A Simple, Quick Marinade Will Effortlessly Elevate Grilled Sardines

Stuck for ideas on how to cook grilled sardines? You need to try steeping them in a fast, fuss-free, citrusy marinade that allows the natural flavors of the fish to shine. We spoke with Chef Charlotte Langley, the president and founder of Langley Foods, to learn the secret to tasty sardines. "Marinating sardines can add wonderful depth of flavor," Langley says. "A simple marinade of olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and herbs like parsley or thyme works beautifully. Just be careful not to marinate them for too long — 30 minutes to an hour is plenty — so the acidity doesn't start to 'cook' the fish."

Sardines are an oily fish, which means their oils are distributed throughout their flesh. Marinating them in a marinade, featuring citrus juice and zest, is an awesome way to lift their characteristic richness. Much how other varieties of oily fish, such as mackerel and salmon, benefit from being baked with slices of fresh lemon, the zingy juice brightens sardines and lends them some piquancy without overpowering their inherent fishy flavor. 

However, marinating any fish in an acid for an extended period will cause its proteins to denature, become firmer and almost opaque as if cooked via a heat source. This simple technique is the core principle behind dishes like ceviche where seafood is allowed to sit in citrus juice for up to 20 minutes and served in its partially "cooked" state. The key to elevated grilled sardines is to marinade them for a short, sharp burst to help retain their texture.

Adding a slick of fruity olive oil to your sardine marinade will dilute the lemon juice and add another layer of appetizing flavor, along with the punchy garlic and aromatic herbs of your choice. Indeed, the hardiness of sardines means they team well with parsley, dill, tarragon, or any fresh herbs you have in your fridge or herb garden. You can remove any thicker stalks, for example the woodier bits of rosemary, from your sardines before placing them on the grill to allow the skin to crisp up and develop a lightly charred exterior. However, you can leave any finer herbs on the surface as the fish will cook very quickly on the grates, which means the greens will be unlikely to burn. 

If using canned sardines, bear in mind that they're pre-cooked so all you'll need to do is warm them through. Of course the other benefit of using canned sardines is that you won't need to gut them before placing them in your marinade. Serve your grilled sardines on a bed of fresh salad with a crusty baguette to mop up the lemony juices, or scatter over a chermoula sauce to mirror the garlicky flavors in the marinade.