At many of the higher end restaurants in New Orleans you’ll find BBQ fish on the half shell on the menu. BBQ fish? Huh? In fact what this is is a filet of fish with the skin and scales lefts on that is seasoned with lots of butter and herbs and grilled over open flame, and don’t worry there’s no BBQ sauce. When it is served to you it will be served flesh side up; with the the hardened skin/flesh of the fish resting on the plate.
The recipe that follows is a variation of a recipe that one of my former bosses gave me. He is a serious outdoorsman, and after the numerous times I’d ordered at lunch with him and a successful fishing trip in the marshes of Port Fourchon, LA he shared with me how to make BBQ redfish on the half shell myself.
BBQ Redfish on the Half Shell
Prep
Cook
Total
Yield 2 servings
- Prepare your grill to to a high heat.
- Filet redfish while leaving skin and scales on.
- Make a marinade of olive oil, cayenne pepper, smoked paprika, dried thyme, garlic salt, and juice of 4 lemons.
- Rub the marinade into the flesh side of the filets.
- Melt the butter until it's soft and mix in the juice of the remaining lemons and the chopped parsley.
- Once the grill is up to a high heat place the filets flesh side down over direct flame and cook for 4-5 minutes.
- After the filets have cooked flesh side down for 4-5 minutes flip them over and baste with the butter made earlier while cooking the filets for another 2 minutes.
Ingredients
- 2 Red fish filets, skin and scales left on
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp cayenne
- 2 tsp dried thyme
- 2 tbsp garlic salt
- 6-8 lemons
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/2 cup chopped parsley
- 1 cup butter
Instructions
- Mix together the smoked paprika, cayenne, dried thyme, and garlic salt.
- Generously rub the flesh side of the filets down with Worcestershire sauce and seasoning mix. Juice a few a few of the lemons over the filets. (You can do this while the fish are on the grill if you'd like to.)
- Drizzle olive oil over filets and rub all the ingredients into the flesh of the fish.
- Melt butter in a small sauce pan over medium low heat. Remove the pan from heat and stir in parsley, juice of 2 lemons, and 1 tbsp garlic salt. (If you have a small cast iron pot/pan you can do this on the grill. It will really impress your guests!)
- Fire up your grill and get a good high heat going.
- Place the fish flesh side down directly over the heat. Now you just have to be patient, don't touch the filets for 7-8 minutes.
- Serve fish with garlic butter sauce and ENJOY!
Notes
Make sure that you use enough olive oil on the flesh of the fish. If you do not it will cause the the flesh of the fish to stick to the grill.
If it is hard to find redfish (red drum) you can substitute red snapper or black drum
Courses Main
As always thank you for taking a few moments from your day to read over this and I hope that you are able to try this recipe sometime and that you enjoy it. Feedback is always welcome and appreciated.
Have a blessed day,
Benjamin
This was delicious. I live on the coast and had a beautiful Red Snapper. It took longer to cook due to the size. The smoked paprika and lemons make the dish. It was so easy to prepare. I was cooking one large fish. I did not cut back on spices. My husband loved it. There is left over fish. Tomorrow night fish tacos.