Grilled Halibut with White Wine, Butter, and Caper Sauce

5 from 3 votes
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Grilled Halibut is not only an elegant meat but one that needs very little added seasoning to perfect. But a touch of this white wine caper sauce brings an already buttery and rich fish to the next level. And it’s so much easier to make than you might think!

3 Slices of grilled halibut on a platter with sides of grilled green beans.
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If you want to level up your grilled halibut game, it’s all about keeping it simple and making sure your grill is hot. Combine those two things and you can make an incredibly rich and decadent Grilled Halibut recipe with just a few easy steps.

Ingredients + Substitutions

  • Halibut – Fresh halibut is best, ideally from your fishmonger. It should not smell fishy at all. If you ever have questions about the freshness you can always ask your fishmonger when they receive their halibut shipments or how long the current selection was in the case. If buying from a box store, like Costco or a grocery store, look at the packed date and be sure it’s within a few days.
3 Raw halibut steaks on a sheet pan.
  • Seasoning – Simple kosher salt and coarse black pepper is all you need. Halibut is already rich and delicious so you don’t need to over season. You can also use our SPG rub with some added granulated garlic.
  • Olive Oil – We prefer extra virgin olive oil, but any oil will work that can handle higher heat.
  • Butter – For the sauce we use unsalted butter and then season it as it finishes.
  • Shallots – We like the softer flavor shallots add versus a red onion but if you want a more pronounced sauce then red onions work well.
  • Garlic – One garlic clove goes a long way. As a prep tip use a garlic press or shave it with a micro plane to get it really diced and fine.
  • White Wine – The wine adds acidity and flavor. Be sure it’s a wine you like to drink. We recommend something acidic, like a pinot gris or a sauvignon blanc. You can use chardonnay if you want a more buttery flavor to the sauce.
  • Lemon: We like to cut a lemon in half and grill it, then use the lemon juice in the sauce to bring out the flavor and add a brightness and acidity.
  • Capers – If you’re not a fan of capers you can leave these out and the sauce will still be delicious! But I love the briny and slightly salty flavor of the capers.

Preparation

  • Halibut – Make sure to pat dry with a paper towel. You want to make sure that before adding oil or seasoning there is no residual moisture. This helps create a better sear crust and prevent sticking.
  • Grill – Your grill grates need to be clean and hot!
    • Preheat your grill for direct grilling targeting 500 degrees Fahrenheit.
    • We recommend using your grate cleaning tool to scrape off any residual food. You should get in the habit of cleaning grates while still warm after every cook. Next, take some of the olive oil, place it on a paper towel, and run the oil over the hot grates immediately before adding the fish.
  • Sauce – Have a small cast iron pan ready with all your sauce ingredients pre-chopped. You will be making the sauce immediatly after the fish is done and resting.
3 raw fish on a sheet tray and seasoned with kosher salt and black pepper.

How To Grill Halibut

  1. Coat the halibut all over with olive oil and then liberally season with salt and pepper. Place the halibut on the grill grate over direct heat with the skin side facing up (if there is skin).
  2. Sear for up to 4 minutes or until you can see a crust form and the halibut will release from the grates without any of it sticking to the grate. We use a fish spatula to slowly test and lift away. Once it lifts easily it’s time to flip.
  3. After flipping, grill the other side of the halibut over direct heat. Continue to grill until the internal temperature of the halibut reaches 130 degrees F using an instant-read thermometer. The fish will be just turning white all the way through and retain a moist center. Remove and rest for 10 minutes. While the halibut is resting, make the sauce.
Halibut on the grill over direct heat after it has been flipped over once.
  1. For the Wine Sauce: Place the cast iron pan in the grill over direct heat. Allow the pan to heat up for 3 minutes. Place the butter in the pan. When it melts add shallots and garlic, and stir occasionally to soften (about 2 minutes). Add the white wine, lemon juice, capers, and salt and stir again. Allow to come to a boil and reduce slightly for another 2-3 minutes. The total cooking time will be about 8 minutes for the sauce to be ready. Remove the pan from the grill and pour the sauce over your halibut.
White wine butter sauce reduced in a cast iron pan over direct heat on the grill.

Notes: If your grill is large enough you can make the sauce while the fish is grilling. It’s best to plate the halibut first before adding the sauce.

Pitmaster Tip

The most important step to a successful grilled halibut filet is to make sure your grill grates are clean AND oiled before placing the fish on the grill grates. It’s also equally important to be sure that your halibut is dried and well-oiled as well.

This prevents the halibut from sticking to a dirty and un-oiled grill grate and losing the beautiful texture you are achieving over direct heat.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

how long should i grill halibut?

Halibut will cook quickly over a hot grill. It’s best to remove the halibut when the internal temperature has reached 130 degrees Fahrenheit.

Is halibut good to grill?

We think halibut is best when grilled giving it a distinct crust and moist center.

Grilled halibut on a platter topped with a wine butter caper lemon sauce

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Make Ahead and Storage

The white wine butter sauce can be made ahead of time and then reheated. We do not recommend making the halibut in advance as it increases the likelihood of drying out when reheating.

If you have leftovers, wrap the halibut tightly in plastic wrap, then warm it back up and eat it within 3 days. To reheat, it’s best to steam it. But if you don’t have a steamer then heat up in a warm skillet with 2 tablespoons of melted butter. Flip once. Serve immediately.

What To Make With Grilled Halibut

Grilled Halibut is an elegant dish and lends itself to an elegant side dish. Because of the flavors and thinner texture with the white wine butter sauce, we love serving with our Prosecco Risotto recipe or our Mushroom Risotto.

For a salad we love this with our Grilled Beet Salad since the grill is already going. Or go for a simple Grilled Broccolini with freshly squeezed Grilled Lemons over the top.

Tools Used

  • Fish Spatula – This is especially helpful because it helps with more precision when flipping the fish. It’s also great on cast iron and flat top cooking.
  • Instant Read Thermometer – Having a fast instant-read meat thermometer is one of the most important tools whenever cooking. We use the Thermoworks Thermapen One.

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About Vindulge

Mary (a certified sommelier and recipe developer) and Sean (backyard pitmaster) are co-authors of the critically acclaimed cookbook, Fire + Wine, and have been creating content for the IACP nominated website Vindulge since 2009. They live in Oregon on a farm just outside Portland.


3 Pieces of grilled halibut topped with a white wine sauce and surrounded by green beans on a plate.
5 from 3 votes

Grilled Halibut Recipe with White Wine Butter and Caper Sauce

An easy grilled halibut recipe with salt and pepper seasoning and then topped with an elegant and simple white wine and caper sauce.
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 6 minutes
Resting Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 4 people
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Ingredients 

  • 1 ¼ pounds fresh halibut filet, (or purchase pre-sliced into 4 equal-sized filets or steaks)
  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, separated, (half to season the fish and half for grill grates)
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoons coarse black pepper

White Wine Caper Sauce

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 tablespoons diced shallots
  • 1 clove garlic, finely minced
  • 2 tablespoons dry white wine, (like Pinot Gris or Sauvignon Blanc)
  • 1 tablespoon grilled lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon capers, (drained of any brine. We like to leave them whole for the texture and flavor)
  • 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt, (just a pinch)

Instructions 

  • Prep: Preheat your grill for direct grilling targeting 500 degrees Fahrenheit. Coat the halibut with olive oil and liberally season with salt and pepper. Place the halibut on the grill grate over direct heat with the skin side facing up (if there is skin).
    (If grilling lemons for the sauce, you can add the lemons to the grill now.)
  • Grill Direct: Sear for up to 4 minutes or until you can see a crust form and the halibut will release from the grates without any of it sticking to the grate. We use a fish spatula to slowly test and lift away. Once it does it’s time to flip.
  • Grill: After flipping, grill the other side of the halibut over direct heat. Continue to grill until the internal temperature of the halibut reaches 130 degrees F using an instant-read thermometer. The fish will be just turning white all the way through and retain a moist center. Remove and rest for 10 minutes and make the sauce.

For the White Wine Caper Sauce

  • Place the cast iron pan in the grill over direct heat. Allow the pan to heat up for 3 minutes. Place the butter in the pan. When it melts completely add shallots and garlic. Stir occasionally to soften (about 2 minutes). Add the white wine, lemon juice, capers, and salt, and stir again. Allow to come to a boil and reduce slightly for 2-3 minutes.
    The total cooking time will be about 8 minutes for the sauce to be ready. Remove the pan from the grill and pour the sauce over your fish.

Notes

Preparation Notes:
  • Halibut – Be sure to pat dry with a paper towel. You want to make sure that before adding oil or seasoning there is no residual moisture. This helps create a better sear crust and prevent sticking.
  • Grill – Your grill grates need to be clean and hot.
    • Preheat your grill for direct grilling targeting 500 degrees Fahrenheit.
    • We recommend using your grate cleaning tool to scrape off any residual food. You should get in the habit of cleaning grates while still warm after every cook. Next, take some of the olive oil, place it on a paper towel, and run the oil over the hot grates immediately before adding the fish.
  • Sauce – Have a small cast iron pan ready with all your sauce ingredients pre-chopped. Make the sauce after the fish is done and resting.
Grilled Lemon: We like to use grilled lemon juice for the sauce. It adds great flavor and you can grill the lemons while the halibut cooks. 

Nutrition

Calories: 312kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 85mg | Sodium: 1317mg | Potassium: 658mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 0.5g | Vitamin A: 278IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 22mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 6 minutes
Resting Time: 10 minutes
Course: dinner
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 312
Keyword: Grilled Halibut, Grilled Halibut Recipe, how to grill halibut
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Vindulge

About Mary


I'm Mary, a wine/food/travel writer, Certified Sommelier, mom of twins, former vegetarian turned BBQ fanatic, runner, founder of Vindulge, and author of Fire + Wine cookbook. Thanks for stopping by!

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4 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    We have prepared and served this halibut recipe as a first course several times and it’s always amazing. We use an Oregon Pinot Blanc from David Paige Cellars to prepare the sauce with as well as serve as the wine accompanying the halibut.

    1. That is a great wine! Chris – thanks so much for taking the time to share your feedback!