Grilled Cherrywood-Smoked Trout with Traverse City Cherry Glaze

By AislePrompt Editorial · ·

How this recipe was made — this recipe was drafted by AislePrompt's AI-assisted pipeline from technique templates and USDA-sourced nutrition data, and published by AislePrompt Editorial — see how AislePrompt recipes are developed and reviewed.

A smoky grilled trout dish featuring a sweet and tangy cherry glaze inspired by Traverse City's famous cherries. This American-inspired seafood recipe, ready in about 30 minutes, pairs whole trout, cleaned and gutted, olive oil, salt for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 320 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Prep: 15 min Cook: 15 min Serves 4 American cuisine 320 cal/serving
Build a week of meals around this recipe → Shop this recipe on Instacart → Shop equipment ↓

Ingredients

Grilling tools worth buying → Best Grilling Tools and BBQ Gadgets for 2026: Top Picks + Buying Guide

Affiliate disclosure: AislePrompt may earn a commission on qualifying purchases made through Amazon links, at no additional cost to you. See our policy →

Equipment for this recipe

Tools this recipe's steps call for, with a link to each on Amazon.

More Cookware & pots → Shop all kitchen tools →

Instructions

  1. Step 1: Preheat your grill to medium heat (about 375°F). Rub 3 tbsp olive oil evenly over 2 whole trout (about 1 lb each), then season inside and out with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Insert 2 fresh thyme sprigs into each fish's cavity.
  2. Step 2: Place the trout directly on the grill grates and cook for 6-7 minutes per side, until the flesh flakes easily with a fork and has a smoky aroma.
  3. Step 3: While the trout cooks, combine 1 cup Traverse City dried cherries, 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar, 2 tbsp honey, and 1/3 cup water in a small saucepan. Simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes until the cherries are soft and the sauce thickens slightly.
  4. Step 4: Remove the sauce from heat and blend with an immersion blender until smooth, then strain to remove cherry skins for a silky glaze.
  5. Step 5: Serve the grilled trout drizzled with the warm cherry glaze, garnished with remaining thyme sprigs for an aromatic finish.

Related recipes