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 with sticking, Unfortunately, even though I basted the fish with the marinade three times per side (about every 4 minutes), the flavor still didn't seem to soak fully into the meat. I appreciate any thoughts on future improvements, that or just enjoy the pictures! My thoughts: Next time, I think I'll go with a dry rub with more salt and flavorings, then present the sweet and acid flavors as a sauce. I think I'd also precook the fish, probably either via deep frying or basted with hot oil. The recipe I used: Get a 4.5 pound catfish. Kill and clean it. Cut slits into the flesh at about 1" intervals, clean to the bone. Heat the following over medium heat: 12 oz sweetened coconut milk 3 tbsp peanut butter 3 tbsp minced ginger 1 tbsp salt 3 tbsp honey or brown sugar Remove marinade from heat and add the following: 2 tbsp sliced scallions 1/4 cup sliced basil 1 medium habanero or thai chile (about 1.5 tbsp) 2 tbsp sriracha (rooster) sauce Allow marinade to cool. Find a really big bowl or waterproof plastic bag. Put the fish in the bag. Marinate for 3 hours in the fridge (take it out for the last hour to let it come up to temperature and promote even cooking). Heat grill. Rub lots of canola oil all over the grate. Put the fish on the grill. Flip every minute or so. Drizzle oil on the fish before each flip to avoid sticking. Baste the fish with remaining marinade every third flip. Cook until internal temperature registers 130F. You may need to put the fish on the upper rack and let it bake over indirect heat to get the desired temperature. Once the temperature is right, remove from the heat and let rest until the internal temperature reaches 140F. Serve.
