Sauteed Hogfish or Hog Snapper?

I get some interesting searches that bring new people to my blog.  Today I had someone searching for Sauteed Hog Snapper recipes.  There are several restaurants in town that have some kick butt sauteed fish recipes.  Francais, if that is how you spell it or French style is pretty awesome.  I haven't made it in a while but what the heck, here is my version.

Bread the fish fillets by first seasoning the fish with salt, pepper and some Old Bay, dredge lightly in flour, dip in egg wash and dredge in flour again.  The egg wash is just a couple beaten eggs with about a tablespoon of milk or water added.

Saute the breaded fillets in half butter, half olive oil (about 2 tablespoons each) in a medium high skillet until golden brown then set aside to drain on paper towels.  Add to the skillet diced onion, diced bell pepper, diced celery and sliced mushrooms in equal parts and a couple of garlic cloves finely chopped. Normally, there is enough butter and oil, but you may want to add some if the pan looks dry.  De-glaze with white wine or water if you have issues with wine (about a half cup).  Add about a 1/2 cup per serving of clam juice (most bottles of clam juice are about a cup). Bring to a boil and then simmer until it reduces by 1/3 to 1/2.  Season with Old Bay and salt to taste.  The sauce should be thickened enough to coat a spoon at this point.  If not reduce a little more then return the fillets to the skillet and cover for a few minutes.  Don't over cook.  Just rewarm the fillets and coat the bottoms with sauce.  Serve right away over white rice with a big chunk of hot garlic bread.

This is really an easy recipe that makes you look like you know what you are doing.  I have never measured the amounts of seasoning, but I don't over season the fish.  I do taste and adjust the sauce so the salt and Old Bay are noticeable but don't overpower the veggies.  This recipe is good for any type of white meat fish, alligator, conch and iguana ('Gator, conch and iguana should be boneless and pounded to tenderize before breading.)

Marathon in the Florida Keys should be your next fishing vacation destination. Join us for charter fishing, fishing guide trips or our fishing 101 so you can fish on your own with better success.

Tight lines,
Capt. Dallas

Smoked and grilled Mackerel dishes

For more recipes http://www.keysfishingtips.blogspot.com


Here's a few ways to cook all those mackerel that are biting:

Spanish Mackerel have a stigma attached because of Boston mackerel and other mackerel that make good bait and little else. Spanish tastes more like Wahoo than they do like King Mackerel and are very tasty if properly prepared. To prepare Spanish for smoking, I fillet them, leaving the skin on and then zipper the fillets. This is accomplished by cutting down both sides the bone/bloodline in the center of the fillet and pulling the line out. I soak the fillets in salt water and ice for fifteen minutes or so just to make sure the fillets are really chilled and clean.

There are a variety of brining solutions you can use and most of them are great. I rarely brine my fillets before smoking. Normally all I do is season them with salt, pepper, paprika for color and a little cayenne pepper.

I have a fairly elaborate electric smoker that will hold about 150 pounds of fillets that I heat to 250 degrees. In the smoke pot, I use, button wood chips soaked in water and a little apple juice if I have it. Cover you grates with foil and lay the fillets skin side down on the foil. I don’t over cook mine, usually 4 to 6 hours is plenty, depending on the thickness of the fillets. I want the fish cooked but still moist.

Once done, let the fish cool for a while, 5 to 10 minutes, with a large spatula, take the fish off the grate. Most of the skin will stick to the foil making clean up easy.

Smoke mackerel is best served with several cold beer around a cook fire.

Smoke Mackerel Dip

This is my version. There are lots of other great ones.

4 pounds approx. smoked Mackerel crumbled coarsely
1 cup slice green onions
½ cup dice celery
½ cup soften cream cheese
½ cup sour cream
1 package dry ranch dressing mix.

Throw the first five ingredients in a large bowl and blend it all together, clean hands is the best mixer. Sprinkle the dressing mix over it all and mix again. If the smoked fish is properly seasoned, no extra seasoning is required. A little mayo can be added if the fish was smoked a bit dry. The dip should be a little stiff, but should spread with a little difficulty. If you want it to spread more easily, add mayo and/or sour cream.


If you don’t have a smoker or don’t want to smoke the fish, then fire up your grille. Place foil in the center of the grill and place the fish skin side on the foil. I normally mix all my spice in a half cup of mayo and baste the fillets once on the grill at the start of cooking. Cook 10 to 12 minutes over medium heat. Let cool as before and serve with cold beer.

If you have any left over, here’s another good dish:

2 pounds grill Spanish crumbled
2 cups plain bread crumbs
½ cup sliced green onions
½ cup dice bell pepper
1 very finely diced Scot’s bonnet pepper
Garlic and cayenne pepper optional
4 eggs well beaten

Place the fish in a large bowl and punch a well in the middle of the fish.
Put the bread crumbs in the well.

Sauté the peppers and onions in half butter and olive oil (2 table spoons each).
Once translucent, pour the veggies and oil on the bread crumbs. Mix a bit, add the beaten eggs, and mix well.

Get the skillet hot again, with butter and olive oil, and sauté small hamburger size patties of the fish mixture. Cook until crispy on the first side and turn. Cook the second side about half as long as the first. Serve crispy caramelized side up. These are great just like they are, or serve with any creative sauce you like. Duck sauce, honey mustard or hot wing sauce, to name a few. A mango vinaigrette sauce is good with these fish cakes. Just deglaze the skillet with ¼ cup apple vinegar, stir in 1 cup of mango juice and reduce by half over medium low heat.