Cook Your Fish On The Griddle For More Flavorful Results

You may already know that griddling is great for hot dogs, hamburgers, and steaks, and it's even a solid way to cook up breakfast for a crowd. But according to Juan Cabrera, executive chef at The Restaurant at North Block, firing up your griddle is also one of the best ways to make the most flavorful fish. "Using [a] griddle to cook fish is recommended and very efficient, especially if you are doing a large amount of fish," Cabrera told Food Republic in an exclusive interview. "You can control the heat at a better, even level as the even surface offers a more consistent cook as well as a beautiful sear and crust. It yields a perfectly crisp sear and beautiful golden color with tender meat and more [moisture] in your fish."

When choosing the type of fish to cook up on your griddle, Cabrera recommended reaching for one that is firm and meaty. "When I lived in Hawaii, we used a lot of tuna, swordfish, and mahi-mahi on the griddle," he said. "They were perfect for it and were always consistent." If you're considering a flakier variety, like flounder, sole, or tilapia, Cabrera cautioned against griddling them since they can easily fall apart. Instead, he suggests saving those for a fryer.

Cooking fish on a griddle is fairly straightforward, but Juan Cabrera had a few tips for success. First, he suggested being mindful about the oil that you choose to use. "Avoid using a low-quality oil and instead use a high-smoke point oil (my go-to is grapeseed oil)," he said. If you don't have grapeseed oil handy, avocado oil and safflower oil are two others that may work well — both also have a high smoke point and are considered neutral.

Next, Cabrera recommended using high heat to cook the fish. "Avoid having the heat too low. You will end up with the fish sticking and not creating [an] even sear with a golden color," he said. "I like to keep the temperature between 400 [degrees] Fahrenheit to 450 [degrees] Fahrenheit for a fast sear." Then, once the fish is on the griddle, Cabrera says it's important to let that high heat do its work and to avoid moving the fish before it has the ideal sear. If you're not sure when it's done cooking, you can use a thermometer, of course. Or, if you don't have one, you can always keep a knife handy as a hack for testing doneness.