Fish Skewers

Foolproof kabobs for fall cookouts

BY DANIELLE ROSE

After months of sweltering afternoons, daily thunderstorms, and the hum of overworked air conditioners, fall is here to offer us a little relief. It’s still plenty hot, but it doesn’t scorch. I’m swatting fewer mosquitoes and, for the first time in months, the idea of standing in front of a hot grill feels less like a chore and more like a reward. It’s time to enjoy the backyard and have a cookout.

Fish is my favorite thing to grill — but that wasn’t always the case. I’ve scraped dinner off grill grates more times than I care to admit. I’ve tried all the hacks. I used to have one of those baskets for grilling fish, and it was always a disaster. My method now is simple and foolproof. First, I make sure the grill is hot, scraped clean, and oiled. I choose thick, firm, meaty fish fillets like grouper, swordfish, tuna, or mackerel. They carry the flavor of a marinade, char nicely without drying out, and pick up lots of smoke and caramelization to enhance their flavor. And if I really want to guarantee my fish doesn’t fall apart, I thread generous chunks on skewers in between vegetables. The skewers provide structure and support, so they’re easy to turn and cook evenly.