Making a Halibut Packet- Lay it all out

When preparing your grill packets, its best to have everything together and ready to assemble. For this packet we have a nice 6 ounce piece of halibut cut into a square. Season the fish, top with onions and peppers, and drizzle with a flavorful butter sauce. So here we have all our ingredients and several sheets of aluminum foil. The foil pieces should be large enough to fold over and completely encase the halibut. Make sure to create an air tight packet to hold in the flavor.

Seasoning the Fish

I prefer to lightly season, so here I am only using a little salt. Remember that a packet is enclosed and that the seasonings will be staying in with the fish and not draining as it would if you were just open grilling. So keep the seasonings on the light side, but definitely season.

Adding Vegetables

The great thing about grilling packets is that you can add your favorite ingredients. I'm topping these halibut pieces off with some onions and green bell peppers. Like kebabs you want to include vegetables that will cook up in about the same time as the meat you are using. By picking vegetables I don't mind eating undercooked, I don't have to worry about the cooking time. Since I plan on plating this fish on a bed of rice, these veggies will be perfect.

Adding Moisture

Despite the fact that the packets are sealed and that all the moisture from the fish is being held inside, it still needs extra moisture. It is this moisture that is going to steam food all the way through. This steam evenly distributes the heat and makes your packet an efficient cooking machine. Here I am using a simple mixture of lemon juice, melted butter with garlic, oregano and a little white wine.

Folding the Packet

Bring up the opposite sides of the sheet of aluminum foil to meet in the center. Press them together at the top and roll (or fold) down until you reach the food. You want the packet to be tight, but make sure not to overdo it.

Folding the Packet

Now flip the packet over and fold the ends up and over the packet until you have a nice, neat little square that is water tight (or nearly so).

Grilling the Packet

Grilling packets is easy, but not foolproof. You can burn what's inside if you are not careful. Typically the foil with scorch when the food inside burns. To grill the packets turn up the heat to medium high and place them on the grill. You will need to cook the packets about 5 to 7 minutes per side.

You should take care when handling the hot packets. Part of the secret to getting them perfect is not to puncture the packet. A gentle (not pointy) pair of tongs is perfect for turning, moving, and removing the packets on your grill. Once the packets are done (about 5-7 minutes per side for fish packets), remove them from the grill. Because the packets are sealed, the heat will stay inside so you don't need to worry about these cooling off too quickly. In fact, they will continue to cook off the grill so don't let them sit for too long.

Water in liquid form, will raise no more than the temperature of boiling. Steam can be hundreds of degrees more. When opening your grilling packets it is important that you are very careful to let the steam escape before you start digging in. This will be difficult, because it's going to smell fantastic. Do serve grill packets to your liking, but release the steam before presenting them to your family or guests.