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Gas-Grilled Swordfish Steaks

By America's Test Kitchen

Published on August 14, 2009

Yield

Serves 4

Gas-Grilled Swordfish Steaks

Ingredients

2 swordfish steaks, 1 to 1 ½ inches thick (about 1 pound each)2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil Salt and ground black pepper Vegetable oil for the cooking grateLemon wedges for serving

Before You Begin

Because of the shape and size of swordfish, individual steaks are quite large. This recipe serves four—or more, if you want to cut the steaks into smaller pieces.

Instructions

  1. Turn on all the burners to high, cover, and heat the grill until very hot, about 15 minutes. Use a grill brush to scrape the cooking grate clean. Leave all the burners on high.
  2. Cut the swordfish steaks in half to make four equal pieces. Brush the fish with the olive oil and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.
  3. Lightly dip a small wad of paper towels in vegetable oil; holding the wad with long-handled tongs, wipe the cooking grate (see illustration below). Grill the swordfish, covered, turning once (using a metal spatula), over the hotter part of the grill until the steaks are streaked with dark grill marks, 7 to 9 minutes. Turn the heat down to medium and cook, covered and turning once, until the center is no longer translucent, 4 to 6 minutes. Serve immediately with the lemon wedges.
Gas-Grilled Swordfish Steaks
Photography by Daniel J. van Ackere. Styling by Catrine Kelty.

Gas-Grilled Swordfish Steaks

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By America's Test Kitchen
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Yield

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 swordfish steaks, 1 to 1 ½ inches thick (about 1 pound each)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and ground black pepper
Vegetable oil for the cooking grate
Lemon wedges for serving

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

2 swordfish steaks, 1 to 1 ½ inches thick (about 1 pound each)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and ground black pepper
Vegetable oil for the cooking grate
Lemon wedges for serving

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

2 swordfish steaks, 1 to 1 ½ inches thick (about 1 pound each)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and ground black pepper
Vegetable oil for the cooking grate
Lemon wedges for serving

Test Kitchen Techniques

Why This Recipe Works

For the best swordfish recipe, our first step was to choose thicker steaks. Thinner steaks overcooked easily, while thicker pieces retained moisture better and were easier to handle on the grill. For our grilled swordfish steaks recipe, we found it was important to leave the fish in place long enough so that it developed good grill marks before moving it. A two-level fire was necessary so the fish could sear over the hot fire and then cook through on the cooler part of the grill.

Before You Begin

Because of the shape and size of swordfish, individual steaks are quite large. This recipe serves four—or more, if you want to cut the steaks into smaller pieces.

Instructions

  1. Turn on all the burners to high, cover, and heat the grill until very hot, about 15 minutes. Use a grill brush to scrape the cooking grate clean. Leave all the burners on high.
  2. Cut the swordfish steaks in half to make four equal pieces. Brush the fish with the olive oil and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.
  3. Lightly dip a small wad of paper towels in vegetable oil; holding the wad with long-handled tongs, wipe the cooking grate (see illustration below). Grill the swordfish, covered, turning once (using a metal spatula), over the hotter part of the grill until the steaks are streaked with dark grill marks, 7 to 9 minutes. Turn the heat down to medium and cook, covered and turning once, until the center is no longer translucent, 4 to 6 minutes. Serve immediately with the lemon wedges.

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