Cooking 8kg Red

[trymyluck]

Hi All
Having a few friends over to ensure no wastage so now the only question is how to cook it.I was intending on lightly stuffing it , nothing real overpowering and wrapping it in foil and on the bbq.
Any other suggestions as this is only the first of many reds I hope.
Mark

[Wahoo]

Hi All
Having a few friends over to ensure no wastage so now the only question is how to cook it.I was intending on lightly stuffing it , nothing real overpowering and wrapping it in foil and on the bbq.
Any other suggestions as this is only the first of many reds I hope.
Mark

take one slab off and freeze it for latter, with the other half of fish, lay it bone down on the bbq, cut few strips of fresh sugar cane and few mint leaves, place them under the fish, salt the top, if you have a lid on the bbq, put it down, thats all you need...... enjoy.........

Daz

[trymyluck]

Thanks for that Daz but seems word is getting out and I might need the whole fish to feed the mob, 1 side just may not go round but it is a good idea to keep in mind as I resisted the idea of filleting it as I think it would have wasted too much and the way I fish I can't afford to waste too much.

[scrubba01]

Yeah as you say I wouldn't go over the top with other flavors lemon and butter and that is about it. Red Emperor is to good to muck with leave the stuffing for other fish like snapper or king fish. Cook until the skewer comes out clean and you are done, don't forget to eat the cheak meat youself it is the best part of baking a fish.

[trueblue]

do half like Daz said, and do the other fillet another way, steamed for example

[Pete62]

Hey Mark, depending on the flavours u want, a chinese type mix I do up for steaming is, good quality soy, shallots, ginger and minced garlic. Couple of tips, when doing up your foil envelope (2 sheets on the bottom), make sure u can open it to check if it's cooked and then reseal it if needed. Also a couple of deep(to the backbone) scores in the shoulder area to ensure even cooking.

I usually do whole fish in the oven so if BBQing don't try to do it to fast or the bottom side will burn, if u get the right temp with the hood down u shouldn't have to turn him over.

Good tip with the cheeck meat, bestest bit, yum.

Good luck and Merry Christmas, Pete.

[trymyluck]

Hi Pete
Hows the fishing going down there, havn't fished down there for years.I know my loss.
Will have to get down there soon, catch up with all the family down there. That whole part of the coast is just magic.
Will keep your idea for steaming in mind for another time as i've been told that red emperor on their own are to die for.
Mark

[Pete62]

Hi Mark, yep good idea keeping it simple with the big reds, hate to overpower the taste.

Going off down here at the moment, jacks r on in the creeks, good Bass further up and they have been catching Jew on the beaches like u usually catch undersize bream.
Plenty going on outside too, snapps and pearlies and heaps of big Kingies for fun.

Happy Christmas, and if u r ever coming down here give me a shout.
Pete.

[trueblue]

so what did you end up doing?

[Apollo]

so what did you end up doing?

It is all happening tomorrow afternoon. Better still, I am one of the mates going for the feed - Yummmmmmmm. I will give the unbias appraisal of his effort.

Here is the fish.

[trymyluck]

Well what can I say.......

12 hungry Adults

5 hungry kids

1 Red Emperor


= Nothing but bones and skin left and lots of happy people.

[trymyluck]

oops sorry

[Apollo]

Sorry for the delay in the official taste report. Mark did a top job and the fish tasted great. Simple approach with only a bit of lime/lemon on foil wraped in the bbq. Must admit that I went back a few times for 'just a bit more'. My 2yr old ate as much of the fish as most of the adults, so it definately passed the taste test with her.

Thanks

[roz]

Obviously a bit late to offer advice here, but just in case you dong another nice snapper or red here is something that works for me.

Firstly, filletting big reds can often result in a bit of wastage, snaps are even worse.

These are the only fish I will ever carve up into cutletts, and it works brilliantly. Just slice the thicknes required and then a small saw to get through the backbone. Jobs done!! Virtually no waste, very easy to serve up & you will generally get more servings.

Another trick is to lightly dust each cutlett in seasoned flour, this helps keep the flesh moist & tender as BBQ fish can become dry if over done. Also tastes good if you cook it using a combination of oil and butter. Toasted sesame seeds in the flour coating is another plus.

I must add that this method would only be practical on reds & snaps 8kg or under.

good luck
r.

[trymyluck]

Thanks for that Roz, I did consider doing just that. We have used the same method on large Jewfish and King fish.
Mark