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Salt Encrusted Whole Red Snapper

bgebrent
bgebrent Posts: 19,636
edited April 2018 in Seafood
Once upon a time I had an amazing dinner with family at a great Spanish restaurant in Louisville.  It was a whole fish cooked encrusted in salt.  Not being sure if the egg was the ideal cooking vessel for such a cook, I decided to try this.  Stuffed the snapper with Meyer lemons, fresh thyme and pepper.  Lemon zest and thyme in the sea salt crust.  A couple pieces of grapevine for a kiss of smoke.  This worked spectacularly.  Grilled Meyer lemon and olive oil finish.  Moist, tender, buttery snapper.  N said “this is absolutely delicious”.  I’ll take that. Not much smoke but a do over.  Cheers.










Sandy Springs & Dawsonville Ga
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Comments

  • dmourati
    dmourati Posts: 1,268
    Wow. Awesome idea. I've never seen fish done that way before. I think fish on the egg is severely underrated. 
    Mountain View, CA
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  • RustyBeavers
    RustyBeavers Posts: 39
    Incredible, Snapper is one of our favorite fishes. 
    Dallas, TX

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  • johnnyp
    johnnyp Posts: 3,932

    Cool cook. Thanks for sharing

    XL & MM BGE, 36" Blackstone - Newport News, VA
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  • johnmitchell
    johnmitchell Posts: 6,569
    Great cook Brent..Awesome plated pic..
    Greensboro North Carolina
    When in doubt Accelerate....
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  • Botch
    Botch Posts: 15,463
    Beautiful cook, @Brent.
    May I ask, what you mixed with the salt as a binder?  I've only done this once (beef tenderloin) and used a recipe that (iirc) used egg whites.  It stalled out my Kitchenaid Artisan, and I had to finish kneading the "salt dough" by hand, and was pouring with sweat by the time it was finished (this was pre-Christmas dinner in a dress shirt + tie).  I haven't done even a salt-encrusted pretzel since.  :nuh_uh:
    _____________

    Remember when teachers used to say 'You won't have a calculator everywhere you go'?  Well, we showed them.


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  • JohnInCarolina
    JohnInCarolina Posts: 30,936
    Looks great brother!
    "I've made a note never to piss you two off." - Stike
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  • JohnnyTarheel
    JohnnyTarheel Posts: 6,540
    Now that makes a statement... great cook
    Charlotte, NC - Large BGE 2014, Maverick ET 733, Thermopen, Nest, Platesetter, Woo2 and Extender w/Grid, Kick Ash Basket, Pizza Stone, SS Smokeware Cap, Blackstone 36"
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  • YukonRon
    YukonRon Posts: 16,989
    Ceviche?
    I have read about the salt encrusted methods, but just not there yet.
    Great looking cook, the salt may have galvinized the fish from the smoke, as it seals the moisture in, and some of the cooking is done with the citrus and heat.
    I dunno. Great meal with or without the smoke.
    You just keep bringing it home with big grand slams.
    "Knowledge is Good" - Emil Faber

    XL and MM
    Louisville, Kentucky
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  • abtaylor260
    abtaylor260 Posts: 242
    edited April 2018
    That looks amazing. There was an episode of man fire foot where a guy does pork belly like that and smokes it.
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  • bgebrent
    bgebrent Posts: 19,636
    Botch said:
    Beautiful cook, @Brent.
    May I ask, what you mixed with the salt as a binder?  I've only done this once (beef tenderloin) and used a recipe that (iirc) used egg whites.  It stalled out my Kitchenaid Artisan, and I had to finish kneading the "salt dough" by hand, and was pouring with sweat by the time it was finished (this was pre-Christmas dinner in a dress shirt + tie).  I haven't done even a salt-encrusted pretzel since.  :nuh_uh:
    Brother Botch, beyond the seasonings, juice of one Meyer lemon, one egg white and enough water to almost become a paste.  Probably 1/2 C water in 2# of salt.  I mixed with a fork.  Was just guessing but it was perfect.  Thanks.
    Sandy Springs & Dawsonville Ga
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  • bgebrent
    bgebrent Posts: 19,636

    YukonRon said:
    Ceviche?
    I have read about the salt encrusted methods, but just not there yet.
    Great looking cook, the salt may have galvinized the fish from the smoke, as it seals the moisture in, and some of the cooking is done with the citrus and heat.
    I dunno. Great meal with or without the smoke.
    You just keep bringing it home with big grand slams.
    Thanks Ron.  I thought the smoke wouldn’t happen but had to try.  Appreciate your kind words.
    Sandy Springs & Dawsonville Ga
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  • YukonRon
    YukonRon Posts: 16,989
    edited April 2018
    No expert, but just curious, because I do not really know.....
    Do you think the pan utilized may have adversely impacted the absorbtion of the smoke? Would the use of a perforated pan might make a difference?
    Either way, that fish on my plate would have been talked about as the best I ever had, with the plate clean, in a humiliating, short time.
    "Knowledge is Good" - Emil Faber

    XL and MM
    Louisville, Kentucky
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  • Canugghead
    Canugghead Posts: 11,505
    Absolutely love it!
    canuckland
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  • HendersonTRKing
    HendersonTRKing Posts: 1,803
    That is a sight to behold!  Cool technique. Looks delish!
    It's a 302 thing . . .
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  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,314
    Another inspirational cook right there.  Great adaptation and result. Congrats.  
    BTW-what was your finish temp if you care to share the key to the finish? 
    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood. # 38 for the win.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period.
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  • bgebrent
    bgebrent Posts: 19,636
    YukonRon said:
    No expert, but just curious, because I do not really know.....
    Do you think the pan utilized may have adversely impacted the absorbtion of the smoke? Would the use of a perforated pan might make a difference?
    Either way, that fish on my plate would have been talked about as the best I ever had, with the plate clean, in a humiliating, short time.
    Ron, I believe it was the small amount of smoke wood, 1/4” moist salt crust and short cook, 35’.  Didn’t matter.  I expected minimal to no smoke.  That’s what I got.
    Sandy Springs & Dawsonville Ga
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  • Killit_and_Grillit
    Killit_and_Grillit Posts: 4,326
    Awesome cook, Brent. I tried one a few months ago after seeing it in a Mallman cook. 

    I didnt get much smoke either (I used some fruit wood) and no pan. Laid it on a banana leaf. 

    Maybe it would have done better in a Traeger  ;)

    "Brought to you by bourbon, bacon, and a series of questionable life decisions."

    South of Nashville, TN

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  • bgebrent
    bgebrent Posts: 19,636
    lousubcap said:
    Another inspirational cook right there.  Great adaptation and result. Congrats.  
    BTW-what was your finish temp if you care to share the key to the finish? 
    Thanks Cap!  I did not temp the fish.  Gleaned from a couple similar cooks I read and went with my gut.  Probably 145 finish temp if I had to guess.
    Sandy Springs & Dawsonville Ga
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  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,314
    Thanks-as I take fish to around 140*F or so but that's primarily for salmon.  I have to change up the species.  
    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood. # 38 for the win.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period.
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  • bgebrent
    bgebrent Posts: 19,636
    lousubcap said:
    Thanks-as I take fish to around 140*F or so but that's primarily for salmon.  I have to change up the species.  
    140-150 works well for fish and lobster.  Branch out my friend.  Snapper is delicious.
    Sandy Springs & Dawsonville Ga
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  • DoubleEgger
    DoubleEgger Posts: 17,166
    Neat cook Brent 
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  • Sea2Ski
    Sea2Ski Posts: 4,088
    salt encrusted. A very neat cook.  Never did one. Certainly an impressive presentation, but is it worth the work? Or can you get the same enjoyable result another way? Regardless, looks like a great meal that was fun to do.

    bgebrent said:
    140-150 works well for fish and lobster.  Branch out my friend.  Snapper is delicious.
    Yes it is my friend.  Yes  it   is.
    --------------------------------------------------
    Burning lump in Downingtown, PA or diesel in Cape May, NJ.
    ....just look for the smoke!
    Large and MiniMax
    --------------------------------------------------

    Caliking said:   Meat in bung is my favorite. 
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  • StillH2OEgger
    StillH2OEgger Posts: 3,745
    Jeez, do you ever just cook a hot dog (-: This looks like another home run!
    Stillwater, MN
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  • caliking
    caliking Posts: 18,731
    Superb. I'm kinda jealous.

    #1 LBGE December 2012 • #2 SBGE February  2013 • #3 Mini May 2013
    A happy BGE family in Houston, TX.
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  • bgebrent
    bgebrent Posts: 19,636
    StillH2OEgger said:
    Jeez, do you ever just cook a hot dog (-: This looks like another home run!
    Yessir, and burgers.  I only post stuff I hope will help others broaden their repertoire.  Thanks.
    Sandy Springs & Dawsonville Ga
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  • bgebrent
    bgebrent Posts: 19,636
    caliking said:
    Superb. I'm kinda jealous.
    Thanks Ashish!
    Sandy Springs & Dawsonville Ga
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  • bgebrent
    bgebrent Posts: 19,636
    Sea2Ski said:
    salt encrusted. A very neat cook.  Never did one. Certainly an impressive presentation, but is it worth the work? Or can you get the same enjoyable result another way? Regardless, looks like a great meal that was fun to do.

    bgebrent said:
    140-150 works well for fish and lobster.  Branch out my friend.  Snapper is delicious.
    Yes it is my friend.  Yes  it   is.
    Worth it Mark.  Just another great treatment of good fish.
    Sandy Springs & Dawsonville Ga
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  • bluebird66
    bluebird66 Posts: 2,726
    Beautiful cook!
    Large Egg with adjustable rig, Kick Ash Basket, Minimax and various Weber's.
    Floyd Va

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  • Jupiter Jim
    Jupiter Jim Posts: 3,351
    I'm speechless! :)

    I'm only hungry when I'm awake!

    Okeechobee FL. Winter

    West Jefferson NC Summer

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  • buzzvol
    buzzvol Posts: 534
    Got a try this.  Looks great!
    Lawrenceville, GA
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