4 Steps To Clean Snapper (Without Filleting Them)
- By: Luke Simonds
- on
Up until recently, I always threw back mangrove snapper that were just barely over the limit.
I only wanted to keep the big ones because I didn’t think the small ones were worth filleting.
And I was right… sort of.
After seeing a few videos about cooking fish whole, I decided to give it a try with some smaller (but still legal) snapper and I was blown away.
It’s a delicious way of cooking them, plus you don’t have to fillet them and miss out on some of the delicious meat.
In this video, I’m going to show you how I cleaned this snapper and prepared it to cook it on the grill whole.
Check it out below.
How To Clean Small Snapper [VIDEO]
Click here to claim your FREE pack of Slam Shady paddletails
Click here to join the Insider Club
To prepare snapper to be cooked whole, here’s what to do:
Step 1: Scale the fish.
I used a fork and the scales came right off.
Step 2: Cut off the hard fins.
The soft fins are edible, so you can leave those if you want.
Step 3: Cut a slit through the bottom of the belly.
This will make it easier to get the guts out as you dehead it.
Step 4: Cut the head off of the fish
As you cut the head off, the guts should come off with it.
Make sure to get the rest of the guts out after the head is gone.
Conclusion
Cooking whole snapper like this was some of the best fish I’ve had in a long time!
The skin was crispy and delicious, and by eating the meat right off of the bones I was able to maximize the food I got from the fish.
Have any questions about cleaning fish to eat it whole?
Let me know in the comments below!
And if you know someone who needs to see this video, please TAG or SHARE this with them!
P.S. To get 20% off of our online store, plus get our best fishing spots and tips, click here to join us in the Insider Club!
Stop Wasting Time On The Water!
Do what the “SMART ANGLERS” are doing and join the Insider Club.
Here’s what you’ll receive today when you join:
- Weekly fishing reports and TRENDS revealing exactly where you should fish ever trip
- Weekly “spot dissection” videos that walk you through all the best spots in your area
- Exclusive fishing tips from the PROS you can’t find anywhere else
- Everything you need to start catching fish more consistently (regardless if you fish out of a boat, kayak, or land).
Click here to join today.
Related articles:
Related categories:
STOP WASTING TIME ON THE WATER!
Do what the “SMART ANGLERS” are doing and join the Insider Club.
Here’s what you’ll receive today when you join:
- Weekly fishing reports and TRENDS revealing exactly where you should fish every trip
- Weekly “spot dissection” videos that walk you through all the best spots in your area
- Exclusive fishing tips from the PROS you can’t find anywhere else
- Everything you need to start catching fish more consistently (regardless if you fish out of a boat, kayak, or land).
Poultry Scissor works great for the hard fins. Slice down the bottom to remove guts and gills, 2 or 3 slices down the side each and some Badia Sazon seasoning and some salt. Then Deep fry. The head would have the cheek meat that is tasty and a nice presentation deep fry it. Plate and dress with some citrus, lime juice preferably and enjoy heaven.
Thanks for making time to post the helpful comment Claudio!
Luke – thank you and all the salt strong guys for making such a phenomenal site and all that you do. Really is one of the best finds I’ve come across in 2020. I’ve been devouring the content throughout the site as a new insider! One quick tip for you – instead of a fillet knife, try a pair of utility cutting shears made of stainless steel. Can get them cheap at Lowe’s or Harbor Freight. Look for ones with micro serrations. They will make life much easier prepping a fish to cook whole vs a fillet knife. Stay salt strong!
Thanks for making time to leave the helpful comment Karl!
Place 2 or 3 cuts across each side and rub in some seasoning. Spanish style. Works great for all smaller fish such as grunt, etc.
Thanks for making time to leave the helpful comment!
Learned more in two months from your website than in twenty years! Keep up the great work!
Thanks so much for making time to leave the nice comment Lou!
Luke, did you put on a little olive oil and some seasoning? How long did you grill it on each side? Looks very good, thanks.
Yes, I put a coating of olive oil on it and then add seasoning. The grilling time for each side depends on the diameter of the fish as well as the temp of the grill… for small snapper like the one shown in this video, I let it cook for about 2.5 to 3 minutes on each side while the grill is at 400 degrees.
Great video! I know how I’ll cook my next smaller mango.
Thanks Jonathan! I hope you like it as much as I do.