Cooking on the wild side: grilled dolphin

grilled dolphin
Fresh, grilled dolphin and sweet, white corn are delicacies best enjoyed outside on the deck as a summer afternoon gives way to evening.

Great tasting, readily available, grilled dolphin is hard to beat

July can get hot along the Carolina coast. The temperature reaches levels that have exposed metal surfaces acting like cooking grills. And the humidity becomes its partner in crime. About the only time to relax is in the evenings when the day cools, and it provides a fine time to enjoy kicking back on your patio or deck.

The only thing better than relaxing on your deck is to have some fresh fish cooking on a nearby grill. In July, the prime piscatorial candidate for that backyard grill is dolphin — the fish, not Flipper. The one served in just about every seafood restaurant as mahimahi.

If you’re going to venture out fishing during the heat of July, it’s only reasonable to bring back something good to eat. Dolphin are a key player on both sides of this. They are hard-charging, acrobatic and lots of fun to catch. Plus they are just as welcome sizzling on the grill as when sizzling line off your reel. This recipe is an easy way to tastefully prepare one of the favorite fish of summer.

Dolphin are plentiful off Carolina coastlines during summer

During the middle of summer, ocean waters off the Carolinas are plenty warm for many fish generally considered residents of the Gulf Stream. And one of the favorites is dolphin. They venture well inshore of the Stream. But dolphin rarely come all the way to the beach. Sometimes they follow baitfish to within sight of the beaches. But most of the time they stay just over the horizon in water that is at least a very clean green. This brings them in range of most center consoles, and they are prized catches.

Dolphin are one of the fastest-growing fish in the sea and are always hungry and ready to eat. One dolphin at the Monterey Bay Aquarium in California reached 39 pounds in a year. When something grows that quickly, it has to eat a lot. And that makes it easy to catch. It’s also nice that dolphin have a mild flavor that prepares well. That’s true for grilled dolphin, but also for frying or baking.

By July, summer has usually settled in, and the weather is stable and steady. Unless a weather system moves in, mornings begin calm, making it an easy run to the rocks and wrecks where dolphin hang out. The wind gradually builds during the morning to be just enough to prevent overheating while fishing. But it’s usually not enough to be rough. Typically, sometime between early and mid- afternoon, the sea breezes pick up to 10 to 15 knots. But they will remain as comfortable as a following sea for the ride home.

A tropical flair makes this grilled dolphin dish zing

It is no wonder that dolphin are summer favorites. With the combination of their willingness to bite, being found fairly close to the beach, and highly acrobatic and energetic fights, they have the whole gamefish package. Add in the good, summer weather and that dolphin makes excellent table fare, lending themselves to numerous ways of preparation. So it’s no wonder dolphin are at the top of most fishermen’s list of favorites.

This recipe is an interesting and tasty way to enjoy dolphin, and it gets you out of the house except for making the marinade. A July evening on the deck, with fresh dolphin cooking on the grill and laughter from the tales of catching them is about as good as it gets. Try some tropical grilled dolphin the next time you make the trip and have fresh fillets. You’ll have to provide the Caribbean music, but that’s all you’ll need to add to create a festive island atmosphere in your own back yard.

Grilled dolphin

Just about everyone who likes to eat fish likes dolphin, aka  Mahimahi, as the restaurants like to call it. It has a mild flavor and can be cooked in a variety of ways. This recipe was developed as an easy way to give the flaky meat an island, citrus flavor without being too sweet or too tart. It also serves as a fun presentation. The pineapple chunks often convince those, young and old, who are certain they won’t like it, to give it a try.

Cutting the fillet into smaller pieces is intended to help get the marinade distributed through the meat. However, the smaller pieces are also less intimidating than a big piece, and even non-believers will agree to try a small piece. Once someone gets a taste, it often becomes like Lay’s potato chips — you can’t eat just one. There are rarely any leftovers, as the pieces invite you to eat just one more.

Not that dolphin needs any tenderizing, but the juices, which really were added for their flavor, combine to also tenderize the meat. You have to be careful handling it on the grill or it will fall apart. It becomes so tender while cooking that a fork won’t work unless it is overcooked badly. What is needed are a spatula and tongs.

Don’t overcook it!

This dish is best when served barely done. If you’re one of those folks who likes their fish overdone and tough as shoe leather, this marinade will also make it a very tasty, but tough, fillet. I really recommend eating this as lightly done as you can handle. The meat should change color and flake, but that’s all.

One of the pleasant surprises with this is the other uses for the leftover marinade. My favorite is to flavor corn that will be grilled with it. The directions suggest brushing it on the corn and then grilling it. However, if there is enough marinade left, totally submerge the corn in it for a few seconds and then put it on the grill immediately. Several people have said they really like the fish, but the corn is something special. It will probably work with yellow corn too, but I have always done it with sweet, white corn.

This recipe absolutely is best with fresh dolphin you caught earlier the same day. It is also at its best prepared and served on your deck or patio as the late afternoon dissolves into early evening. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS:

1 to 2 pounds dolphin fillets

Himalayan pink salt

Coarse ground black pepper

Marinade ingredients:

1/4 cup frozen pineapple-orange juice concentrate

2/3 cup pineapple chunks

1/3 cup pineapple juice (from chunks)

1/4 cup chicken broth

1/8 cup ketchup

2 teaspoons soy sauce

1 dab of squeeze ground ginger

3 to 4 drops Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon grenadine

PREPARATION:

Wash fish and remove any red meat. Pat dry with paper towels. Cut fish into pieces approximately 2 inches square. Mix all marinade ingredients in bowl. Marinate fish in Ziploc bag with all air removed for 30 minutes to an hour. Preheat grill to medium heat. Place fish on grill pan and sprinkle fish to taste with fresh ground pink salt and pepper.

Cook over medium heat for about 6 to 8 minutes; the time depends on grill heat. Turn and baste with sauce. Cook on second side until fish is done to personal preference. Be careful not to overcook. Serve immediately when removed from grill. This is especially good served with fresh, sweet, white corn on the cob that is also cooked on the grill. I like to brush the corn liberally with the leftover marinade before cooking. It definitely adds something to the corn. A green salad or lettuce wedge and light bread complete the meal. If you would like to add dessert, key lime pie is an excellent choice.

About Jerry Dilsaver 1168 Articles
Jerry Dilsaver of Oak Island, N.C., a full-time freelance writer, is a columnist for Carolina Sportsman. He is a former SKA National Champion and USAA Angler of the Year.