Big Bend Florida
Sportsman Guide
Blackened Fish
Blackened Snapper!
Author SneakyBooger
As you can imagine, up in the beautiful Smoky Mountains
of East Tennessee and west North Carolina we didn't grow up eatin
snapper! So, this summer when I finally went out and caught my own,
the only way I knew how to fix it was to fry it, just like I had
learned to fry everything else in my life: bluegill, rainbow trout,
brown trout, large and smallmouth bass, crappie, stripers, rabbit,
dove, and grouse. Ok, so we caught a lot more of the other stuff than
we did grouse. Sure would have been nice to have more grouse, but
isn't that the way life is?!
Well, the snapper sure does make up for the grouse
shortage. I feel guilty to admit that I have a freezer full. Seems
like something so good shouldn't be wasted on somebody like me. It
makes me think of a saying once told to me (still don't know if I
should take offense): "it is no use buying a $5000 sound system for a
ten cent ear." The corollary is that when it ain't broke, don't fix
it. What I am trying to say is, well, I finally have enough snapper to
try to fix it.
Tonight I blackened my first snapper. It was such
precious commodity in my freezer before, that I would dare only fry it
as I had been taught to do every other fish I had caught. I had heard
the accolades of this dish from others, but couldn't dare dream of
ruining a piece of that precious meat that before in my life had been
so hard to come by if left up to me to catch!
I first heated the griddle on my grill as hot as I
thought it would get (my particular grill has a griddle attached to
it). I smothered it in "Everglades Heat" which is a spice mixture I
picked up in some store which I can't remember the name or location of
(bad sign!). I took a small sample piece out to the gridle which I
thought was hot enough. When I put it on it didn't sizzle - I thought
it would. After a few minutes I could see through the caked on spices
that the meat appeared to begin to whiten a little. I flipped it and
it looked burned. Let it sit another few minutes, again no sizzling,
and flipped it onto the paper plate. First taste and it was obviously
burned. Man, I was disappointed! Then all that caked on spice kicked
in and GOLLY B'JEEZERS IT WAS HOTTT!!!! I knew immediately that
technique wasn't gonna cut it with the rest of the Booger gang! The
next piece I put in Zataran's Cajun Seasoning, again caked on, and put
it on a sizzling hot griddle I had on the propane cooker in the
garage. It burned in a heartbeat.
Then I decided blackening wasn't for me. So I rinsed
the fillets under the faucet a little, leaving a very thin layer of
Zataran's over the fish. I had considered rubbing it all off, but
figured a little wouldn't hurt. I then coated it liberally with half
melted butter and decided I would grill it. The griddle on the grill
was still on so I plopped a small piece on there and sha-bam, it
sizzled! Within a few minures I
flipped it and it looked and smelled wonderful! One
taste and within seconds I was putting all the filets on a sizzling
gridle! It was the best blackened snapper (or fish for that matter)
the Booger gang had ever had.
In summary, the next time I blacken fish I am not going
to use too much spice. I will soak the spiced fish in butter. Finally,
I will wait until the griddle is good and hot before giving up on the
whole deal!
I hope this may help those out there who are wanting to
blacken their fish but are afraid to do so. The result is wonderful,
if you are patient (and somewhat lucky! - I was!).
Addition by bubba
I've cooked quite a bit of blackened fish by dipping
the fish in butter, giving it a good coat of blackened fish seasoning,
and then I cook it in a cast iron skillet that i've set on my fish
cooker. My cooker has 3 prongs, and the skillet I use fits down
between the prongs). I turn the fish cooker up very high, and get the
cast iron very hot. Doesn't take long, but dang, its good. BTW, if you
like spicy food, a very very simple but absolutely delicious recipe
that I posted in here quite a few months ago is to take your fish
filets, put them in a fish basket, pour melted margarine over them,
and then sprinkle McCormicks Caribean Jerk Seasoning on it(get it at
your local grocery store, in the spice section. I buy it at my local
Winn-Dixie). More seasoning = more hot. I like it hot, my kids like it
toned down a little. Grill it til it flakes. Mighty good eating. Also,
same recipe on shrimp is unbelievably good. Peel the shrimp, skewer em
with a bamboo skewer so the lay down flat on the grill, and butter and
spice em. Grill em til they turn pink. Doesn't take long. Make sure
you have more shrimp than you think you need. They'll get gone fast.
Yummy!!!
Grill blackened
Redfish
Author Red Rover
First you need one of them wire mesh fish fillet
holders. Mine came from Walmart (Charbroil) Spray it with Pam. Dry a
couple of Redfish fillets with paper towels and lay them on the opened
holder. Paint the fillets liberally with Mayo then sprinkle with
garlic salt and blackened seasoning. (any brand) Close the fillet
holder, turn it over and do the other side of the fish the same way.
Get your grill really hot and put the holder with the fish on it and
turn often. (every minute or two) The hotter the grill the more often
you have to turn the fish. It takes 10 to 12 minutes and it's worth
the wait.
Boysterman's
Blackened....anything!
Author Digger
Okay everybody here's the way I blacken grouper. It's
practically foolproof. You have to have a cast iron skillet or
griddle. I also use a cover, I made mine but most anything will do,
aluminum foil or a deep cookie sheet works fine. By the way do this
OUTSIDE, I made the mistake of doing it inside ONE time.
Griddle should be hot, a spoonful of water should
sizzle. I use Zartaran's creole seasoning. No salt or pepper. Coat
both sides evenly, the thicker the coating the hotter it gets. I
drizzle olive oil onto both sides of the fish. I spray the griddle
with Pam just before I put the fish on. Normal size fillets should
cook 5 to 7 minutes per side. Spray with Pam every time you flip the
fish.
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