# recipe for redfish on the half-shell



## tstex

Hey Guys,

It's been awhile, hope you are all doing well.

Went fising in S. TX and we did well on the redfish: about 35 22"-28".  The guides filleted all the redfish and left the scales and skin on one side, and fillet on the other.  Do any of you guys have a good grilling/smoking recipe for cooking fish this way?

I have a 2-box smoker, and a fire-box set-up for grilling too.  I have access to both pecan and very seasoned, hard oak with no bark...burns like coal.

Thank you in advance for your help and suggestions.

Regards,

tstex


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## alblancher

Salt and pepper well.  Place redfish, scale side down on smoker or grill, baste with lots of melted butter, with a bit of garlic juice (powder) and onion .   Cook till fish flakes.  I have done them both ways, on the grill and in the smoker.  I prefer to not put to much smoke on my redfish, enjoying the natural flavor enhanced with the baste.  You can't screw it up if you keep an eye on it and don't slam it to hard with the seasoning.  

Enjoy,

Al


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## eman

I have cooked and eaten redfish on the half shell prepared many ways.

 This is a recipe from one of my friends who is a guide here in la.

The best i've ever had.

CAPT. JOHN L’S
REDFISH ON HALFSHELL


6-10 Fillets with skin and scales intact
Pat dry and apply a few drops of Tobasco to meat


In a saucepan, melt 1/2 stick of butter
2 cups Italian dressing
1 cup Thousand Island dressing
1 8 oz bottle of Tiger Sauce
1 tablespoon Tony's or Slap-yo-momma seasoning
1 tablespoon garlic powder
3 tablespoons lemon juice


Have grill hot and place halfshells on Pam-ed (cooking spray) grill SKIN SIDE DOWN. Sprinkle generously with Italian bread crumbs. Spoon mixture of the sauce or use large turkey baster. Cook with lid closed for about 6-8 minutes or until fork is inserted in the thickest part of the fish can twist meat apart. DO NO OVERCOOK. Serve with skin and scales still attached and just eat off of skin


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## bayouchilehead

The way Al described it is as good as it gets. I know a few that may put a little lemon juice on it at the end but that's it.


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## eman

amazing that 3 louisiana guys posted answers to the op. Guess we know who knows redfish. LOL


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## alblancher

I did forget about the lemon juice.  Just second nature when eating seafood but it's like milk on cereal.  You can't have fresh seafood without fresh cut lemon.


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## tstex

Gentlemen, and that you are, thank you very much for your suggestions...done deal.

My wife and daughters are going to NY/NY for fishing, so I invited my sister/husband, brother/wife [that all love fish] and just us 5 are going to have a relaxing dinner. I am also pulling some fresh [red] new potatoes from the garden along with real chives from the herb section...I also have some fresh celebrity tomatoes, jalapenos and some "10-15" onions to cut-up for fresh salsa - if they want, they can put some of this on the fish too.  I might even cook 1 or 2 extra fish with your recipes and put 2-3 tbsps of freshly-made salsa on and let that cook into the meat.

I will post back on Monday and let you know how it goes.

Again, thank you very much,

tstex


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## mballi3011

I was going to say that the first 3 replies are from La. Now I would try each one of the recipes that they gave you. I have eaten some of theses guys food and I would make it their way too. Now I'm on the east coast of Fla and I would do just about the same way that AL gave you. Fish like redfish should only be prepared with little to none seasonings. It like a good steak salt pepper and maybe alittle garlic then baste it with some butter. Then leave it alone. Let the fish, beef, pork do all the talking.


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## flash

Well I got to add mine, even being a Florida boy. Of course it is my grandma's.

One-Eyed Grandma’s Famous Louisiana Bayou Grilled Redfish

Redfish fillet, leave skin/scales on
Basil
Parsley
Salt
Garlic pepper
Lemon Pepper
Hot Sauce (Franks)  We like Crystals. Some hot sauces are TOO HOT.
Butter  ( ¼ to ½ stick)
Cajun seasons  (Red Pepper)
Black Pepper

Try to prepare around a quarter cup of basting sauce. Don’t need more than that.

These are basic seasonings to use….don’t be afraid to try your own favorites.
It is great cold too. If it comes out too hot for your taste, let it cool down some. Spices seem to calm down some with the cooling.

 
Prepare grill, remember to spray grill grate with PAM
Cut slits in filet, to skin, about 3/4" apart. Sprinkle with basil, parsley, salt, lemon pepper, garlic pepper and Cajun seasoning. Be generous with spices but do not cover the fish so much you cannot see the flesh.  More Lemon Pepper than Garlic pepper. Melt butter with 1/4 cup of hot sauce .
Place skin side down on grill. Cover and cook over medium heat until hot, then baste with butter and hot sauce. Continue cooking (a large fish will require about 30 minutes) until meat lifts easily from the skin, basting occasionally with butter and hot sauce.
Baste fish atleast two times with sauce as fish cooks to keep fish from drying
Cut in serving size portions or remove from skin with spatula.
Optional basting: Use a good Italian dressing.
Can sprinkle with Lemon juice to taste (optional)

 Very good COLD also. In fact some prefer it that way.


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## tstex

Guys,

Just wanted to say thx again and update you as promised. 

My guests said the fish was outstanding, and it was.  I keep the seasoning down to the basics, basted often and made sure the fish was not over cooked...cooked 6 12-16oz fillets for the 5 of us and there was not a piece of fish left afterwards...even the two women completely ate all their fish.

Didn't have my camera with me, but the next time i cook them, I am going to do so and post some pics for you guys.

Have a great one,

tstex


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## fftwarren

lemon, butter, garlic, worcestershire basting sauce. and season fish with black pep, red pep, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt. cook over low heat. The only real way to mess it up is to have your fire too hot. its not a race. cook it low and slow otherwise it draws up and is tough. you should be able to hold the back of your hand over your fire at grate level for at least 10 seconds before putting your fish on. if you cant take the heat for 10 seconds then let it burn down more until you can.


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## mikeh1023

The last time I grilled redfish it was the side of a 26 lb red. I could not tell when it was done and apparently overcooked it.   It was so bad, my wife said we would never have redfish again. Recently, a client gave me 10 lb redfish. I told my wife to give me one more chance. I found the recipes here and decided to give two a try, one for each side. Because this recipe made so much sauce, I wound up using it on both. 

It was outrageously delicious!  A 12 on a scale of 10.  You could make this the marquee dish in a restaurant and it would carry the place.  Try this one for sure. 

I also learned how to tell when redfish is done. You have to watch it close. It doesn't flake like most fish. So it's easy to overcook it; and take it from me, that is a disaster.


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## mikeh1023

I was referring to eman's recipe.


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## alblancher

Also a 25 lb redfish is too big for eating.  Probably no larger the 12 - 15 lb or they just don't taste good.  Those larger redfish are fine if used in somethng like fish cakes or as fake crab meat but they need some help.


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## mikeh1023

Thanks Al. The first time I tried one, we had caught on a charter trip for my son. It was a large bull red.  My friend and I smoked it in his tower smoker, after marinating in zesty for four hours.  We basted with zesty and butter and spices. It was fabulous!  That is why I was so disappointed when I tried a large one on my grill. Having redeemed myself with eman's recipe, I intend to try it again, only this time slower and more carefully.


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## Raz

Thread started 9years ago, no reason to change anything, I smoked mine for 10-12 minutes, just a little smoke, almost like a reverse searing a steak, then grill till flaky,,, oh yes I am a WHO DAT !


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