Portuguese · Main · Easy
Grilled Sardines
Portugal's summer ritual: whole sardines grilled over coals until the skin crisps, served simply with lemon and grilled peppers.
The whole recipe in 60 seconds
Grilled Sardines, in 5 ideas
- Pat them very dry; moisture is the enemy of crisp skin
- Do not overcrowd the grill or they will steam
- Sardines are done when the eyes turn white and the flesh is opaque
- The smaller the sardine, the sweeter the flavor
- Grilled bread rubbed with garlic is the perfect base
What you need
Ingredients
- 2 lbs whole fresh sardines, scaled and gutted
- 1/4 cup olive oil, plus more for the grill
- 2 teaspoons coarse sea salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 lemons, one juiced and one cut into wedges
- 4 slices rustic bread
- Grilled bell peppers for serving
How to make it
Directions
- Rinse the sardines and pat very dry. Rub with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
- Heat the grill to high and oil the grates well.
- Grill the sardines 3 to 4 minutes per side until the skin is crisp and charred in spots.
- Squeeze lemon juice over them the moment they come off the grill.
- Serve on grilled bread with lemon wedges and grilled peppers.
- Eat with your hands; the flesh lifts cleanly off the bones.
Money saver. Sardines are one of the cheapest fish at the market; buy them in season for the best price and flavor.