Grilled snook fillets with charred lime, garlic butter, peppers, and herbs on a dark platter

Fresh Catch

Fire-Grilled Snook

Name: Fire-Grilled Snook
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: Serves 4
Ingredients: 4 skin-on snook fillets, 6–8 oz each; 1 tbsp neutral oil; 1 1/4 tsp kosher salt; 1/2 tsp black pepper; 1/2 tsp smoked paprika; 4 tbsp unsalted butter, softened; 2 garlic cloves, finely grated; 1 tsp lime zest; 1 tbsp charred lime juice; 1 tbsp chopped culantro or cilantro; 1/2 tsp honey; Pinch of ají chombo or cayenne; 2 limes, halved; 2 mini sweet peppers, halved lengthwise and seeded; 2 tbsp extra herbs, for serving

Charred lime–garlic butter, sweet peppers & culantro

Serves 4Prep 20 minCook 10 minTotal 30 min

Panama CanalGrillSnook

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Method

Heat the grill

Set up a clean, well-oiled grill for direct high heat, 450–500°F. Pat the fish very dry. Check carefully for pin bones.

Char, then season

Grill lime halves cut-side down and peppers until marked, 2–3 minutes. Rub fillets with oil; season with salt, pepper, and paprika.

Mix the butter

Squeeze 1 tbsp juice from the charred limes into the butter. Mix with garlic, zest, culantro, honey, and chile. Move peppers to a platter.

Grill the fish

Lay fish skin-side down. Close lid and cook 5–7 minutes without moving. Flip only if needed; cook 1–3 minutes more, until the thickest part reaches 145°F.

Gloss and rest

Brush hot fish with lime butter. Rest 3 minutes, then serve with charred limes, peppers, and herbs.