How to Grill Fish in Parchment Paper

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Things You'll Need

  • Two 12-inch parchment paper squares

  • Olive oil

  • Two 4 to 6-ounce fish fillets

  • 2 lemon slices

  • Salt

  • Ground black pepper

  • Two 12 x 18 foil pieces

  • 1 cup vegetables

  • 1 tablespoon butter

  • ½ cup beer

Before cooking your fish in the oven or on the stove top, consider grilling fish in parchment paper. Grilled fish en Papillote is the name of this dish in French, which essentially means "in parchment paper." Cooking fish in parchment paper preserves the natural juices of the fish. The parchment paper keeps the fillets moist while locking in the flavors. Placing the parchment-wrapped fish in foil packets prevents the parchment paper from burning on the grill, and cooks the vegetables with your fish fillets.

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Step 1

Prepare the grill before cooking the fish. Fire up a charcoal grill, and let the coals burn for 30 minutes. Fire up all of the burners on a gas grill, and let the temperature rise to 400 degrees with the lid closed.

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Step 2

Cut one heart from each 12-inch parchment paper square. Fold each parchment paper in half lengthwise, and cut out two hearts as large as you can make them.

Step 3

Brush olive oil on each heart-shaped piece of parchment paper. Ensure that the olive oil spreads evenly on the paper.

Step 4

Add one fish fillet to each piece of parchment paper. Place a lemon slice on top of each piece of fish.

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Step 5

Brush olive oil over the fish. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Step 6

Place the fish on one side of the parchment paper. Fold the parchment paper heart over the fish. You want the paper to fold in half lengthwise. Close the edges of the parchment paper by rolling the edges of the paper toward the fish. This will create a sealed packet for your fish.

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Step 7

Make two 12 x 18-inch pieces of foil. Place the fish parchment packages in the middle of each piece of foil.

Step 8

Add vegetables to the foil packet. Recommended vegetables to cook with fish include potatoes, asparagus and onions. Add a tablespoon of butter to the vegetables.

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Step 9

Fold up the sides of the foil. This will create a box around the fish in parchment paper and the vegetables.

Step 10

Pour in ¼ cup of beer into each foil packet. Fold the opposite sides of the foil together to create a foil package that is completely sealed.

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Step 11

Place the foil package onto the direct heat of the grill. Once you hear the beer begin to boil, move the foil package to indirect heat. Move the coals to one side of the charcoal grill, and place the fish in parchment paper package to the side of the grill without charcoal. If you are using a gas grill, turn off one burner, and turn the other burner to medium. Place the fish on the turned-off burner, and close the lid on the gas grill.

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Step 12

Cook the fish for 20 minutes on the grill. The 20 minutes will begin once you start to grill the fish under indirect heat.

Step 13

Check the fish after it cooks for 20 minutes. The fish is finished grilling once it is completely opaque in color. If the fish is not finished cooking, carefully re-wrap the parchment paper and foil package and continue to grill the fish for 10 minute intervals until it is finished cooking.

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Step 14

Serve the fish immediately. Open the foil packets and remove the vegetables onto a plate. Place the fish wrapped in parchment paper directly on the plate. Guests can open the parchment paper when they are ready to consume the fish.

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