Here’s how to make grilled halibut: one of the best ways to cook this fish! This halibut recipe makes it perfectly tender and charred.
Got a great piece of halibut? Try this deliciously tender Grilled Halibut! This method is no fail, and makes a tender, juicy, charred piece of fish. Spritz with lemon juice and sprinkle with a little smoked salt, and it’s out of this world! This halibut recipe makes us fondly remember our time in Alaska with family, where high-quality fresh halibut is readily available. Serve with truffle aioli if you like: or just a big pile of grilled veggies.
Ingredients for this grilled halibut recipe
Halibut is a popular white fish with firm, meaty flesh and mild, slightly sweet flavor. Halibut is expensive because it is rare: wild populations are struggling to compete with demand. Depending on the location, it can cost between $20 to $40 per pound. For that reason, we eat halibut as an occasional treat: or fresh caught when we’re in Alaska. If you’re lucky enough to have a great piece of halibut, the grill is a fantastic way to prepare it. Here’s what you’ll need for this halibut recipe:
- Skin-on halibut fillets: Fresh or frozen and thawed
- Olive oil & salt: You’ll just need a bit for rubbing and sprinkling.
- Smoked salt: Adds great flavor! If you don’t have it, use flaky sea salt instead
- Lemon wedges: A few spritzes add brightness
- Herbs, for garnish: Chives, basil or fresh parsley work well
How to grill halibut
This grilled halibut recipe calls for placing the fish fillets directly onto the grill grates: not foil! This infuses the best charred flavor into the fish (foil which blocks some of the flavor absorption). Here’s the basic idea for how to grill halibut:
- The temperature for grilled halibut? Medium high heat, or 375 to 450 degrees. Medium high heat makes for a perfectly cooked piece of fish. While you can cook at high heat and then finish at lower heat, we like the ease of grilling at one temperature.
- How long to cook grilled halibut? Cook for 3 to 4 minutes skin side up until grill marks form and the flesh starts to release from the grates. Flip and cook another 3 to 4 minutes skin side up until flaky. Insert a meat thermometer in the thickest part of the fish: it should read 135 degrees Fahrenheit.
Sauces to add
This grilled halibut recipe is delicious as is: tender and charred, with a straightforward lemon flavor. Want to step it up a bit? Add a sauce! You can make a dipping sauce, or a sauce that covers the entire fish. Here are a few to try:
- Aioli: Try this Truffle Aioli as a quick and easy dipping sauce
- Remoulade or tartar sauce: This Remoulade or Tartar Sauce are ideal dipping sauces for fish
- Lemon dill sauce: Use this Dill Sauce as a drizzle right over the halibut
- Butter sauce: This Lemon Butter Sauce or Lemon Caper Sauce are also ideal for drizzling over fish
Sides to serve with grilled halibut
Got your fillets of grilled halibut? Let’s make it a meal! There are so many great sides to pair with this halibut recipe: especially those you can make on the grill! Here are a few ideas for making a meal:
- Grilled vegetables like these Best Grilled Vegetables (pictured)
- Grilled corn like Perfect Grilled Corn, Elote or Corn in Foil
- Grilled green vegetables like Grilled Asparagus, Grilled Green Beans, Grilled Broccolini, or Grilled Broccoli
- Salads like Corn Salad, Cucumber Salad, Potato Salad, or Green Bean Salad
- Slaws like Coleslaw, Cilantro Lime Slaw or Broccoli Slaw
- Desserts like Grilled Apples a La Mode, Grilled Bananas or Grilled Pineapple
More grilled fish recipes
Grilled fish always hits the spot! Try these other grilled fish recipes to add to your arsenal:
- Try amazing Easy Grilled Salmon
- Opt for Easy Grilled Tilapia or Perfect Grilled Cod
- Try Grilled Red Snapper
- Make Best-Ever Grilled Tuna Steak
This grilled halibut recipe is…
Gluten-free, dairy-free and pescatarian.
PrintGrilled Halibut Recipe
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Description
Here’s how to make grilled halibut: one of the best ways to cook this fish! With this recipe it comes out perfectly tender and charred.
Ingredients
- 1 pound halibut
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Smoked salt, for garnish (optional; or flaky sea salt)
- Lemon wedges, for garnish
- Chopped herbs (we used basil and chives), for garnish
- Truffle aioli, for dipping (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat a grill to medium-high heat (375 to 450 degrees Fahrenheit).
- Pat halibut filets dry. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with the kosher salt and fresh ground pepper.
- Cook directly on grates for 3 to 4 minutes skin side up, until grill marks appear and flesh starts to release from the grates. Flip and continue cooking another 3 to 4 minutes until flaky, or internal temperature reaches 135 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Sprinkle with smoked salt and chopped herbs. Squeeze with a lemon wedge directly before serving. If desired, serve with truffle aioli for dipping.
- Category: Main dish
- Method: Grilled
- Cuisine: Seafood
- Diet: Gluten Free
Keywords: Grilled halibut, grill halibut, halibut on the grill, how to grill halibut, grilled halibut recipe
Let us know if you have any questions!
★★★★★
Hello,
Love your site!!! How would we cook this without skin?
Xoxo
Shaide
Hi! The timing should be the same without skin, just start with the smoothest side face down.