *rainbow* trout.
The fish looks great and I also love how lively and colorful the plate looks–a great play on *rainbow* trout.
The fish looks great and I also love how lively and colorful the plate looks–a great play on *rainbow* trout.
The fish looks great and I also love how lively and colorful the plate looks–a great play on *rainbow* trout.
Katerina, whole is so much flavourful and moist.
Sam, you fish? Bring’em in, sit down and be fed, my friend.
Glam, whole fish the way to go!
Judy, thank you…award accepted!
Mary, Sauce Vierge rocks!
Helene, wine was enjoyed, indeed.
Giz, relax…I’m at your service should you need assistance.
Farida, try whole trout and fish in general, you’ll taste the difference.
Pete, sexy is most acceptable…kiss the fish now!
Heather, nice that I triggered a memory of gramps for ya…grab some trout…cheap and delish.
Laurie, the Asian markets usually have tanks of farm-raised fish (like lobster tanks).
Lori Lynn, thank you…the Sauce Vierge was so easy yet so tasty.
Kevin, you like salmon and so I know you’ll enjoy trout.
Sticky, trust your fishmonger…the best fish is the freshest fish.
Christine, where ya been….nice to have you back!
Nikki, once again…crispy fish skin is akin to bacon.
Rita, you find sexy in a bout everything…a postive soul you are!
Paul, does that mean you lick the screen? lol
Ann, I’ve laid out basic, foolproof steps to a great grilled fish, try it out.
Never full…who cares? lol It tasted fab!
Sandie, Oh c’mon…the fish has been dispatched…I prefer whole fish in fact.
Mike, I never got the linkage on the colourful sauce and rainbow trout but yeah…that’s coolio!
Simply wonderful.
Peter you are really so sweet! xGloria
It’s a very nice site. Thank you for promoting food from Greece. I’m collecting recipe blogs. Have a look. I’m going to put yours on too.
The slime on the skin of a fish is a sign that it is fresh. It dries out once the fish has been dead for a while. The easiest way to get it off is to run the back of a butter knife across the skin, washing the slime off the knife with cold running water. Just dealt with a heap of the stuff filleting a 15-pound California halibut…
It looks so pink and pretty inside almost looks like a salmon. I love cooking fish on the grill, it looks perfect!
This so makes me ready for summer!! Beautifully done, as usual!!