Grilled or Barbecued Bonito Recipe

“For those who want to grill or barbecue Atlantic Bonito without drying them out, I’m sharing tips on how to cook them in their most delicious form. If you want to enjoy a tasty grilled/barbecued fish, a few key points are enough to consider.

The biggest difference between grilling and barbecuing is the heat they provide. Generally, grilling offers higher heat (around 200-260 degrees), while barbecue is ideal for slower cooking, with the added aroma from charcoal. Assuming you’re using a healthy barbecue technique, I mean not when all the coals are burning fiercely but when they start to ash, and you cook the fish without burning.

The most crucial point is to leave the bonito slightly moist without drying. Hence, cooking times matter. Factors like the type and temperature of the grill, the fire of the barbecue, the distance between the grill grate and the barbecue fire, the size of the fish, and the thickness of the meat will affect the cooking time. When the fish turns opaque, you’ll know it’s cooked, and then you flip it. The cooking time after flipping is about 3-4 minutes shorter.

Another key point is to brush the fish with oil and add flavor during cooking. While the bonitos are cooking, we brush each side with a mixture of olive oil and rosemary. This way, the fish won’t dry out, and the fantastic aroma of rosemary will infuse into the fish. After the fish is cooked, brush the top sides with the prepared sauce one more time before placing them on the serving plate.

If you’re grilling, make sure the fire isn’t too high; you can place the fish when the coals are starting to ash. Atlantic Bonito is an oily fish, and with the addition of olive oil during cooking, high heat can cause flare-ups. After igniting the barbecue, you can normalize the fire by initially roasting peppers, onions, or tomatoes, then placing the fish on the barbecue. The face of a medium-sized bonito cooks in about 13-14 minutes on one side. After flipping, 8-10 minutes are sufficient.”

Mangalda pişirecekseniz ateş çok yüksek olmasın, közlerin artık küllenmeye başladığı anda yerleştirebilirsiniz. Palamut yağlı bir balıktır, ayrıca pişirme sırasında zeytinyağı süreceğimiz için ateş yüksek olursa alev alabilir. Mangalı yaktıktan sonra ateşin normalleşmesi için önden biber, soğan veya domates közleyebilir, balıkları daha sonra mangala yerleştirebilirsiniz. Mangalda orta boy bir palamutun bir yüzü 13-14 dk gibi sürede pişer. Çevirdikten sonra ise 8-10 dk yeterlidir.

“The high heat from the grill means the fish will cook faster. After placing the bonitos, one side will likely cook within 9-11 minutes. Use a brush or spoon to apply the olive oil-rosemary mixture and flip the bonitos. Another 6-8 minutes are sufficient for the other side to cook.