Tips to successfully grilling shellfish, dished up by nationally best selling seafood cookbook author, Evie Hansen of National Seafood Educators. These tips are an accumulation of consumer questions directed to Evie as she has lectured to seafood lovers nationwide. Discover more tips in Seafood Grilling Twice a Week.

• All shellfish are very low in fat so there is very little extra natural fat to baste the shellfish while cooking. They will over cook quickly. Closely monitor  the grill temperature and the time the food is on the grill rack to prevent  excess moisture loss.
  

• Pre-heat grill to medium high.
  

• Pat shelled shellfish very dry with a paper towel.  The drier the shellfish the quicker the sear marks will form.
  

• Place shellfish in a single layer on a tray lined with paper towel.  Set on counter for 10 minutes to air dry. Increasing the meats internal temperature before grilling will diminish excess moisture loss.
  
  
• Use tongs to turn shellfish.  They provide a better grip and will not pierce the shellfish meat which results in moisture loss.
  
  
• Keep shellfish from falling into the fire by using a fine wire mesh rack or heavy duty aluminum foil poked with small holes to allow smoke through.
  
  
• Read the label on scallops and buy “unsoaked” products that contain NO added moisture. FDA requires labeling for moisture additives such as sodium tripolyphosphates (STP).  Soaked products will not dry out enough to make beautiful grill marks or a golden brown crust. 
  
  
• Leave the shell on shrimp, oysters, and clams when grilling to provide a natural heat barrier and retain more moisture and flavor.  Shell-on shellfish are a delicious and a fun mess especially at a beach picnic. 
  

• Carefully brush shelled shrimp with seasoned oil or spicy marinade while grilling to add more flavor and retain moisture. Or. Spray non-alcoholic seasoned liquid such as hot-sauce fused water over shellfish while grilling.  
  
  
• Shell-on or off shrimp are cooked when they just turn bright pink.
  
  
• Live clams, oysters and mussels in the shell are cooked just when the shell lid pops open.  Remove from grill and gently pry off shell and top with hot sauce or salsa.
  
  
• Thaw frozen lobster tails. Cut soft undersell of tail up the middle with sharp knife or kitchen sheers.  Thread two soaked wooden skewers through tail to keep from curling while grilling. Stuff seasoned butter into shell opening and lay shell on grill rack with cut side up. Cover lobster with metal lid or aluminum foil.
  
  
• If King or Snow crab legs have a red shell, it’s already cooked.  You are only warming it up so use low heat.  To warm and season crab legs cut through the middle of the soft underside of crab leg.  Lay shell on grill rack with cut side up. Spoon or pour seasoned butter into cut. Cover crab with metal lid or aluminum foil.
  
  
• Grill once-eat twice.  Restaurants pre-plan and grill extra fish and shellfish for salads, sandwiches or chowders. 

© Seafood Grilling by Evie Hansen.  Published by National Seafood Educators.

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Your doctor, dentist and dietitian have told you to eat more seafood.

Grilling is a fun time to get started! Whether you are a seasoned professional or a beginner at grilling, there are always ways to enhance the flavor of your experience. Nationally best selling seafood cookbook author, Evie Hansen, of National Seafood Educators, has compiled a list of tips to make your seafood grilling twice a week a breeze. These tips are an accumulation of consumer questions directed to Evie as she has lectured to seafood lovers nationwide. Discover more tips in Seafood Grilling Twice a Week

• High-fat, skin-on fish such as salmon, trout, and bluefish are easier to grill. The natural fat found in fish will keep the meat moist and the skin acts as heat barrier.
  

• Low-fat fish such as cod, tilapia and halibut will not dry out as quickly if they have their skin on and are marinated and basted while grilling.
  

• Steak fish such as mahi-mahi, ahi tuna and swordfish have very lean, dense textured and firm fleshed meat.  Restaurants typically grill these species medium-rare reaching an internal temperature range of 95°F. to 120° F.
  

• Handy seafood grilling tools are a very thin bladed spatula, tongs and instant read thermometer. 
  

• Wrap fish with thin wood wraps, lettuce, cabbage or tie leaves to retain moisture and make a dramatic plate presentation.
  

• Top grilled fish with thinly sliced pre-cooked vegetables like sweet onions and or bell peppers to help retain more moisture.
  

• Pre-heat grill so there are two rack temperature levels; high and medium high.  Start grilling on high heat to make attractive sear marks on your fillet. Move meat to medium high heat, close lid or tent fish with heavy duty foil for more smoke penetration.
  

• Lightly coat both sides of fish with canola oil or other high-temperature oil to prevent fish from sticking on the grill rack. 
  

• F.D.A. suggests cooking fish until internal temperature of thickest part of the meat reaches 145°F.  Another cooking gauge is the 10 minutes per inch of thickness rule.  Combine temperature and time for perfectly grilled fish. 
  

• Grilling time and temperature are affected by a number of variables, only some of which are in your control.  The wind, humidity, air temperature and internal temperature of uncooked fish will influence and alter when your fish is cooked.
  

• Remember how Julia Childs taught us to cut up a whole chicken to save money?  During seasonally abundant Wild salmon and albacore tuna harvest, cut whole fish into steaks, fillets, loins and roasts.  Label and freeze for future grilling. 
  

© Seafood Grilling by Evie Hansen.  Published by National Seafood Educators, 2008

www.seafoodeducators.com