Little by little, seafood is fighting ground against red meats on the coals. But as not all fish work, two chefs give their recommendations on the best grilled species and the tools and techniques needed to assemble a fonda with the flavors of the sea.
Another eighteen to stomp, lift kites, take an earthquake and of course, look like kings and queens while toasting. But come on, isn’t it time to innovate a bit and show some versatility in the treatment of embers? There are many possibilities, not only using vegetables, but also marine products.
Strange thing: Chile has a coastline 6,435 km long, with more than 1,100 species of fish, but of which only 56 are commercialized and with a per capita consumption of marine products of 14.9 kg per year, lower than the world average, which is 20 kilos.
The full side of the glass is that the figure represents an increase from the last record held in the matter. According to a study commissioned by Sernapesca in 2019, the average annual consumption per person has increased by 1.7 kilos in six years. Is that enough to say it’s on the rise?
At least for some connoisseurs, yes. One of the reasons behind this is immigration. “Our island and Caribbean brothers, above all, consume a lot of fish, while Peruvian gastronomy has also had a great impact”, explains Manuel Matamala, chef and specialist in national fish and shellfish. “Before, nobody ate ceviche, it was hardly known, but now it’s a star dish everywhere.”
Ignacio Ovalle, chef at seafood restaurant La Calma, agrees with Matamala. “The Peruvians made a big mistake with ceviche: they installed the idea that fish can be eaten raw, which we saw in Chile.”
But the Latin American influence is not the only one emerging in the country. “There’s a global trend to eat grilled fish,” says Ovalle. A preparation that is said to come mainly from southern Spain, where much of the marine production is usually eaten “espetada”, a style similar to lamb on a stick, where the fish is roasted in fillets or in open stalls, “on the book”.
This can also be seen in southern Chile with cancato salmon: large chunks of this fish on a stick, roasted at 45 degrees over some wood embers.
These are preparations, yes, which require a certain mastery of the grill. But there are friendlier options for those who don’t have a lot of mileage in those fights but want to try grilled fish. Here we review a few of them.
Grilled fried fish
Manuel Matamala is the third generation of fishmongers. It all started with his grandmother, when the Santiago fishing terminal did not yet exist. “All the seafood was sold in the Pérgola de las Flores”, says the chef. Years later she would have a small kitchen in the old Santiago fishing terminal: her name was Donde Doña María and they sold seafood breakfasts, such as seafood churrasco, fried fish , seafood pailas and other typical sandwiches. There, Matamala will take her first steps as a kitchen assistant.
His grandmother will be followed by his father, who in the 90s settled with the popular restaurant El Casino del Mar, to which personalities of the national and international jet set fell. “It was in Ricardo Arjona”, remembers Matamala, who incorporated all this experience in the work that today has him as a specialist in the field and in a television program that will soon see the light and where he will teach “on the national little-known fish and shellfish.”
The fishmonger is so anchored in his family DNA that Matamala’s barbecues are based on seafood. “We hardly eat any other meat, because the grilled fish is extraordinary. We’ve been doing it like this since I was a kid and I still do it today as an adult,” he comments.
Ignacio Ovalle is another who usually revels in the flavors of grilled fish and shellfish. “In Chile, we have all the resources to take advantage of it, but we waste them. Eating oysters, mussels and closed oysters roasted in their juice is a delight, but here it seems that if it is not fried, the fish does not exist”, he says. Fortunately, he acknowledges that this is slowly changing.
closed hake
Since September 1, the organic ban on common hake has entered into force , also known as fish. The determination prohibits the extraction of this resource between Coquimbo and Biobío, as well as the marketing, processing, storage and transport of the fresh product throughout the national territory until October 1.
It is, neither more nor less, the most consumed fish in the national territory, according to Sernapesca due to its high nutritional value and its price, more accessible to pockets in general. Why, then, is the prohibition of a fish that is part of traditional gastronomy only decided in September, at the time of national holidays?
Simple: protect the species during the period when its greatest laying occurs, ie the laying of eggs by the female. In this way, its reproduction can be safeguarded and a sustainable production guaranteed over time.
In any case, hake is not the ideal fish for grilling, as its flesh tends to fall apart easily. Specialists, on the other hand, opt for “fattier” and larger fish, which gives them more control over their handling and cooking time.
The alternatives for every grill
We consulted the specialists regarding their recommendations for each type of grill (charcoal, gas and electric). Here are your preferences:
coal
Ignacio Ovalle would become a barbecue purist. For him, the only alternative that exists is charcoal and firewood. “The others don’t give you the smoky flavor a roast should have,” he claims. As for the fish, he says that you should choose a large one, ideally no less than three kilos, because the small ones “dry up very quickly”. And it must be grilled whole, not just the fillet.
A safe alternative is the bar. Easy to make, even for those with less grilling skills. “You just remove the scales and leave the skin,” says Ovalle. To get dressed? “I’m classic: just sea salt and olive oil so it doesn’t stick. You have to know the taste of fish,” he says.
However, it is not closed to the use of fresh herbs, such as basil, dill, rosemary, sage or thyme, among others. The idea is to add them by making an opening in the “wadding” of the fish, so that they cook with the juice of the fish.

The albacore and conger medallions are also part of the chef’s proposals. But you need to make sure that they are thick, not less than four or five centimeters. To them Ovalle adds all the rock fish that can be found in the fishing terminal: the plump, the bilagay, the jerguilla, and above all, the old ones. “You have to make them complete, they are spectacular. His head is full of muscle, 50% of his meat is there.”
For his part, Manuel Matamala also relies on fish rich in fat, such as bonito tuna, “typical of the north, with red meat and very tasty”. At this time, in addition, the palometa begins to occur – also known as the Juan Fernández glass or lemon fish, in the north. “This whole fish is wonderful,” he says. The saw is another winning option.
“In Constitución, when you go to the creek, you always see the merchants with their braziers making a saw on the grill. It is made with salt and oregano. It’s not worth adding oil or anything because there’s a lot of fat,” he says.
gas
When the roast is in this format, Matamala’s preferred alternative is horse mackerel. “I take out the viscera, the gills, I hit three small slices on the back, I put salt and pepper and I throw it on the grill. The idea is not to remove the skin, because with the heat it becomes crispy, like a cookie, and gives it a lot of presence”, recommends the specialist.
How to Properly Clean the Grill Before and After Every BBQ
on electric grill
Not very popular with grills, as is the case with Ovalle, this device offers a possibility to those who, for lack of space, cannot have other types of grills. Its grace is that it offers a cuisine closer to the “grilled” style, which is why Matamala recommends opting for the pejegallo.
“It is ideal for children and grandparents, because it does not have thorns but rather cartilage. It is therefore super safe. Its meat is white and you can throw the fillets on the grill. When you take it out, you put the whole tail of a spring onion and a touch of soy sauce on it and it turns out amazing”.
Tools and other important details
One of the classic mistakes made when cooking a fish is to prepare only the fillets and forget about the rest of the body. According to connoisseurs, a lot of meat is wasted in this way, such as that found on the head which, contrary to what some mafiosos might think, turns out to be quite tasty. “The southern hake, for example, has a small triangular piece of meat on its chin called a cococha. It’s tender meat, super rich,” says Matamala.
Another mistake is removing the spine prematurely. “It’s like eating a boneless rib,” compares Ignacio Ovalle. The idea is for the fish to be completely grilled, and once it’s ready, remove the remaining pieces. In this sense, the backbone serves as an indicator that the fish is ready: when it is ready, it separates from the meat. Another sign, the color of its meat, “if it is transparent and very shiny, it is still raw”, warns Ovalle.
And what about fire? Ovalle recommends using a medium heat that allows the fish to cook evenly: something like 10 minutes per side, avoiding burning or overcooking.
Matamala, on the other hand, likes the temperature to be high, as it gives the skin a crispy effect. But for that you have to be very careful and roast in short time. “A fish, in general, should be ready in about 15 minutes; seven minutes on each side is enough”.
There are a series of elements, some more rustic than others, that make the work of the grill easier. One of them is the cancatera, which allows you to put the fish between two grids connected by hinges, in order to be able to turn the fish over and handle it more easily. They are becoming increasingly popular and you can already find them in retail.
Cancatera for Wayu fish

Aluminum is another alloyed material, which offers greater possibilities of preparation, for example, with vegetables and without losing the juice of the fish. “If I wanted to make a fillet of sole, I can put carrots, onion, leek, tomatoes, a little butter and a dash of white wine, and I make an envelope with aluminum foil. I throw it on the grill or on the coals and it’s very tasty,” says Matamala, who also uses newspaper as a barbecue utensil.
Mr. Beef Teflon Square Grill

“My uncle Roberto, may he rest in peace, made horse mackerel wrapped in newspaper,” he says. “When everyone finished their roast beef, they enjoyed the embers. The paper, for obvious reasons, must be very damp (otherwise it will quickly burn with the fish). It’s like putting it in an oven with a vector. When you take it out, you end up with a fish made with its own juice and it is unbeatably rich,” he says. There are tricks and fish for everyone.
Read more about roasts and grills in Practical
*Prices for products in this item are current as of September 12, 2022. Values and availability may change.
Source: Latercera

I’m Todderic Kirkman, a journalist and author for athletistic. I specialize in covering all news related to sports, ranging from basketball to football and everything in between. With over 10 years of experience in the industry, I have become an invaluable asset to my team. My ambition is to bring the most up-to-date information on sports topics around the world.