Name: Charcoal-Grilled Chilean Sea Bass Fillets
Total time: 50 min
Yield: Serves 4
Ingredients: 4 Chilean sea bass fillets, skinned, about 8 ounces each and 1 1/4 inches thick; Salt and ground black pepper; Nonstick cooking spray; vegetable oil; lemon or lime wedges for serving (optional)

Why This Recipe Works

When grilled at home, this popular restaurant fish can easily taste too fishy. For our grilled Chilean sea bass recipe, we wound up with firm, delicious fillets with crisp, seared exteriors by choosing fish of an even 1¼-inch thickness and treating them unlike any other fish—we grilled them thoroughly, until the entire fillet was opaque and fully cooked.

Instructions

Ignite about 6 quarts (1 large chimney, or about 6 pounds) charcoal briquettes and burn until covered with thin coating of light gray ash, 20 to 30 minutes. Spread coals over one half of grill bottom to create 2-level fire. Position grill rack over coals, cover grill with lid, and heat rack until hot, about 5 minutes. Scrape hot grill rack clean with wire brush.

Sprinkle fish generously with salt and pepper; spray both sides lightly with cooking spray. Dip small wad of paper towels in vegetable oil; holding wad with tongs, wipe grill rack.

Place fish directly over coals and grill until golden brown on first side, 4 to 5 minutes. Flip fish onto second side and continue to grill until golden brown on second side, 4 to 5 minutes longer. Move fish to cool part of grill and continue cooking until center of fillets is opaque and cooked through, 3 to 6 minutes longer. Serve immediately, with lemon or lime wedges if desired.