Wild Game Wednesday: Fresh Caught Trout Cooked in Foil

With summer right around the corner (fingers crossed), people are eager to get outdoors and start enjoying all the recreational activities that Michigan has to offer! Camping is a whole new way to experience the unique landscape and various water bodies that Michigan has to offer, and there’s something special about sleeping under the stars and waking to the natural rhythms of the woods and water that make you feel right at home. While you’re busy planning summer trips and vacations, consider camping at one of Michigan’s state park campgrounds and get to know the area! One of my favorite parts about camping as a kid, was fishing. It didn’t matter if we caught anything but when we did we celebrated by having fresh fish for dinner over the campfire! Check out this week’s Gourmet Gone Wild recipe on cooking freshly caught trout and give it a try next time you’re out in the wilderness!

 

Fresh Caught Trout Cooked in Foil

Optimally, your trout will weigh about ¾ pound each, but this recipe works no matter how big or small your fish ends up being. Just remember to add a few inches when you tell people how big the fish were! If you are buying fish, ask your fishmonger to clean and debone them for you.

 

INGREDIENTS

4    Trout, about ¾ pound each (see headnote)

3    TBSP extra virgin olive oil

2    Lemons, thinly sliced

4    TBSP fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, stemmed

4    TSP fresh tarragon

Coarse sea salt, preferably grey salt

Freshly ground black pepper

 

DIRECTIONS

  1. Start a campfire, ignite charcoal, or turn the gas grill to high.
  2. Scale the fish and lift out the bones. Leave the tail intact but cut off the fins. Rinse the fish inside and out with cool water and pat dry with paper towels.
  3. Have ready 12 sheets of aluminum foil, each 16 inches long. For each fish, stack two sheets of aluminum foil and have a third sheet ready for the top. Drizzle about 1 teaspoon olive oil on the top sheet of foil and place the fish skin side down. Open the fish and arrange three to five then lemon slices inside – enough so that the trout has lemon from end to end. Drizzle on another teaspoon of olive oil and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of parsley leaves and 1 teaspoon of fresh tarragon. Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper. Place the third sheet of foil on top of the fish, then neatly fold each side into a packet, using the bottom layers of the foil to close and seal the top sheet of the foil in place.
  4. When the coals are more grey than red, put the packets right on top of the coals (or cook on a gas grill set to medium). Shovel some coals from the edge of the fire over the packets to cover them or fill a grill basket on top of the fish packets.
  5. Roast the fish for about 4 minutes.
  6. Take one of the packets out of the fire and open it to see if the fish is done – when it’s opaque and more white than pink. If it’s still pink inside, rewrap the fish and put it back on the coals for another 2 to 3 minutes.
  7. Take the packets out of the coals, let them cool for at least 2 minutes and then let each person unwrap their own fish and voila!

 

Check back every Wednesday for a new Wild Game Dish recipe, proudly used by MUCC’s Gourmet Gone Wild program! If you’re looking for more wild game and fish recipes check out the MUCC online store and purchase a copy of Wild Gourmet! GGW is proudly funded through the Cabela’s Outdoor Fund.

 

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