Caribbean Grilled Yellowtail Snapper

Half of my family tree comes from the West Indies, so Caribbean fish recipes abound in our house. If you love the fresh flavors of the islands, you’ll love this yellowtail snapper recipe with an easy aioli that’s perfect to dress this grilled snapper. To save time, have your fishmonger clean and trim the fish for you.

Prep The Fish For This Yellowtail Snapper Recipe

This fish couldn’t get any fresher! I got it at Pop’s, my local fishmonger and I swear it was swimming that morning! That’s important. Since this recipe is for a whole yellowtail snapper, it needs to be a recent catch. Here’s some tips on how you can tell.

Check To See How Fresh Your Fish Is:

• Look at the skin – is it bright and shiny or dull and lackluster? Are their obvious bruises, tears or imperfections? You want the skin to be firm, with no slimy residue. If it’s a spear-caught fish, it will obviously be pierced, but experienced anglers generally avoid the fleshy, meaty parts.
• Check the eyes –  are they clear or cloudy? Eyes of any fresh fish should be bright, not cloudy and dull. The eyes should rest flush with the head and not be sunken in.
• Smell it: Fresh seafood doesn’t have a fishy odor and in fact, it should only smell like the ocean. If it smells ammonia-like, put it back.  I put my nose right up to this whole yellowtail snapper and all I could smell was the Atlantic where it was caught. That’s what you want in a fish.

Note: A good fishmonger will clean and scale and trim your snapper for you, but if that’s not the case, here’s some tips.

Clean The Fish:

• Take It Outside: If you have to clean the fish, I’d advise doing it outside on a work table with a large cutting board and sharp knife. (The process of scaling a fish can send those scales flying everywhere.) You’ll want access to a hose to rinse the fish as you go.
• Gut The Snapper (slice a long thin cut along the bottom of the fish and remove the innards. Rinse and pat fish dry.)
• Scale The Fish  (use a scaling tool and rub it going in the “wrong direction” – like petting a cat backwards — along the fish) until all the scales are removed. Rub your hands over the fish to ensure you got all the scales.
• Trim The Fins from the fish. Use a pair of kitchen sheers to remove the dorsal, caudal, anal and pectoral fins. You can cut off the tail, but I like to leave it on and just trim it into a decorative “V” shape for presentation.

For The Caribbean Marinade

• Garlic
• Scotch Bonnet Peppers
• Salt 
• Scallions
• Shallots
• Black Pepper
• Fresh Lime Juice
• Olive Oil

Make The Spicy Caribbean Marinade

Mix all of the ingredients for the marinade into a small bowl. Note: If you don’t like a lot of spice, you can skip the scotch bonnet pepper and add a teaspoon or so of your favorite hot sauce instead. Scotch bonnets are H-O-T!

Marinating Yellowtail Snapper For the Grill

• Place the fish on a baking sheet and fill the cavity with thyme sprigs, sliced onion and the remnants of the lime that you used for the marinade.
• Coat the snapper with the marinade.
• Cover and refrigerate for one hour so the flavors can penetrate the fish.

Prepare The Snapper For The Grill

• To grill the snapper, I recommend using a fish rack. Look for one that will conform to the size of your fish and hold it securely in place. Fish racks make turning the fish a very simple process without having the flesh sticking to the grates of the grill.
• If you don’t have a fish basket you can also you a nonstick mat and a large spatula with a pair of tongs.
• If you don’t have either of these tools, as a last resort,  heat the grill to about 500° . Lightly wet a paper towel with vegetable oil and use your grilling tongs to rub it over the grates to season them. Place the fish on the hot grill and use a combination of tongs and a grilling spatula to carefully flip the fish.

Grill the fish for about 10-12 minutes on each side for a 2 pound fish. If your fish is smaller you could cut back to 8-9 minutes, but you want the fish to be cooked through on the inside. No sushi here.

Probably my favorite part of this dish is the easy aioli. It’s rich and garlicky and utterly delicious. My Mom serves the aioli with all her Caribbean fish recipes, whether they’re poached, grilled or fried.  I usually have leftovers of the aioli and it’s fabulous on sandwiches in place of regular mayonnaise.

Ingredients For Garlic Aioli Sauce:

• Egg Yolk
• Garlic
• Dijon Mustard
• Kosher Salt
• Lime Juice
• Vegetable Oil

Make The Easy Aioli

• In a small bowl combine the egg yolk, garlic, dijon mustard and kosher salt.
• Whisk to combine.
• Add the vegetable oil a teaspoon or two at a time, whisking constantly (and stirring in the same direction).
• Continue adding oil until all of it has been incorporated and the mixture is thick and creamy.
• Whisk in the lime juice and taste for seasonings.
• Add salt, if needed.

Let the fish rest for a few minutes before cutting into it.  

To Serve The Caribbean Grilled Yellowtail Snapper

• Remove the tiny pin bones where the dorsal and pectoral fins used to connect to the fish’s body by using a spoon and fork to scrape them aside.
• Use a sharp knife to gently cut and remove the top fillet by using the spine as a guide of where to cut.
• Lift the fillet from the fish (you can also do this in a few “serving size” pieces if its easier. Transfer to a serving platter or plate.
• When the top fillet is removed, lift the tail it should come away from the flesh of the bottom fillet.
• Remove the bottom fillet and transfer to a serving platter. Serve with the easy aioli.

Here’s a video I found to help.

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