The United States Department of Agriculture says twice a week, make seafood the protein on your plate. Increase the amount and variety of seafood consumed by choosing seafood in place of some meat and poultry.
-Preheat grill on HIGH 10 min (if using charcoal grill, HIGH is barely gray coals with ash)
-Measure and prepare all ingredients; have ready to add.
-Drizzle both sides of seafood to lightly coat with basting oil. (Drizzling instead of brushing avoids contact with raw product and helps prevent cross-contamination.)
-Clean grill with wire brush. Using soft cloth, coat grill grate lightly with vegetable oil. A faint smoke indicates grill is ready. To prevent flare-ups, make sure oil doesn’t drip into flames.
-Adjust heat (MEDIUM or LOW usually best for seafood).
-Grilling times for finfish are generally 3-4 minutes per side for fish 1 inch or less in thickness, 5-6 minutes per side for fillets greater than 1 inch thickness and kabobs should be cooked about 2 minutes per side.
-Cook until the center turns from translucent to opaque.
-Remember: The fish will continue to cook for a few minutes after it is removed from the grill, so be sure not to overcook.
-To grill shellfish, a grill basket will give the best results.
-For great tasting shrimp, grill with the shells on, turn once and continue grilling until flesh is white, about 2-3 minutes total. Grilled lobster tails do not need to be turned, but meat is cooked when opaque and shells are a vivid red.
-Transfer seafood to clean platter and let rest at least 2 minutes.
I am a registered dietitian with the National Fisheries Institute, so fish is my nutrition forte. I earned my BA in Communication from Southwestern University, just outside of Austin, TX. During college, one of my very favorite evening outings was a leisurely trip to the grocery market. My passion for food was undeniable, so I combined both of my interests by earning my MS in Nutrition Communication from Tufts University in Boston, MA. As well as my Registered Dietitian (RD) credential through the University of Delaware.
Beyond reading scientific studies about docosahexaenoic acid and selenium, I love to entertain, travel, watch reality TV, grill outdoors, and go to spin class. I live in Kailua, HI on the island of Oahu where my husband serves as a US Marine Corps JAG.
People in Hawaii eat more fish and shellfish than average, but over 80 percent of typical Americans don't eat seafood at least twice per week. Doctors and dietitians like me say that's the goal, so BlogAboutSeafood is here to show you just what plenty of seafood looks like in an RD's real-life diet.
Photo by Marco Garcia
