This recipe is taken directly from Weber’s recipe library: Halibut with Grill-Roasted Lemon and Caper Dressing on weber.com. It pairs plainly seasoned fillets with a dressing made from lemons that have been charred on the same grill. Weber’s page gives the fish a visual doneness cue rather than a temperature, so this write-up adds the FDA’s internal-temperature guidance for fish alongside it. It is a summary of a published recipe, not a first-hand test.
Weber lists 4 servings, about 15 minutes of prep and 10 to 14 minutes on the grill, with gas, charcoal and wood pellet grills all shown as suitable fuels.
Ingredients
For the dressing
- 4 lemons, divided
- 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 tablespoon capers, drained
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the rub
- 1 teaspoon onion flakes
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh dill
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
For the fish
- 4 skinless halibut fillets, each 6 to 9 ounces
- Extra-virgin olive oil for brushing
Method
- Set the grill up for direct cooking over high heat, 525-575°F (about 274-302°C; Celsius figures in this article are my own conversions).
- While it heats, slice about 1/3 inch off both ends of each lemon, then cut each lemon in half lengthwise. Brush the cut sides lightly with 1 tablespoon of the oil.
- Grill the lemon halves over direct high heat with the lid closed until nicely browned, 4 to 6 minutes, turning once. Take them off and let them cool. Put 2 lemons (4 halves) aside for garnish.
- Squeeze the other 4 halves through a fine-mesh strainer set over a small bowl, discarding the rinds and any seeds. Weber says to expect about 1 tablespoon of juice. Whisk in the capers and the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil, then stir in the chives, salt and pepper. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
- Mix the onion flakes, dill and 1/2 teaspoon sea salt in a small bowl.
- Brush the halibut generously on both sides with oil, then season both sides with the rub.
- Grill the fillets over direct high heat with the lid closed, turning once, for 6 to 8 minutes, until the flesh is opaque in the center but still moist. Remove them from the grill.
- Whisk the dressing once more, spoon it over the warm fish, and serve the reserved grilled lemon halves on the side.
Checking Doneness: the Weber Cue and the FDA Number
Weber’s cue is that the flesh is opaque in the center but still moist, after 6 to 8 minutes with one turn. Fillets vary in thickness, and the page gives a weight range of 6 to 9 ounces rather than a thickness, so the time is a guide.
The FDA’s seafood safety page says most seafood should be cooked to an internal temperature of 145°F, which is about 63°C. It adds that if you do not have a food thermometer, fish is done when the flesh separates easily with a fork. A food thermometer is how you confirm the 145°F figure, and the fork test is the fallback the FDA offers; treat the FDA’s number, not the recipe’s time range, as the safety benchmark.
One thing to know if you read across Weber’s recipes: its Basic Grilled Salmon page ends with a lower internal temperature of 135°F, and its salmon recipes mention medium-rare ranges. The 145°F figure above is the FDA’s guidance for most seafood, and it is the number this article follows. If you choose to cook to a lower temperature, that is a decision to make knowingly, not one this page recommends.
Buying, Storing and Handling the Fillets
The FDA says fresh fillets should have firm flesh and red blood lines, that the flesh should spring back when pressed, and that fish should smell fresh and mild rather than fishy, sour or ammonia-like. It also says fillets should show no discoloration, darkening or drying around the edges.
For storage, the FDA advises putting seafood on ice or in the refrigerator or freezer soon after buying. If you will use it within 2 days, keep it in a clean refrigerator at 40°F (about 4°C) or below; otherwise wrap it tightly and freeze it. Frozen fish should be thawed gradually in the refrigerator overnight.
Because the fillets are brushed with oil and rubbed by hand, cross-contamination is the other point to watch. The FDA recommends washing hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and warm water after handling any raw food, and washing cutting boards, dishes, utensils and counters with soap and hot water between raw seafood and cooked or ready-to-eat food. That includes the platter: do not put the cooked halibut back on the plate that held the raw fillets.
Dietary Note
This recipe contains fish, so it is not vegetarian or vegan. The other ingredients listed are lemons, olive oil, capers, herbs, onion flakes, salt and pepper.
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