Recipe for: Grilled trout with dill butter and lemon - photo 1
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Recipe for: Grilled trout with dill butter and lemon

Spicy Main dishes Grilling May Day 60 min Medium 38 views ~63.23 PLN - (0)
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Description

Delicate grilled trout served with aromatic dill butter and fresh lemon is the essence of summer Polish grilling. The dish combines the tender, slightly sweet flesh of the fish with creamy, herb-infused butter, whose tangy hint of lemon enhances the freshness. Perfect for summer gatherings on the terrace, May Day feasts, and outdoor dinners. Serve with young potatoes with dill or a seasonal salad of cherry tomatoes and cucumber. The dish looks impressive — a whole trout with visible grill marks, alongside melted butter with green dill and lemon slices.

Ingredients Used

Ingredients (10)

Servings:
4
  • Trout 1200 g
  • Butter 150 g
  • Lemon 3 pcs (~240 g)
  • Garlic 3 clove (~15 g)
  • Rapeseed oil 30 g
  • 🌿 Spices
  • Dill 1.5 bunch (~30 g)
  • Salt 6 g
  • Black pepper 4 pinch (~2 g)
  • ✨ Optional
  • Parsley 1 bunch (~30 g)
  • Cherry tomatoes 150 g
💰 Estimated dish cost: ~63.23 PLN (15.81 PLN/serving)

💡 Click an ingredient to mark it as used

Preparation steps

Dill Butter

1

Take the butter out of the fridge about 20-30 minutes before preparation to soften it (it should be soft but not melted). Cut the zest from the lemon using a sharp grater or zester, collecting only the yellow part (grate about 1 teaspoon of zest from one lemon). Finely chop the dill - remove the thicker stems and chop only the leaves. Press the garlic cloves through a press or finely chop them.

Ingredients: Butter, Dill, Lemon, Garlic
Use a sturdy cutting board and a sharp herb knife, a lemon zester, and a bowl with a capacity of at least 1 l. Do not use the hard brown part of the lemon (the white part), as it will add bitterness.
2

In a large bowl, place the softened butter. Add finely chopped dill, grated lemon zest (about 1 teaspoon), pressed garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt (about 3 g). Mix vigorously with a wooden spoon or spatula for 1-2 minutes until the ingredients are evenly combined and the butter turns green-yellow from the dill.

Ingredients: Butter, Dill, Lemon, Garlic, Salt
Use a wooden spoon or a small spatula. If the butter is too hard, you can briefly mash it with a fork, but do not melt it in the microwave — it will lose its structure.
3

Shape the butter into a cylinder using plastic wrap: place the butter in the center of the sheet of wrap, fold it over, and form a roll with a diameter of about 3-4 cm. Press the ends and place it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to allow the butter to harden and be easy to slice.

Ingredients: Butter
Use plastic wrap for shaping. Chilling allows for neat slicing. If you're short on time, place the butter in the freezer for 10-12 minutes, but do not freeze it solid.

Preparing the fish

4

If the trout are whole, rinse them under cold running water and pat dry with a paper towel. Check the inside to see if they are gutted. Gently check for bones with your fingers along the fillet — you will feel them as thin 'strings'. Remove them with fish tweezers (or pliers), pulling carefully towards the tail.

Ingredients: Trout
Use a cutting board with a rubber base, tweezers for bones, or small tongs. If you don't have tweezers, you can use a nail file, but be careful — tweezers are safer.
5

Prepare the fish for stuffing: evenly salt the inside of each trout (about 1.5 g of salt per fish) and add freshly ground pepper (about 0.5 pinches each). Place 2-3 slices of lemon (cut from the lemon) inside and add 2-3 slices of chilled dill butter (cut the butter into slices about 5 mm thick). If the butter is too hard, you can grate a few pieces into the inside.

Ingredients: Trout, Salt, Black pepper, Lemon, Butter
Use a sharp knife to slice the lemon thinly. The butter filling will ensure that the fish absorbs moisture and flavor while grilling — do not add too much butter so that the fish does not become heavy.
6

Before placing the trout on the grill, brush the outer skin with a thin layer of rapeseed oil (about 1/2 tablespoon per fish) to prevent sticking. Sprinkle the skin with a little salt and pepper. If you are concerned about sticking, you can also gently score the skin with diagonal cuts every 2-3 cm, being careful not to cut too deeply into the flesh.

Ingredients: Rapeseed oil, Salt, Black pepper, Trout
Use a silicone brush and a wide tray or plate for brushing. The cuts help achieve nice grill marks on the skin, but don't make them too deep.

Grilling

7

Preheat the grill to medium-high temperature (about 200–220°C). If using a charcoal grill, wait until the coals are covered with a thin layer of white ash; if using a gas grill, heat for 10-15 minutes. Oil the grill grates using a paper towel soaked in oil and tongs (to prevent sticking).

Ingredients: Rapeseed oil
Use grill gloves and tongs. The grill must be hot and well-oiled — a cold grill causes sticking.
8

Place the trout on the preheated grill. Grill with the lid closed for 6-8 minutes on the skin side (the time depends on the thickness; a fish about 2-3 cm thick requires this time). Gently flip the fish using a wide spatula and tongs, grill for another 5-7 minutes on the flesh side until browned and until the meat becomes opaque and easily flakes with a fork. In the last 2 minutes, place a few slices of dill butter on each fish to let them melt.

Ingredients: Trout, Butter, Lemon
Use a wide fish spatula or a special fish basket (recommended for delicate fish). Turn only once — frequent flipping increases the risk of the fish falling apart. The flesh is ready when it easily separates from the backbone and using a thermometer, the internal temperature reaches 55–60°C.

Serving

9

After removing the fish from the grill, let it rest for 3-4 minutes on a board to allow the juices to distribute evenly. Drizzle each fish with a bit of fresh lemon juice (about 1/2 tablespoon per fish) and place a slice of dill butter on top for a melted sauce effect. If you are using parsley, chop it finely and sprinkle it over the fish just before serving. Additionally, place halved cherry tomatoes drizzled with olive oil and salt alongside.

Ingredients: Trout, Lemon, Butter, Parsley
Use a large flat plate for serving, and a fish fork and knife. Do not serve the fish hot straight from the grill without a short rest — this way the meat will be juicier.
10

Suggested sides: young potatoes with dill, a light salad of cucumber and radish, or rustic bread. Place the fish in the center of the plate, arrange the sides next to it, and garnish with a slice of lemon and fresh herbs.

Ingredients: Trout, Dill, Lemon
If you are serving guests, prepare the sides in advance and briefly reheat them before serving. For a larger number of fish, use two grills or baskets to speed up the process.

Fun Fact

💡

Trout has traditionally been valued in Polish manors and mountain kitchens; in winter and early spring, it was raised in manor ponds, and in summer it reigns on grills and at outdoor gatherings.

Best for

Majówka Letnia kolacja Spotkanie przy grillu

Tips

🍽️ Serving

Serve the fish hot, with butter infused with dill still slightly melted. A light white wine (e.g. riesling) or refreshing water with lemon and mint pairs well with trout. For a family version, serve with young potatoes with dill and a simple salad of cherry tomatoes.

🥡 Storage

Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours in an airtight container. When reheating, it's best to gently warm them in the oven at 150°C for 8-10 minutes covered with foil to avoid drying out the meat. Repeated reheating is not recommended.

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