Food Recipes Dinner Grilled or Roasted Whole Red Snapper 4.0 (604) 5 Reviews Grilling or roasting a whole fish is easy with this recipe, which gives options for both cooking methods. By Grace Parisi Grace Parisi Grace Parisi a former senior test kitchen editor for Food & Wine, where she wrote several successful monthly columns: Food & Wine Handbook, Tasting & Testing, Flavor of the Month, Power Pantry, and Chefs Recipes Made Easy. Parisi has also been published in McCall’s, Redbook, and The New York Times, has written five hit cookbooks, and has appeared numerous times on national television. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on April 15, 2024 Rate PRINT Share Active Time: 10 mins Total Time: 40 mins Yield: 4 servings Red snapper is an excellent fish to cook whole, whether it's your first time cooking a whole fish or if you're a pro. Here, we cut slashes into the flesh of the fish and smear a paste of ground parsley, capers, salt, garlic, and crushed red pepper flakes into each cut, so the paste seasons the fish inside and out. Frequently asked questions What is the best way to cook red snapper? This is two whole red snapper recipes in one, with instructions on how to both roast and grill a whole fish. Use either one, depending on your kitchen, the weather, or your mood. Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen If you're roasting the fish, ball up a few pieces of aluminum foil to place under the wings on either side, so they support the fish and help hold it upright. If you're grilling your fish, use a grilling basket to make it easier to turn the fish over halfway through the cooking time. After cooking the fish, transfer it to a platter to serve tableside. Use two forks to lift the fillet off each side, portioning it as you like depending on the number of people and the rest of the meal. Ingredients 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley 2 tablespoons salted capers, rinsed and finely chopped 2 garlic cloves, minced 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper Kosher salt 1 tablespoon canola oil, plus more for rubbing 1 (3-pound) red snapper, cleaned and scaled Lemon juice, for serving (optional) Directions Chop parsley, capers, and garlic; combine with crushed red pepper and a large pinch of salt. Transfer paste to a small bowl and stir in oil. Make 5 parallel 3-inch-long slashes on each side of snapper, slicing almost through to bone. Lightly season fish with salt and fill slashes with paste. Rub fish all over with canola oil. To roast snapper, preheat oven to 425°F. Transfer fish to a heavy rimmed baking sheet so it stands upright. To keep fish stable, splay belly flaps and set a crumpled foil ball under tail. Roast fish for 30 minutes, until flesh just flakes. Transfer fish to a platter. Using 2 forks, lift fillets off bones and serve. To grill snapper, preheat grill to medium (400°F). Place fish in a metal grilling basket brushed with canola oil. Place basket on grill grate; grill, reducing heat if needed to maintain temperature of 400°F, until fish is lightly charred on first side, 10 minutes. Carefully flip basket; grill until fish is lightly charred on other side, 10 minutes. Squeeze lemon juice over fish and serve. Morgan Hunt Glaze / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Julia Bayless, Suggested pairing A bright, citrusy Sauvignon Blanc. Originally appeared: April 2009 Rate It Print