Whenever I am in the Med, which is not often enough, my first restaurant stop has to be to get some grilled Mediterranean fish. I love it and the which fish is on offer really isn't important. Bream, sea bass, snapper... they all taste amazing cooked over a fire!
I’ve grilled a lot of things over the years, but fish on the barbecue? That’s a summer essential. And trust me, once you nail the technique, you’ll never go back to baking fish indoors again.
About this chargrilled Mediterranean fish recipe.
There’s something incredibly satisfying about grilling whole fish over fire. Whether it’s a meaty sea bass or a delicate bream, you can’t beat the smoky, charred flavour you get when flame meets skin. It’s primal. It’s fast. And it’s one of the best things you can cook on the barbecue—especially when the sun’s out and you’ve got a cold drink in hand.
I this recipe I will show you how to cook a whole fish over fire without leaving the delicious chargrilled skin behind. Once you've mastered that, you might like to whip up a good green goddess salad and/or smashed potatoes or loaded potatoes to go with it.
Jump to:
Why Bream, Snapper and Bass?
Before we get to the flames, let’s talk fish. When grilling whole fish, you want something firm, meaty, and with skin that can crisp up without falling apart.
My go-to choices:
- Sea Bream – Mild, slightly sweet, holds together beautifully.
- Sea Bass – A bit meatier, clean flavour, great with strong marinades.
- Snapper – A bit of both worlds. This fish is kind of a mix between the meatier sea bass and less meaty bream. Snapper can be a bit flaky so you really need to be careful when flipping it.
All of these are perfect sizes to serve whole—impressive on the plate, but easy enough to handle on the grill.
Ingredients
This is a simple recipe with few ingredients. The magic happens when you put them all together and grill the fish to perfection.
- Sea Bream
- Salt
- Garlic
- Lemon
- Lemon zest
- Oregano
- Scallions (Spring onions)
- Parsley
- Capers
- Lemon juice
- Olive oil
- Thyme
- Capers
- Black Pepper
See recipe card for quantities.
Step by step photos
Study the below photos and you will get perfectly grilled Mediterranean fish every time.
- Step 1: Scrape a knife down the skin on both sides of the fish to remove any excess moisture.
- Step 2: Using scissors, cut off the sharp fins on the top, bottom and sides of the fish. You can also slice off part of the tail fin.
- Step 3: Score the fish a few times on each side. Then rub about two minced cloves of garlic into the slits and season with salt all over including inside the cavity. You can also add a little black pepper inside the cavity.
- Step 4: Place the parsley, capers, lemon zest and thyme in a pestle and mortar.
- Step 3: Add the olive oil and lemon juice and mash it all up.
- Step 4: Leave a few tablespoons of this mixture in the mortar to drizzle over the fish later and stuff the rest with the sliced lemon inside the cavities of the fish.
- Step 3: Build a fire in your barbecue. The coals are hot enough to cook when it is uncomfortable to hold your hand 2 inches above the grate for longer than 2 seconds. Rub some oil onto the grill and place the fish on top.
- Step 4: Let the fish cook on one side for at least 7 minutes and do not turn them if they are still sticking to the grill. The fish will naturally come off the grill when the underside is cooked. If you force the fish when turning, the skin will stick to the grill and you will lose a lot of flavor.
- Step 3: Grill the other side of the fish until it naturally comes away from the grill. Again... do not force this.
- Step 4: Continue cooking until you are happy with the char and the fish is completely cooked through. The meat should be white and flaky and not at all translucent. You can check for doneness without disturbing the fish too much by checking the meat between the head and body.
- Step 3: Carefully transfer the grilled fish to a serving platter.
- Step 4: Enjoy!
Substitutions
Although I prefer to cook bream, sea bass and snapper for this Mediterranean fish recipe, other fish and seafood will work too. You can also vary the herbs and spices you use.
- Use other fish - Chargrilling almost any fish is the perfect way to do it. Even if you use skinless fish such as cod fillets, you still need to stick to the recipe when it comes to flipping the fillets. The fish will naturally release from the hot grill when a charred crust has formed.
- Herbs and spices - You can experiment with other herbs such as rosemary and cilantro (coriander). You might also like to use other spices other than salt and pepper. Dried chilli flakes are always a nice addition.
- Citrus - In the recipe you use lemon slices, zest and juice. You can also use limes instead.
Equipment
A BBQ: This is perhaps obvious. In my opinion, it is best to use a barbecue that has a lid. You can then close the lid while the fish is cooking which speeds up the process and keeps that delicious smoke in for flavor.
A sharp metal spatula: You do not want to force the fish to turn them or you will leave the skin behind on the grill. A good sharp metal spatula will help you move the fish around and test to see if the fish is ready to turn or not.
Storing you Meditorannean Fish Leftovers
You can store any leftovers in the fridge for up to 2 days. If you have large enough pieces, such as whole fish, you can reheat them in an air fryer or oven set to 400°F/200°C until heated through.
If you only have small pieces of leftover fish, you could tear the meat off and stir it into pasta or mix it with some mayonnaise to make a sandwich.
Final Thoughts...
Chargrilling Mediterranean fish is one of the easiest and most rewarding things you can do on a barbecue. Once you’ve done it a few times, it becomes second nature.
Whole bream, snapper and bass are perfect for this. They’re affordable, delicious, and look impressive when served up at the table. With just a few ingredients and a bit of flame, you can transform humble fish into something spectacular.
So light the coals, crack open a beer or whatever you like, and get grilling.
Top Tip
Ask your fishmonger to gut, scale, and clean the fish for you. Saves you time and mess.
FAQ
Yes but you don't need to rush out and buy one. Using my recipe below, you will get perfect chargrilled fish without a fish basket.
You won't have that problem with this recipe! Whole fish can take bold flavours. Don’t be shy with garlic, herbs, salt, citrus, and spice. Stuff the cavity and rub the skin.
Never flip the fish before it is ready or you will lose the skin. Let it cook for at least 5 minutes and probably closer to 8 minutes before carefully flipping it over. As the fish continues to cook, the opaque flesh will become white and the juices will run clear. If you have a meat thermometer, the fish should be 140°F/60°C in the thickest part of the fish.
You might also like to try some of these European dishes...
Recipe
Mediterranean Fish
You are going to love this chargrilled Mediterranean fish recipe. Once you get the skin right, you will never go back to baking your fish indoors!
Ingredients
- 4 x approx 1lb (500g) whole bream, bass or snapper
- 2 teaspoon flaky salt
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 lemon, halved and thinly sliced
- Zest of one lemon
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 3 sprigs thyme leaves
- 2 Scallions (spring onions), finely chopped
- 1 handful flatleaf parsley, roughly chopped
- 1 tablespoon capers
- Juice of one lemon
- 3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Scrape a knife down the skin on both sides of the fish to remove any excess moisture.
- Using scissors, cut off the sharp fins on the top, bottom and sides of the fish. You can also slice off part of the tail fin.
- Score the fish a few times on each side. Then rub about two minced cloves of garlic into the slits and season with salt all over including inside the cavity. You can also add a little black pepper inside the cavity.
- Place the parsley, capers, lemon zest, the remaining minced garlic and thyme in a pestle and mortar.
Add the olive oil and lemon juice and mash it all up. - Leave a few tablespoons of this mixture in the mortar to drizzle over the fish later and stuff the rest with the sliced lemon inside the cavities of the fish.
- Build a fire in your barbecue. The coals are hot enough to cook when it is uncomfortable to hold your hand 2 inches above the grate for longer than 2 seconds. Rub some oil onto the grill and place the fish on top.
- Let the fish cook on one side for at least 7 minutes and do not turn them if they are still sticking to the grill. The fish will naturally come off the grill when the underside is cooked and develops a charred crust. If you force the fish when turning, the skin will stick to the grill and you will lose a lot of flavor.
- Grill the other side of the fish until it naturally comes away from the grill. Again... do not force this.
- Continue cooking until you are happy with the char and the fish is completely cooked through. The meat should be white and flaky and not at all translucent. You can check for doneness without disturbing the fish too much by checking the meat between the head and body.
- Carefully transfer the grilled fish to a serving platter and drizzle with the remaining herb mixture.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 217Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 41mgSodium: 1354mgCarbohydrates: 8gFiber: 2gSugar: 2gProtein: 21g