Say the words “grilled seafood” and we instantly imagine salty ocean air, smoke from a nearby charcoal grill, and the clink of ice cubes in a pitcher of sangria. All that is to say, grilled seafood is summer cooking at its finest. And to help you make the most of the season, we’ve put together some of our favorite grilled seafood recipes, from a whole fish extravaganzas to bivalves on the half-shell.
Grilled Oysters Two Ways
Our very own Culinary Creative Director Rhoda Boone brings us not one, but two different recipes for charbroiled oysters. The first, a New Orleans-style version, comes with oregano and grated parm, while a second Bloody Mary-style iteration is all about brunch-worthy toppings like Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco. Both involve plenty of butter, and both demand a frosty pilsner sipped alongside.
Seafood Paella
While not exactly grilled, paella is traditionally cooked outside in a huge pan—aka the Paella Pan—so we think it deserves an honorable mention here. This version marries Spanish-style dry chorizo with fresh shrimp and mussels for a gloriously fragrant, hearty dish with plenty of crispy, savory socarrat.
Grilled Cod with Achiote Marinade and Charred Scallion Vinaigrette
Brightness is the prevailing theme in this black cod recipe from Austin’s Chef Rick Lopez of La Condesa. Achiote—aka annatto—lends the fish a vibrant orange hue, and the final dish gets drizzled with an assertive yuzu-scallion vinaigrette. Perfect with hot griddled tortillas, avocado, and a glass of crisp white wine.
Blackened Red Snapper with Dirty Rice
Chef Amanda Turner of Austin’s Olamaie doubles the smoke factor with this whole grilled snapper recipe. Before tossing it on the Griddle, Chef Turner rubs the fish with blackening spice, which features prominently in Cajun and Creole cooking and creates a dark, fragrant, and richly smoky crust. The blend also shows up in an andouille-studded dirty rice, which serves as a bed for the finished snapper.
Grilled Redfish Zarandeado
In this smoky, spicy grilled Redfish recipe, butterflied whole fish is “shaken”—i.e. flipped back and forth using a wire fish basket—and served with a homemade tomatillo salsa. Like in Chef Rick Lopez’ cod with scallion vinaigrette, the fish here is marinated with achiote, giving it a rich orange-red color.
Spanish-Style Grilled Shrimp with Garlic Butter
Any dish that involves mopping up garlicky butter with toasted bread is a win in our books. In this tapas-inspired dish, tail-on shrimp get a quick sear on the Carbon Steel Griddle before being drizzled with the aforementioned garlic butter. We like to enjoy these simply with a squeeze of lemon and flaky salt, though a crisp salad or some grilled vegetables would be lovely as well.
Ready to Cook?
From delicate filets to East Coast oysters, any seafood cooked on the grill feels like a treat. Each of these recipes helps you maximize the clean, fresh flavors of quality seafood, keeping things easy by allowing you to prep most components on the grill.
Before you light up your coals, though, you may want to consider upping your grill equipment game. Tools like our Carbon Steel Grill Frying Pan, Carbon Steel Griddle, and Fish Basket make for easier and more consistent grill cooking, and are versatile enough to use indoors as well.
