Grilled Whole Snapper with Escovitch Sauce
Grilled whole snapper is stuffed with aromatics and served escovitch style with tangy, spicy pickled vegetables.
- Prep Time: 30
- Escovitch Sauce: 70
- Cook Time: 20
- Total Time: 2 hours
- Yield: 2-6 1x
- Category: Seafood
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: Caribbean
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Grilled Whole Red Snapper
- 1–2 2-3 pounds whole red snapper, gutted, scaled, and gilled
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon allspice
- lemon and lime slices
- 4–5 sprigs of fresh cilantro per fish
- 3–4 sprigs fresh thyme per fish
- 2–3 scallions per fish, cut into 2” sections
- 1/3 cup whole allspice, optional
Escovitch Sauce
- 1 red bell pepper, julienned
- 1 yellow or orange bell pepper, julienned
- 1 carrot, peeled and juilienned or shaved into ribbons
- 1 celery stalk, julienned or shaved into ribbons
- 1 yellow onion, sliced
- 1 garlic clove, sliced
- 1–2 scotch bonnet peppers or habaneros, sliced, deseed for less heat if desired
- 1 sprig of thyme per jar
- 2–3 sprigs of fresh cilantro per jar
- 1 cup white vinegar
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 1/2 teaspoons whole allspice
- 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
Instructions
Whole Grilled Red Snapper
- Allow your fish to come to room temperature for 30 minutes. Thoroughly pat it dry.
- Score your fish with 3-4 slices at an angle on each side, cutting through the skin to the bones.
- Rub the outside and cavity with olive oil. Season the cavity and skin with kosher salt, pepper, and allspice, making sure to get into the scored sections.
- Stuff your fish with citrus slices, thyme and cilantro sprigs, and pieces of scallions. You can secure the stuffing with butcher’s twine if desired.
- Prepare your grill for direct grilling. Make sure your grates are clean. If using a gas grill heat it to 400-450 degrees. If using a charcoal grill pour your ashed over coals into a single layer. Oil your grates if desired.
- Scatter the whole allspice over the hot coals if desired. This will perfume the fish and give a faint flavor of grilling over pimento wood.
- Place your fish over direct heat. Depending upon the thickness of your fish allow the first side to grill for 6-10 minutes. Do not flip until the fish easily releases from the grates.
- Flip your fish and allow the second side to grill for 6-10 minutes. Once the eyes turn white your fish is done. The skin will be charred and the meat will easily flake. The internal temperature should be between 140-145 degrees.
- Remove from the grill and place on a serving platter. Spread the pickled vegetables and some of the brine over the fish. Serve with additional escovitch sauce.
Escovitch Sauce
- Divide your vegetables between two pint sized mason jars, including the garlic and the sliced scotch bonnet or habanero peppers. Add sprigs of cilantro and thyme to each jar.
- Add the water, vinegar, salt, sugar, bay leaves, peppercorns, and whole allspice to a saucepan over medium heat. Allow to come to a simmer, stirring until the sugar and salt has dissolved.
- Let simmer an additional minute.
- Divide the brine between the two mason jars.
- Let cool completely. Cover your jars and refrigerate.
- Let refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.
- These are quick pickles and need to be refrigerated until ready to serve. They will last for up to two weeks.
Notes
- Other types of snapper will work for this recipe such as mutton, lane, or yellowtail snapper. You can also use other whole fish such as sea bass or branzino.
- You can use one half to a whole sliced scotch bonnet pepper or habanero per jar. For even less heat piece a whole pepper a couple of times with a fork and add the whole pepper to your jar.
- You can use any large mason jar or nonreactive airtight container for pickled vegetables.