Get Grilling with Fish

Hot on the Grill: Get Grilling with Fish

Beyond the joke to “throw another shrimp on the barbie,” fish is largely an unsung hero when it comes to grilling. Since it’s not as common to American BBQ as beef, pork or even chicken, it’s often forgotten in indoor grilling, too. In truth, fish offers a whole world of different flavors when it comes to cooking on your electric grill. In this post, we’re kicking off our Get Grilling with Fish series, starting with three of the most common types you can incorporate into your weekly meal planning.

Shrimp

In the 90’s during a health trend to cut cholesterol-laden foods from the American diet, shrimp got pegged as being bad for you because of high levels of cholesterol. In truth, however, studies have shown that shrimp does not raise cholesterol or have any adverse affects.

As David Herber of the Center for Human Nutrition at UCLA put in an A2Z of Health, Beauty and Fitness article, “The American Heart Association acknowledged a long time ago that shrimp had been wrongly accused, but lots of people, including some doctors, still believe this myth.” The article goes on to list all of the nutritional benefits of shrimp – low in calories and fat with, “beneficial doses of omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B12 and niacin,” as well as minerals like iron, zinc and copper.

The possibilities with shrimp on the grill are practically limitless because it’s such a versatile food. You can do a simple marinade with lemon and pepper, a spicy rub with Cajun seasoning or simply grill them up and serve with a tangy BBQ dipping sauce. They take about 3-4 minutes to cook, so it makes a fantastic quick dish for the family, served alongside rice, noodles or your favorite mixed veggies. You can also do grilled shrimp with dipping sauce for an easy party platter that won’t pack the pounds on your guests.

Salmon

We’ve talked about this particular fish in a number of posts and newsletter articles, because it’s one of the best sources of omega-3 fatty acids you’ll find anywhere! A2Z Health, Beauty and Fitness states, “You won’t find a richer source. One 4-ounce serving gives you a whopping 2.1 grams of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids.” You can read more about the benefits of omega-3 in our recent To Your Health post.

In addition to the omega-3 benefits, salmon is low in calories, saturated fat and trans-fatty acids. According to SalmonFacts.org, “Salmon provides as much high-quality, complete protein as a mouthful of chicken, ground beef, pork or tuna.” The benefit of these high-quality proteins is to “help maintain an active metabolism, which plays an integral role in weight loss.”

Salmon on the grill can be done as a fillet or a steak. Without getting too technical, a salmon fillet is a thinner cut with all of the skin and bones removed. A steak is a thicker cut (usually about 1-inch thick). Typically in cooking, you see salmon used with a lot of fresh fruits like mango, apricot and lemon or with sauce like drizzled vinaigrette or chutney topping. Again, like shrimp, it’s extremely versatile in what you can do with it, so it makes a great addition to a healthy meal plan.

Tuna

The World’s Healthiest Foods sites tuna as “a truly nutrient-dense food.” It’s an excellent source of high quality protein and contains important nutrients including selenium, magnesium, and potassium, the B vitamins niacin, B1 and B6 and omega-3 essential fatty acids. Along with salmon, this fatty fish is an instant omega-3 benefit addition to any diet and can help with a slew of preventive health measures.

Cooking for both cuts of fish can be similar in the flavor profiles you use – fresh, clean and often fruity. However, tuna also works well in the bold and spicy flavor profiles with ingredients like wasabi, chili, peppercorns and hot sauces. If your family likes big, bold flavors, tuna may be a good choice for the menu plan because of this particular versatility.

Look for more great ideas to Get Grilling with Fish coming soon in future posts!

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