Roasted whole fish including the head and tail results in a fast and easy meal with maximum flavor.
About roasted whole fish recipe
This recipe for fast and easy roasted whole fish truly lives up to its name. 1 1/2- to 2-pound whole fish like the featured yellow tailed snapper can be ready to eat and on your plate in 30 to 40 minutes. No knife is needed, just the fish, sea salt and freshly ground black pepper and a few fresh herbs.
Most commonly sold fish in this size, which is plenty for two people, will work with this recipe. I have used slight variations to cook whole red snapper, sheepshead, tilapia and other species. The fish don’t even have to be scaled as the skin gets crispy and easily peals off. Try substituting other combinations of fresh herbs and other oils for different flavors. I especially like either coconut oil or a grass-fed butter and olive oil blend for roasted fish.
Preparing roasted whole fish
Start with whole fresh fish in the 1 1/2- to 2-pound size range. This is plenty of fish for two people after cooking and removing skin and bones. Fresh fish will have clear and wet looking eyes and the scales will be tight, not falling out.
Rinse the fish inside and out with cold water and pat dry. Rub with the oil(s) of your choice. Rub the inside of the body cavity with a generous amount of sea salt and a little freshly ground black pepper. Stuff the cavity loosely with fresh herbs. In this example I used equal amounts of freshly picked whole sweet basil and mint leaves for a light summery flavor. Another herb combination I like is sage and oregano for a more earthy flavor during colder weather.
Whole yellow tailed snapper, stuffed with fresh herbs and ready for the oven.
Lay the fish on a baking sheet or pan and sprinkle lightly with sea salt and black pepper. Place into an oven pre-heated to 400F and bake for 20-30 minutes. The skin will be crispy and the fish should be just cooked through to the spine. Baking in the skin with the head and tail intact makes a moister and more flavorful fish.
To get to the meat, start by pulling off the top gill plate. Clean all of the meat off the head, especially full of omega-3 fatty acids and flavor(like grouper cheeks). Pull the pectoral fin(just behind and below the gill) loose and pick off all of the meat from it. Peel back the skin to the tail use a fork, starting at the lateral line above the spine(easy to see without the skin), to slide the rib meat off the bones towards the belly and top meat off the bones towards the dorsal fin. Turn the fish over and repeat for the other side. Save the bones and skin for making a stock if desired.
Fast and easy roasted whole fish fresh out of the oven and ready to eat.
It really is that easy to make a delicious entree for two people! For sides, steam or saute a medley of whatever vegetables you have available, make a greens salad or slaw or just slice some tomato and avocado.
A note about fish
Fish is a wonderful addition to any healthy whole food diet. Almost all fish is high in protein and full of omega-3 fatty acids. Fish also provide many other nutrients.
Try to buy fish from local waters whenever possible as they tend to be a more sustainable resource. If local fish is not available, at least avoid buying fish species known to be commercially over-fished such at Chilean sea bass, orange roughy and some species of grouper.