The Best Cast Iron Blackened Grouper Recipe - Home & Plate (2024)

FAQs

How is grouper supposed to be cooked? ›

Pan-Fried Grouper

Cook for about 4 minutes and flip once. Cook for 4 more minutes. If cooking frozen grouper filets, cook for 6-8 minutes before flipping. It's that easy!

Also, hot skillet works fine, no need for cast iron.

1 serving of blackened grouper contains 193 Calories. The macronutrient breakdown is 6% carbs, 40% fat, and 54% protein. This is a good source of proteins (46% of your Daily Value), potassium (12% of your Daily Value), and vitamin a (16% of your Daily Value).

While grouper is delicious deep fried, it's a very versatile fish and tends to be indeed fantastic pan-fried, grilled or roasted. Of those options, I'd prefer a fillet skin-on, pan fried, so the skin is crispy. Seasoned with salt, pepper, lemon juice and parsley.

It's lean, moist, and has a lovely mild and slightly sweeter flavor. Grouper lends itself to a variety of preparations--I love it grilled, pan seared, or baked. This time, I obviously went for baked grouper, a healthy and light options for those who are looking for low-carb meals!

Fish (some varieties)

A good rule of thumb is to only cook thicker cuts of fish in a cast-iron skillet. Tuna, mahi-mahi, and swordfish steaks are perfect for searing, and can withstand the heat. Delicate types of fish like sole, cod, flounder, and even salmon will likely stick to the pan and leave a bit of a mess.

Choose a large, heavy skillet—something like your biggest cast-iron skillet will work marvelously. Add ¼ inch of fat. You can use shortening or mild vegetable oil, one of the best oils to fry fish. Standard vegetable oil is affordable and nearly flavorless, and canola or peanut oil works well too.

Cast iron is undoubtedly the best vessel for cooking extra-crispy fish, but only if you start with a hot skillet. Preheat your skillet for a few minutes before adding oil (this prevents the oil from getting too hot before the pan is evenly warmed up), then add the oil and heat it until it shimmers like a mirage.

Although both tasted delicious, I give butter the slight edge here. It came off of the cast iron skillet easier and helped the fish stay more intact. However, if you have allergies, are watching your cholesterol, or prefer healthier fats, then using olive oil is a fine choice and tasted very similar to butter.

Blackening seasoning is a combination of chili powders, herbs, and spices. Most recipes include some combination of paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, black pepper, salt, dried thyme, dried oregano, dried basil, and dried thyme.

Is grouper healthier than chicken? ›

According to the AMA (American Heart Association), eating fish at least twice per week may help reduce the risk of heart disease. So, the added benefits of fish outweigh those of chicken.

There are several reasons why grouper has become so expensive in the Sunshine State, including the fact that it is a highly sought-after species, the difficulty of harvesting it, and the strict regulations governing its harvest. First, grouper is a highly sought-after species.

Grouper are found in temperate waters from the Mid-Atlantic States and Florida to South America. Once the skin is removed, it is hard to tell Red and Black Grouper apart, although Black Grouper has firmer meat when fresh. The raw meat of both is white and lean.

Sure, if it's a whole fish. Any bacteria will be on the outside of the fish, and not in the middle. So, you can cook whole fish to preference or pink in the middle, as long as the outside is fully cooked.

The best way to tell if your fish is done is by testing it with a fork at an angle, at the thickest point, and twist gently. The fish will flake easily when it's done and it will lose its translucent or raw appearance. A good rule of thumb is to cook the fish to an internal temperature of 140-145 degrees.

Grouper has a mild yet distinct flavor, somewhere between Bass and Halibut. The taste of most Grouper is similar, with slight differences in flavor and texture, depending on size, species and location of harvest. Red Grouper is sweeter and milder than Black Grouper.