2-3poundrainbow troutboned and cleaned (butterflied)
2tablespoonsolive oil
2tablespoonsunsalted buttermelted
½teaspooncoarse sea salt
½teaspooncoarse black pepper
1-2clovesgarlicminced
1tablespoonfreshly squeezed lemon juice
Zest of 1 lemon
Several slices of lemonoptional
Several sprigs of fresh thymeor your favorite fresh herbs - dill or tarragon also go nicely
Instructions
Heat the grill to high heat.
Meanwhile, rinse trout and pat dry. Place a few sheets of aluminum foil on your work surface and drizzle a bit of olive oil on the foil, then place the trout on top.
Open up the trout and drizzle with a bit of olive oil. Use your fingers or a pastry brush to spread evenly over the flesh.
In a small bowl, combine melted butter, salt, pepper, minced garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, and the leaves of two sprigs of thyme.
Spread the seasoning mixture over the trout.
Place a few slices of lemon over one side of the trout and fold close. Wrap the trout loosely with the foil to make a packet.
Cook the foil packet over high heat on the grill, flipping after 3-4 minutes. Cook for another 3 minutes.
You can finish cooking the trout within the foil packet; cook until the flesh is opaque and flakes apart easily with a fork. Alternately, open up the foil packet and fold open the trout. Carefully flip the trout, flesh side down, on the hot grill for 1-2 final minutes to create a little browning and some pretty grill lines.
Serve trout immediately with grilled lemon slices and fresh herbs for a beautiful presentation.
Notes
Storage:Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 1-2 days.Notes:Whole trout can be grilled with heads on or off. If purchasing trout from a grocery store, be sure they are fresh. The grocery store will often debone and clean the fish for you.Run a knife firmly against the scales from tail toward the head to remove them - this isn’t necessary, but typically preferred if you plan to eat the skin of the trout.If you’d like to skip the foil packet, grill the trout directly on the skin - you may need to move the trout to a cooler part of the grill to finish cooking. I would recommend lightly brushing the grates of the grill with olive oil if you’ll be cooking directly on the grill. You can also use this recipe, create the foil packets, and then place them on a baking sheet and bake them in the oven. Cook for 10-12 minutes in a 400°F oven.