Trout in Alfoil

This is the campfire trick every fly fisher and backpacker should know. Whole trout, still moments out of the river, gets rubbed with butter, hit with lemon and sealed in foil. Set the parcel on a bed of glowing coals and walk away. Twenty to thirty minutes later you have flaky, perfectly steamed fish without dirtying a single pan.

The butter does double duty. It bastes the trout from the inside as the heat melts it, and it creates the steam pocket inside the foil that gently cooks the fish without drying it out. Be generous. A miserly butter coat means dry fish.

Use glowing coals, not flames. Open fire scorches the outside of the foil and the trout before the interior cooks through. Push the parcel into a hot pile of embers from a wood or charcoal fire. The trout is done when the skin peels away easily and the flesh flakes apart at the spine.

Kitchen Tips

• Use heavy-duty foil and double-wrap. Single thin foil tears easily on rough coals and lets all the juices escape.
• Score the fish lightly along its sides if it’s a thick trout. The heat penetrates faster and you avoid an undercooked spine.
• Pair with grilled lemon wedges and a slice of crusty bread to mop up the foil juices.

Variations

• Stuff the cavity with sliced garlic and fresh thyme sprigs before wrapping.
• Add a few thin slices of bacon on top of the trout under the foil for a smoky, salty finish.
• Substitute lime juice and cilantro for the lemon for a brighter, Mexican-style profile.