Cooking snapper

Just wondering if anybody else finds snapper ordinary to eat?, i think of reef fish as being sweet and flaky and i find snapper dry and not sweet at all, tried some store bought seasoning called tandaco and this improves them a tad but nothing special, anybody got some better ways to cook or agree with me on snapper?.

I think that smaller Snapper are better than the big ones, altough the biggies are pretty good too and I am not one to use all sorts of spices and stuff on quality fish anyway.

Must be fresh, dont over cook it, i find best pan fried in butter, splash white wine, and some lemon peper seasoning, and serve with fresh lemon and salt. The pan size fish are sweeter, but the big fellows cook up just as good if done the right way(dont over cook it). Most fish thats dry has been over cooked and this will take away from the flavor.
If you have thick fillets, try putting a lid on your pan to keep the moistere in as they can take a bit to cook thru, also make sure before you start to cook that the are at room temp and not semi frozen.
Cheers,
Chong

Last tip is good about keeping the moisture in. I dip em in egg, then breadcrumbs and fry em. Put foil directly over the fish for a quick moist cook.
Don't eat same day you catch, but next day so the flesh can firm up a bit, otherwise all fish can be too soft and mushy same day caught.
I prefer the bigger ones cos the bones are less of an issue.

I solved the problem of them getiing course and dry by not filleting them.
Just gut and gill.
Especially, don't scale them. Done this on fish up to 7kg

A few cubed tomatoes and onions to fill the gut cavity, along with a lashing of minced garlic along the backbone first.

wrapp in foil and straight into the oven or on the bbq (covered)

When done, if you start lifting the skin/scales from the tail, it will come off in one peice, leaving the meat cooked with the absolute minimum of fluid loss.

Enjoy!

Been eating a fair bit of snapper lately, and the favourite way round here (bit healthy too) is to scale fillet and debone to three pieces per side (skin on).

Either defrost or remove from fridge to room temp, heat a little oil and sesame oil to mod hot and place skin side down in pan. Put lid on and fry/steam for a few minutes till just cooked (i like it a little clear in the middle). Lift onto a plate and spoon over some dipping sauce. Green Salad and garlic bread.

One of my fav dipping sauces uses Kikkoman Terryaki sauce as a base, add some sliced pickled ginger some minced or sliced chili, dash of light soy, blob of Char Sui and some cracked pepper with some sliced green onion.

This may help ? ;D




Phill

definately needs to be cooked whole?? Coocked under coals with a few lemons and veges..mmmmm

I think Chong has the right idea, fish should be only just cooked ie still pink in the middle when you remove it from the pan & by the time you sit down to eat it is just perfect. Snapper would be my favourite but like all fish. Wife mostly bakes it in the oven with eschallots, Garlic & some white wine mmmmmmmmm!. My biggest hate is people who waste fish. If the fish is killed it should be enjoyed! "BAR UP".

Alleycat,

You're right, snapper doesn't deserve the reputation as a great eating fish, that's why I call them Coffs Harbour vermin. Great looking fish & thats about it.

I always give them away to my neighbours.

r.

Shirley you jest Roz. Grew up in Nth Qld so have only eaten snapper in the last couple of years but rate them up there with coral trout and other northern yummies.

Snapper is ok but parrot is BETTER..lol
I always cook it whole. Gut,gill and scale then i put lemon,tomato,onion,corn relish then some garlic salt and pepper. Wrap in alfoil and bake on the bbq. Whats left i turn into fish cakes the next day.

bake whole in alfoil on the BBq fill the gut cavity with sliced lemon and fresh ginger and a splash of white wine to steam her up,theres not much left if your at the back of the q!

Cooked whole is the only way and dont over do it1

Dezzer we will have to agree to disagree,

I rate snapper well below any fish including trevs.

Anyway here is a recipe that works well for bigger vermin.

One fresh vermin (snapper) around 5kg scaled, cleaned and sliced into cutlets.

You will also need seasoned flour, chicken or fish stock, about 1/2 to 1 cup, small amount of FRESH garlic finely chopped...none of the rubish out of jars. About 500ml cream and dash of brandy.

Good slurp of peanut oil in the frypan, when hot, add vermin cutlets which have been thickly coated in seasoned flour.

Cook both sides until slightly browned and don't be frightened of a little heat you don't want them to stew, remove from pan onto absorbent kitchen paper. A small amount of oil should still be in the pan, if not just a small top up.

Add garlic and cook through, add 1/4 cup brandy, you can flame it so WATCH OUT, add 1/2 to one cup of stock, you will have to judge for yourself, and reduce by about half.

Lastly put back the vermin cutlets and cream cook till it again slightly reduces, this should not take too long. You may also need to season with a small amount of salt, not too much!!!!! Garnish with parsley if available.

Serve with some green veg and steamed rice.

This is a rich dish so don't go over board with the side dishes.

good luck r.