Chargrilled King George Whiting - The Secret to Non-Stick Grilling!
- Apr 23
- 4 min read
On the pursuit of refined seafood cooking, premium Australian fish have long been highly regarded. Among them, King George Whiting stands out for its delicate texture and distinctive flavour, making it a favourite among discerning diners. In this episode, BigBoy takes this ingredient outdoors, cooking it over charcoal and incorporating French-Japanese fusion elements to create a richly layered culinary experience.
What is King George Whiting?
Many people are misled by the Chinese name “King George Cod” and assume it belongs to the cod family. In reality, King George Whiting is not related to cod at all. It is more closely associated with the Sillaginodes family, commonly referred to as sand whiting.
It is primarily found in the coastal waters of southern Australia and is considered one of the region’s most iconic seafood ingredients. Compared to regular whiting, King George Whiting has a finer, more tender texture and a naturally sweet flavor. It performs exceptionally well across various cooking methods—pan-frying, steaming, deep-frying, baking, or charcoal grilling.
In Hong Kong, whole fresh fish is relatively rare, but imported chilled or frozen fillets are available through high-end seafood suppliers and online stores. It is generally positioned in the mid-to-high price range, making it a great choice for home cooks and restaurants seeking premium ingredients.
How to Prevent Fish from Sticking to the Grill
When grilling delicate, thin-skinned fish, one of the most common challenges is the skin sticking to the grill, causing the flesh to break apart. In this demonstration, BigBoy shares two practical techniques: First, apply a sufficient and even layer of oil to both the flesh and the skin, making sure it is well distributed. Second, preheat the grill thoroughly to a very high temperature—ideally heating it for at least 30 to 45 minutes until extremely hot.
By mastering these two steps, even a delicate fish like King George Whiting can achieve a beautifully crisp skin and intact flesh, without falling apart. The fish can be cooked to perfection without the need to flip.
A French-Japanese Fusion Creation
The highlight of this dish lies in its creative French-Japanese fusion approach. On one hand, fish bones are slowly simmered in a classic French technique to build a rich stock, enhanced with tomato paste, vegetables, and black pepper. On the other hand, Japanese elements such as miso, mirin, and sake are incorporated, adding deep umami to the sauce. The sauce is then finished with butter, giving it a smooth texture and glossy finish.
For the side dish, spicy garlic sesame oil broccolini is used, offering a subtle heat and refreshing crunch. It balances the richness of the fish while adding a hint of smokiness from the grill. The final dish is well-rounded in flavour, aroma, and presentation—perfect for entertaining guests at home or as a special weekend treat.
Charcoal-grilled King George Whiting not only showcases the excellence of Australian seafood, but also demonstrates how, with careful technique and creative fusion, restaurant-quality dishes can be achieved at home. Whether you are a barbecue enthusiast or new to fusion cooking, this dish is well worth trying. Recreate this tender and naturally sweet flavor, and enjoy a dining experience where charcoal fire meets the essence of the ocean.
Watch the video below now! Scroll down for more detailed text recipes and instructions.
Ingredients (serves 2)
Grilled Fish & Miso Butter Sauce
King George Whiting | 2 each |
Mussels | 400g |
Salt | to taste |
Cooking Oil | as needed |
Onion | 1 each |
Carrots | 1 each |
Parsley | few sprigs |
Whole Peppercorn | a few |
Tomato Paste | 1 tsp |
Mirin | 30 ml |
Sake | 80 ml |
Water | 800 ml |
Kombu | 5g |
Miso | 1 tsp |
Unsalted Butter | 15g |
Spicy Broccolini
Broccolini | 200g |
Bird's Eye Chilli | 1 each |
Garlic | 4 cloves |
Lemon Juice | 1 tbsp |
Sesame Oil | 1 tbsp |
Salt | to taste |
Steps
Preparation:
1.
Preheat the grill and heat the grates until very hot. At the same time, wrap the garlic in foil and roast until slightly softened.
2.
Soak the kombu in 800 ml of water until rehydrated. Cook the mussels in a pot until they open; reserve the mussel liquor, then remove the meat (keep a few whole in shell for garnish). Fillet the fish and keep the bones. Cut the onion and carrot into chunks. Finely chop the parsley, reserving the stems.
Miso Butter Sauce:
3.
Heat a pan over medium heat with some oil, then add the fish bones and sear until golden. Add the onion, carrot, parsley stems, and peppercorns. Cook until the vegetables soften, then stir in the tomato paste.
4.
Add sake and mirin, and cook until reduced by half. Then add the kombu soaking liquid and mussel liquor. Bring to a boil, then reduce to low heat and simmer until reduced to one-third.
5.
Strain the sauce, return it to the pan, then add kombu and miso. Cook until thickened, then finish with butter and mix well.
Spicy Broccolini:
6.
Lightly char the chilli on the grill, then remove together with the garlic. Pound them in a mortar, then mix with sesame oil, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt. Set aside.
7.
Blanch the broccolini in boiling water for 1 minute, then transfer to ice water. Pat dry and set aside.
Grilling and Assembling:
8.
Season the fish evenly with salt and brush with oil. Place the skin side down on the hot grill and cook until the skin is crisp and cook the flesh turns opaque, then remove and rest for 5 minutes.
9.
Season the broccolini with salt and oil, then grill together with the mussel meat until lightly charred. Remove from the grill.
10.
Finely chop the broccolini and mussels together, then mix with the prepared spicy garlic paste.
11.
Gently reheat the sauce.
12.
Spoon the sauce onto a plate, place the grilled fish on top, then add the spicy greens mixture. Garnish with a few whole mussels in shell and finish with chopped parsley. Serve immediately.
Comments