Whole Grilled Snapper with Cilantro Lime Garlic Butter
Gluten-Free
Dairy-Free
Paleo
Low Carb
Keto
Whole30
Low Calorie
Pescatarian
This simple and tasty grilled snapper recipe comes together in under 40 minutes! It's perfect for a weekend family dinner or a party! This recipe is Whole30 approved, paleo, gluten free, dairy free, low carb, and keto!
Prep Time: 18 minutesmins
Cook Time: 20 minutesmins
Servings: 6servings
Ingredients
2 2-2.5lb0.9-1.1kg vermillion/beeliner or red snapper, cleaned and scales removed*
1Tbspsea salt
1/2tspfreshly ground black pepper
1/8tspcayenne pepper
1/4cupgrass-fed ghee or buttermelted
2Tbspfinely chopped cilantro
8large cloves garlicminced or pressed
2tspfresh lime juice
6limes
3-5jalapeños and chili peppersoptional
1/2cupavocado oil
Instructions
Bring fish to room temp. Remove fish from refrigeration and allow to come to room temperature.
Start grill and heat to medium-high heat (375-400ºF).
Make seasoning mix. In a small bowl, combine sea salt, pepper, and cayenne and mix.
Cut slits in fish. Make 3 crosswise cuts down the width of each fillet all the way down to the bones at a 45º angle.
Rub with seasoning. Rub the skin and inside the cuts with the seasoning mixture.
Make cilantro lime garlic butter. In a small bowl, mix together the melted ghee, cilantro, garlic, and lime juice. Reserve half of the butter mixture for the end of the recipe. Spoon the other half of the mixture into the cuts, into the belly, and over the skin of the fish.
Slice limes and stuff fish. Slice 2 of the limes into thin (<1/4") slices, then cut them into half moon shapes. Stuff the cuts with the lime slices on both sides of the fish. Cut the other 4 limes in half and set aside.
Oil everything well. Using your hands or a pastry brush, coat the peppers, 6 of the lime halves, and fish on all sides with avocado oil. Really be generous with the avocado oil here so that your fish doesn't stick on the grill. Reserve the last 2 lime halves for serving at the end.
Clean and oil grill grates. Once your grill is hot enough, clean the grill grates really well with a wire brush. Bring your fish, peppers, and limes outside and once your just about ready to put them on, oil the grates with avocado oil**. This step is really important to prevent the skin from sticking.
Grill fish. Place fish on the grill with enough room to flip them onto clean grill grates when it's time to flip. This is really important too. You're going to want to flip them using grilling tongs and a spatula and just roll them onto their other side. But when you flip you don't want them to go where the other fish was just grilling. You want there to be enough room to roll onto clean grill grates. This will help prevent sticking.
Cover with lid and allow to grill for about 10 minutes or until the skin releases from the grill grates and you can easily flip them.
Flip fish. Before you flip them, oil the grates where you will flip the fish onto and brush more oil on the fish. Don't be shy with the oil. Now roll them carefully onto the other side. Add the peppers and limes (face down) to the grill and cover with the lid. Allow to cook for about 10 more minutes. The flesh should be opaque and flake easily off the bone. You can also lift up the belly flap and check for doneness underneath. Carefully remove the fish, peppers, and limes to a platter.
Serve. Brush immediately with the remaining cilantro lime garlic butter, squeeze fresh lime juice over them, and serve with the grilled limes (Extra yummy to squeeze on the fish! Give each person 1 grilled lime half).
Notes
*Cleaned means that the guts have been removed. Most fish will come cleaned, but if not your fishmonger should be able to do that for you. They should also be able to descale it for you. But bonus points if you caught your own fish!! **To oil the grates, I use an small towel dipped in avocado oil and rub it on using grilling tongs.