If you’ve already read our previous blog regarding fish on the grill, you’ve already discovered that grilled seafood can be hard to perfect. From oddly-shaped shellfish to sticky salmon skin, there can be a few obstacles when it comes to seafood on the grill. The solution is in knowing what techniques and which grill tools can help you overcome them and assist you in cooking the perfect seafood dinner.

Tools of the Trade

These days, we’ve got a few options when it comes to grill gadgets designed for cooking seafood. Consider picking up any of these tools to make grilling seafood a little more fun and a lot more convenient:

• Himalayan Salt Seafood Rack – It’s a fact: seafood cooks wonderfully on a Himalayan Salt Plate! Naturally, we had to come up with a way to integrate the flavor and cooking power of the salt with the convenience of a seafood grilling rack. The result is this Himalayan salt plate which features carved indents across the surface to perfectly keep shrimp, scallops, oysters or whatever else you’re cooking in place. The plate can also be used for fish filets, or any other protein or vegetable by simply flipping it upside-down to use the flat side. Appetizers also work very well nestled in the cups that dot the plate’s surface.

CC6067 Himalayan Salt Plate
Product on White

• Flame-Friendly^® Ceramic Seafood Rack – Not only does this Flame-Friendly^® ceramic seafood rack look great, but it features a large cooking surface capable of grilling up shellfish by the dozen. In addition to its large capacity, the rack conducts heat evenly so that all your food cooks at the same rate. The sides of the rack feature handles for easy transport to and from the grill.

CC3808 Flame-Friendly^®
Seafood Rack
Product on White

• Steven Raichlen Seafood Rack – With the largest capacity of the three products, this seafood rack is designed to feed a small army with clams, mussels, oysters, or even stuffed mushrooms and artichokes. Its simple, lightweight design makes it perfect to take on the road anywhere you’d like to grill.

SR8071 Seafood Rack
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Types of Seafood and Applied Technique

Seafood is a broad category, but most types of seafood fall into a general subcategory. Let’s take a look at the different types and how they’re best cooked:

• Fish Filets – Filets are probably one of the more popular types of seafood being grilled. These pieces are removed from each side of the fish and cut into smaller portions for cooking. Fish filets are perfect for planking, cooking in foil, or simply directly on the grill grates.
• Shellfish – Clams, crab, oysters, shrimp, and scallops all taste amazing when grilled properly. While scallops and shrimp can be done directly on the grill, bivalves (clams, oysters, etc.) are best cooked on a rack suited for the job. These racks allow you to retain the flavorful juices inside by holding the shell upright so it doesn’t spill. Crab and lobster also fall into this category, and work just fine cooked directly on the grill grates over a nice hot fire.
• Invertebrates – This category includes species such as squid, octopus, and cuttlefish. These are best cooked after sitting in a mild brine and/or being tenderized with a meat mallet. In addition to this, gently simmering invertebrates in water for 45-90 minutes can also increase help to properly tenderize them before cooking. After tenderizing, try cooking them over a very hot fire so that the meat some takes on some nice char and stays tender.

If you love seafood as much as I do, then you absolutely must try it grilled. Check out this video at Chef Steps to learn how to shop for seafood. This way you’ll be sure you’re buying the freshest, most delicious seafood in the store.

Niki Gross

Niki is the Marketing Communications Manager for The Companion Group. She is responsible for marketing and communications strategies, from advertising to websites. She is a wife, mother, yogi, and lover of cheeseburgers, proper grammar and a strong work ethic!