Kevin Liu

Alright folks, here's the final report. I marinated/brined the fish (recipe below), then grilled it over medium-high heat on the grill. It took about 10 minutes direct heat and another 10 minutes indirect heat (the grill registered 350 degrees) to cook the fish through. The result: The flesh was delicious and sweet, but some parts ended up overcooked while the inner parts were a little underdone. The skin was definitely edible, but not unctuously crisp like seared salmon skin. I flipped every minute or so and drizzled canola oil on the fish each time I flipped, so I had very little problem

A quick update. Heidi, I think you might be right about the marinade not being able to penetrate. It makes sense, seeing as how fish are... you know... waterproof. On the other hand, catfish respirate through their skin... Anyway, I really want to get the flavor into the meat, so I decided to cut slices into flesh and pour a mixture over the fish and into the crevices. I went with an Asian theme - coconut milk, peanut butter, lime juice, lots of herbs, and plenty of salt to aid in penetration, and three types of spice, hoping capsaicin manages to sink in one way or another. Here are some pi

First post on eGullet - need your combined expertise! I bought a live (now dead) 4.5-pound farmed American catfish yesterday at the Asian store. I want to put it on the grill for the 4th. I don't like waste, so I definitely will be doing skin- and head- on. After running some tests with a practice fish last night, I've concluded some kind of marinade or brine is in order, probably something spicy, because the fish holds up well to strong flavors. My questions: Besides a well-cleaned, well-oiled grill, any tips on avoiding sticking? Any recommendations on marinade/brine ingredients or timing