Soy Ginger Grilled Whole Black Sea Bass. Black sea bass is briefly marinated in soy sauce, lime juice, honey, sesame oil, fish sauce, ginger and garlic then grilled until flaky for an incredibly tender and flavorful fish dinner.

This whole grilled fish makes a stunning presentation for any special occasion, but is also simple enough to make for a more casual meal.

This post is brought to you as part of the Massachusetts Seafood Ambassador program led by Eating with the Ecosystem . It’s made possible by funding provided from commercial fishermen of MA from permit fees at no additional cost to the fisherman via Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries Seafood Marketing Grant Program.

What is black sea bass?

Black sea bass is a fish local to the New England, Mid-Atlantic and Southeast region of the US – basically from Maine to Florida. Black sea bass can also go by the names: black bass, rock bass, sea bass, blackfish and tallywag. According to NOAA, wild-caught black sea bass is a smart seafood choice and is sustainably managed and responsibly harvested. That means, it’s a fish we should regularly think about including in our diet and request and purchase at our local fish markets and grocers.

The raw flesh of black sea bass is translucent and white. When cooked, the flesh will turn opaque and bright white.

What does black sea bass taste like?

Black sea bass has a mild, clean, slightly sweet, moderately firm yet delicate flesh with a small flake. It’s an incredible tasting fish and is very versatile, so pairs well with a variety of flavors and cooking methods.

It’s typically sold as filets with the skin on, which should be descaled if you plan to eat the skin.

Or, you can purchase it whole, as I did here, which is often times less expensive than purchasing the filets. If you go that route, have your fishmonger gut and descale the fish so that all you have to do is season and cook it.

Don’t let cooking a whole fish intimidate you – it’s actually easier than you think! If I can do it, you can do it!

INGREDIENTS you’ll need:

• Whole black sea bass, gutted, descaled
• Scallions (you’ll use half for stuffing the fish cavity and half for topping the fish after grilling)
• Reduced-sodium soy sauce
• Lime juice
• Brown sugar
• Toasted sesame oil
• Fish sauce
• Ginger
• Garlic
• Black sesame seeds (optional)
• Lime wedges (for serving)

How do you make this grilled whole black sea bass?

1. Score both sides of the fish flesh with a knife. Depending on the fish size, you’ll want to make 3-5 evenly spaced 1/2-inch deep diagonal slits in the flesh. This will help the fish cook more quickly and evenly and will allow the marinade to soak into the flesh.
2. Stuff the cavity of the fish with scallions (and any extra ginger nubs or lime halves/wedges that you have). Add the fish to a ziplock bag.
3. Make the marinade by combining soy sauce, lime juice, brown sugar, sesame oil, fish sauce, ginger and garlic in a medium bowl. Whisk well. Pour all but 1/4 cup marinade into the ziplock bag with the fish and let marinade for 20 minutes at room temperature. Reserve the rest of the marinade for serving.
4. Preheat grill to high heat. Clean and oil the grates very well.
5. Remove fish from marinade and discard the marinade that the fish was in.
6. Place fish on grill. Cover. Reduce heat to medium high. Grill for 5-7 minutes, depending on size of fish. Flip and cook another 5-7 minutes until fish flakes easily and is opaque throughout – you’ll be able to see this through the slits. If fish is sticking to the grill, it’s not necessary to flip – simply turn the heat down a bit and let cook until fish is cooked through. Remove from heat.
7. Sprinkle fish with scallions and sesame seeds. Serve with lime wedges and reserved marinade.

When eating whole fish, don’t hesitate to use your fingers! You’ll need them to pick all the meat off the bone.

Looking for more black sea bass recipes?

• If you’d prefer to cook the filets versus the whole fish, we love this recipe for Black Sea Bass with Garden Salsa, especially in the summer months.
• Chrissy Carroll, a fellow Registered Dietitian, has an incredible recipe for Air Fryer Black Sea Bass with lemon and rosemary.
• Also, check out my colleague and fellow seafood lover, Craig Fear’s, roundup of 7 Black Sea Bass Recipes.

 

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