Cooking fish on a wooden plank, like this slathered salmon, is a full-proof way to grill fish without having to flip it or risk the fillet getting stuck to grill grates. Plus the fish will be flavored from the aromatic wooden plank, typically made of cedar or alder wood.

Move over burgers, step aside chicken; if you want to grill something that's truly fast food, consider the fillet over the filet mignon.

Many cooks forget fish when they pull out their grills, favoring the traditional beef and pork. But grilling fish produces fillets that are so flaky and flavorful, you won't think twice about missing the beer batter or the deep frying.

Grilled fish is healthy — virtually fat-free save a small brushing of oil or butter to keep it from sticking — and cooking it on wooden planks can add deep flavor without increasing the calories.

Karen Adler and Judith Fertig, a cooking duo from Kansas known as the BBQ Queens, said plenty of cooks, particularly landlocked Midwesterners, overlook fish when it comes to grilling and are surprised to learn how easy it is.

Collectively, Adler and Fertig have written more than 20 cookbooks mostly on grilling and barbecuing, including the newly released "Techniques for Grilling Fish and Techniques for Planking" ($12.95 each, Harvard Common Press). The pocket-sized books are easy to follow and full of essential information for learning about grilling fish.

"I think the easiest way to grill fish is to plank it," Adler said. Planking, or cooking on a plank of aromatic wood that has been soaked in water, helps to keep fish moist and eliminates the need to turn the fillet over, so sticking isn't an issue. Fish on a plank cooks via indirect heat, off of direct flames. It's important to soak the plank in cold water for at least an hour before putting it on the grill so that the wood doesn't burn during grilling.

Planking comes in handy for very thin fillets of lake fish, such as perch, which can fall apart when grilling. When it's done cooking, the fish can be served directly from the plank too, she said.

Planks are fairly inexpensive — at major retailers a two-pack of cedar planks typically sells for $5 to $10 — and can be washed and reused several times until they become too charred.

If you don't have a plank, aluminum foil also works well, for lining the grill grates and creating packets for fish. Inside a packet, even the most delicate flounder fillets will hold together on the grill, Fertig said.

When it comes to how long to cook fish on the grill, Adler and Fertig advise a simple "10 minutes per inch of thickness" rule, turning over at the halfway point. A salmon fillet that measures C\v of an inch thick will need to grill roughly 7 to 8 minutes, or about 4 minutes on each side over high, direct heat.

Virtually every type of fish and shellfish can be cooked on the grill, and Fertig and Adler agree that the best way to select a fish is to pick what's freshest.

Curt Klein, owner of Klein Seafood on Grant Street in Akron, said much of his seafood is shipped in from North Carolina, where the fishing schedules dictate what will be fresh, plentiful and affordable at various times of the year. In June and July, tuna, swordfish, mahi mahi and grouper are widely available, he said.

Because tuna and swordfish are thicker fish steaks, rather than fillets, they can cook directly on grill grates without the risk of falling apart or sticking, Klein said, adding that grilled grouper is one of his particular favorites.

Perforated grill racks, which look like a cookie sheet with holes punched into it, are a great accessory for grilling fish, because they too will help to keep delicate fish from falling through the grates, he said.