Grouper

limey said:

Well, last night was the first time I tried to cook grouper. What a
bust (especially at $17.99/lb.)

Since I'd never cooked it, I searched for something different from the
way I usually cook fish.

That was Mistake #1.

Mistake #2: Not asking all of you <G>

Mistake #3: Deciding to broil it, not in my regular oven but in my
bake/rotiss/convection/broil little oven. Didn't preheat it long
enough, nor do I think it had enough power. It took much longer to
cook than the recipe called for and even then turned out to be
slightly underdone.

Mistake#4: I put the suggested topping on it - a mix of butter,
mayonnaise and grated Parmesan cheese and was supposed to broil it
"for 30 seconds, until golden and bubbly". Forget that part - the
stuff just slid off into the pan.

Lousy solution: Had to nuke it for a minute, since everything else
was ready.

Darn. I'm appealing - does anyone have a tried and true recipe for
grouper, any method? What was actually cooked enough was moist and
delicious.

Dora
[email hidden]

I like grouper sauteed on the stove. I'll bread it with panko and cook it
in a little bit of oil or butter. I've also coated it with nuts and sauteed
it that way. It comes out well. To be honest, every time I try to bake or
broil anything other than salmon or Mah-mahi, I'm disappointed with the
results. Now, I just make it my tried and true method. It works and I'm
happy.

kili

kilikini said:

limey said:

Darn. I'm appealing - does anyone have a tried and true recipe for
grouper, any method? What was actually cooked enough was moist and
delicious.

Dora
[email hidden]

I like grouper sauteed on the stove. I'll bread it with panko and
cook it in a little bit of oil or butter. I've also coated it with
nuts and sauteed it that way. It comes out well. To be honest,
every time I try to bake or broil anything other than salmon or
Mah-mahi, I'm disappointed with the results. Now, I just make it my
tried and true method. It works and I'm happy.

kili

That's funny, kili! Frying with panko is the way I usually cook fish -
but made the mistake of trying something different. Not again - after
all, my English roots *demand* fried fish and chips and I betrayed
myself.

Dora

i had a recipe that sounds like your, it used Hellmann's mayo instead of
butter.. I can understand why the butter melted. too bad.. a great topping on
any plain fish oven cooked imo.

--

Laura

-Sautéed poo is still poo!

Come join us at The Dirty Old Ladies and The Dirty Old Men!
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TheDirtyOldLadies/

"limey" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Well, last night was the first time I tried to cook grouper. What a bust
(especially at $17.99/lb.)

Since I'd never cooked it, I searched for something different from the way I
usually cook fish.

That was Mistake #1.

Mistake #2: Not asking all of you <G>

Mistake #3: Deciding to broil it, not in my regular oven but in my
bake/rotiss/convection/broil little oven. Didn't preheat it long enough, nor
do I think it had enough power. It took much longer to cook than the recipe
called for and even then turned out to be slightly underdone.

Mistake#4: I put the suggested topping on it - a mix of butter, mayonnaise
and grated Parmesan cheese and was supposed to broil it "for 30 seconds, until
golden and bubbly". Forget that part - the stuff just slid off into the pan.

Lousy solution: Had to nuke it for a minute, since everything else was
ready.

Darn. I'm appealing - does anyone have a tried and true recipe for grouper,
any method? What was actually cooked enough was moist and delicious.

Dora
[email hidden]

"limey" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Well, last night was the first time I tried to cook grouper. What a bust
(especially at $17.99/lb.)

How thick was the filet? I have had great success baking thick grouper
filets but not thin ones. It is like they are totally different fish.

In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden]
says...

Quoted message said:

Well, last night was the first time I tried to cook grouper. What a
bust (especially at $17.99/lb.)

Since I'd never cooked it, I searched for something different from the
way I usually cook fish.

That was Mistake #1.

Mistake #2: Not asking all of you <G>

Mistake #3: Deciding to broil it, not in my regular oven but in my
bake/rotiss/convection/broil little oven. Didn't preheat it long
enough, nor do I think it had enough power. It took much longer to
cook than the recipe called for and even then turned out to be slightly
underdone.

Mistake#4: I put the suggested topping on it - a mix of butter,
mayonnaise and grated Parmesan cheese and was supposed to broil it "for
30 seconds, until golden and bubbly". Forget that part - the stuff
just slid off into the pan.

Lousy solution: Had to nuke it for a minute, since everything else was
ready.

Darn. I'm appealing - does anyone have a tried and true recipe for
grouper, any method? What was actually cooked enough was moist and
delicious.

Grouper is one of the best fish. It does not take well to sauteeing or
frying, IMO, but is better baked or broiled. It is also good done in a
pouch in the microwave. It has a distinct yet mild flavor, and I would
not spoil it with too many additions.

Cooking fish is difficult because the timing is critical and a recipe
cannot really give you that. There's no substitute for experience. Keep
trying, and remember what you did each time!

--
Peter Aitken

"Peter A" <[email hidden]> wrote

Quoted message said:

Cooking fish is difficult because the timing is critical and a recipe
cannot really give you that. There's no substitute for experience. Keep
trying, and remember what you did each time!

I think temperature is important, as in, not too high. I also think sealing
the
fish in foil with some butter is probably a good idea. For me, the best
baked fish comes out moist and succulent. It really is delicate, so that
baking covered or sealed in foil at maybe 350F might be best.

"cybercat" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Peter A" <[email hidden]> wrote

Quoted message said:

Cooking fish is difficult because the timing is critical and a recipe
cannot really give you that. There's no substitute for experience. Keep
trying, and remember what you did each time!

I think temperature is important, as in, not too high. I also think
sealing the
fish in foil with some butter is probably a good idea. For me, the best
baked fish comes out moist and succulent. It really is delicate, so that
baking covered or sealed in foil at maybe 350F might be best.

I seem to remember something about so many minutes per inch. Was this a
large uneven filet?
I'm hardly an expert, much as I'd like. My sautéed fish filets curl up.
I'm good at trout just out of the water, cleaned & sprinkled with onions &
seasoned salt, baked in foil in the coals. Time to go fishing!
Edrena

"The Joneses" <[email hidden]> wrote

Quoted message said:

I'm good at trout just out of the water, cleaned & sprinkled with onions &
seasoned salt, baked in foil in the coals. Time to go fishing!

Is there anything better than fresh-caught trout? I caught them
as a child on my grandfather's boat, we took them home,
cleaned them as soon as the boat was tied up, and ate them
panfried with corn pudding, fried tomatoes and green beans
from the field.

Freshwater trout has such a clean taste, to me.

cybercat said:

"Peter A" <[email hidden]> wrote

Quoted message said:

Cooking fish is difficult because the timing is critical and a recipe
cannot really give you that. There's no substitute for experience.
Keep trying, and remember what you did each time!

Absolutely I will try again, Peter. I love fish and this was just the
wrong recipe.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I think temperature is important, as in, not too high. I also think
sealing the
fish in foil with some butter is probably a good idea. For me, the
best baked fish comes out moist and succulent. It really is delicate,
so that baking covered or sealed in foil at maybe 350F might be best.

That's what I'm going to try the next time. I've had some wonderful
fish cooked in foil. To answer your question, the fillets (at least it
was one large fillet, cut in half by me) was a good one inch thick.
Next time - oven - in the foil pouch.

Dora

"limey" <[email hidden]> wrote >

To answer your question, the fillets (at least it

Quoted message said:

was one large fillet, cut in half by me) was a good one inch thick. Next
time - oven - in the foil pouch.

Oo, Dora, the thick ones are the best. Just think juices
sealed in, maybe some butter in the packet, and lower
heat. I think that will turn out great. You have me hankering
for grouper now!! I rarely buy fish because my husband only
likes it fried, and then only the mild boring varieties.

Grouper, fresh steamed asparagus, baked potato, yum!

"limey" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Well, last night was the first time I tried to cook grouper. What a bust
(especially at $17.99/lb.)

Since I'd never cooked it, I searched for something different from the way
I usually cook fish.

That was Mistake #1.

Mistake #2: Not asking all of you <G>

Mistake #3: Deciding to broil it, not in my regular oven but in my
bake/rotiss/convection/broil little oven. Didn't preheat it long enough,
nor do I think it had enough power. It took much longer to cook than the
recipe called for and even then turned out to be slightly underdone.

Mistake#4: I put the suggested topping on it - a mix of butter,
mayonnaise and grated Parmesan cheese and was supposed to broil it "for 30
seconds, until golden and bubbly". Forget that part - the stuff just
slid off into the pan.

Lousy solution: Had to nuke it for a minute, since everything else was
ready.

Darn. I'm appealing - does anyone have a tried and true recipe for
grouper, any method? What was actually cooked enough was moist and
delicious.

Dora
[email hidden]

I found a recipe on epicurious for baked fish with rosemary potatoes. I
perused it for a while and realized it was pretty much the same recipe I use
for making roasted fingerlings, with fish stuck in for the last 20 minutes.

I've made it several times and grouper was by far the tastiest of the bunch.
My crew really loved it.

I've included a link below...

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/recipe_views/views/230907

Hope this helps,
Jon

cybercat said:

"limey" <[email hidden]> wrote >

To answer your question, the fillets (at least it

Quoted message said:

was one large fillet, cut in half by me) was a good one inch thick.
Next time - oven - in the foil pouch.

Oo, Dora, the thick ones are the best. Just think juices
sealed in, maybe some butter in the packet, and lower
heat. I think that will turn out great. You have me hankering
for grouper now!!

Sounds wonderful - that's the way I'm going to go. A little lime or
lemon juice, maybe? Or is that too much?

I rarely buy fish because my husband only

Quoted message said:

likes it fried, and then only the mild boring varieties.

That's the only kind we have available around here - tilapia, which I
detest, catfish, flounder, farmed salmon. Never a change. This time, I
went to a real fish market, hence my lashing myself.

Quoted message said:

Grouper, fresh steamed asparagus, baked potato, yum!

Way to go, girl!

Dora

Zeppo said:

I found a recipe on epicurious for baked fish with rosemary potatoes.
I perused it for a while and realized it was pretty much the same
recipe I use for making roasted fingerlings, with fish stuck in for
the last 20 minutes.

I've made it several times and grouper was by far the tastiest of the
bunch. My crew really loved it.

I've included a link below...

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/recipe_views/views/230907

Hope this helps,
Jon

Ah! One for the recipe box - thanks, Jon.

Dora

"limey" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

cybercat said:

"limey" <[email hidden]> wrote >

To answer your question, the fillets (at least it

Quoted message said:

was one large fillet, cut in half by me) was a good one inch thick.
Next time - oven - in the foil pouch.

Oo, Dora, the thick ones are the best. Just think juices
sealed in, maybe some butter in the packet, and lower
heat. I think that will turn out great. You have me hankering
for grouper now!!

Sounds wonderful - that's the way I'm going to go. A little lime or lemon
juice, maybe? Or is that too much?

I rarely buy fish because my husband only

Quoted message said:

likes it fried, and then only the mild boring varieties.

That's the only kind we have available around here - tilapia, which I
detest, catfish, flounder, farmed salmon. Never a change. This time, I
went to a real fish market, hence my lashing myself.

Quoted message said:

Grouper, fresh steamed asparagus, baked potato, yum!

Way to go, girl!

Dora

I stumbled unto a new Asian market that had tanks of fish in the back (talk
about fresh!), as well as frozen stuff I couldn't identify. My DH won't eat
catfish fer nothin'. Says it tastes like mud. Some do. We really like
grilled halibut steak, brushed with oo & seasoned with stuff: herbs or
chipotle/chiles for me and seasoned salt or Old Bay for him. I like stir
fried veggies & rice with. Pretty quick meal too.
Edrena

The Joneses said:

I stumbled unto a new Asian market that had tanks of fish in the back
(talk about fresh!), as well as frozen stuff I couldn't identify. My
DH won't eat catfish fer nothin'. Says it tastes like mud. Some do.
We really like grilled halibut steak, brushed with oo & seasoned with
stuff: herbs or chipotle/chiles for me and seasoned salt or Old Bay
for him. I like stir fried veggies & rice with. Pretty quick meal too.
Edrena

Sounds great. Yes, the fish market had halibut, too, and I'm going to
try that next. We *never* see that in the supermarket. Tonight, we're
having a couple of crab cakes, also from the market, but hey! - I'm from
the Chesapeake Bay so at least can turn out decent ones myself. Thought
I'd give these a try, since they're huge.

Dora

limey said:

Well, last night was the first time I tried to cook grouper. What a
bust (especially at $17.99/lb.)

Since I'd never cooked it, I searched for something different from the
way I usually cook fish.

That was Mistake #1.

Mistake #2: Not asking all of you <G>

Mistake #3: Deciding to broil it, not in my regular oven but in my
bake/rotiss/convection/broil little oven. Didn't preheat it long
enough, nor do I think it had enough power. It took much longer to
cook than the recipe called for and even then turned out to be slightly
underdone.

Mistake#4: I put the suggested topping on it - a mix of butter,
mayonnaise and grated Parmesan cheese and was supposed to broil it "for
30 seconds, until golden and bubbly". Forget that part - the stuff
just slid off into the pan.

Lousy solution: Had to nuke it for a minute, since everything else was
ready.

Darn. I'm appealing - does anyone have a tried and true recipe for
grouper, any method? What was actually cooked enough was moist and
delicious.

Most people who traditionally use grouper in their menus
stick mainly to deep frying, poaching and chowders. The
flesh tends to dry out in baking and broiling. Discard the
skin before cooking, it imparts undesirable flavor to the
finished product. The difference in texture and quality in
the many various grouper species is notable. Aside from
groupers being all white fleshed and lean, unless you know
the specific species you're handling, prejudging the flavor
and cooking qualities of market bought fish is a [censored] shoot.

On Wed, 23 May 2007 11:20:51 -0400, "limey" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Mistake#4: I put the suggested topping on it - a mix of butter,
mayonnaise and grated Parmesan cheese and was supposed to broil it "for
30 seconds, until golden and bubbly". Forget that part - the stuff
just slid off into the pan.

Lousy solution: Had to nuke it for a minute, since everything else was
ready.

Darn. I'm appealing - does anyone have a tried and true recipe for
grouper, any method? What was actually cooked enough was moist and
delicious.

I've never knowingly cooked gouper, but the mayo and cheese mixture
sounds good for a bland white fish. Next time bake it, don't broil.

I learned about mayo as a topping a gazillion years ago from a
Japanese friend who put it on salmon.... I still do that occasionally.
It will take several minutes, but the mayo leavens and browns as the
fish cooks. It's very good eating!

--
See return address to reply by email

sf said:

On Wed, 23 May 2007 11:20:51 -0400, "limey" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Mistake#4: I put the suggested topping on it - a mix of butter,
mayonnaise and grated Parmesan cheese and was supposed to broil it
"for 30 seconds, until golden and bubbly". Forget that part - the
stuff just slid off into the pan.

Lousy solution: Had to nuke it for a minute, since everything else
was ready.

Darn. I'm appealing - does anyone have a tried and true recipe for
grouper, any method? What was actually cooked enough was moist and
delicious.

I've never knowingly cooked gouper, but the mayo and cheese mixture
sounds good for a bland white fish. Next time bake it, don't broil.

I learned about mayo as a topping a gazillion years ago from a
Japanese friend who put it on salmon.... I still do that occasionally.
It will take several minutes, but the mayo leavens and browns as the
fish cooks. It's very good eating!

Hawaiians do the mayo thing, too. I learned about it there and I still use
the method today. It keeps the fish really moist, IMO. One thing we used
to do, was season both sides of the fish with whatever your choice is, add
some lemon juice, slather the fish with the mayo, add some lemon slices on
the top, toss on a few slivered onions and wrap the whole thing in a ti
leaf. (I used to be able to just pluck those things out of my yard.
Bummer, now that I can't!) Basically, you end up with a steamed fish even
if you bake it, but the flavor is wonderful!

If you have a local Asian store you could probably substitute luau leaf or a
banana leaf for the ti and duplicate the recipe.

kili

On Wed, 23 May 2007 20:05:52 -0700, Roy Jose Lorr <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Most people who traditionally use grouper in their menus
stick mainly to deep frying, poaching and chowders. The
flesh tends to dry out in baking and broiling. Discard the
skin before cooking, it imparts undesirable flavor to the
finished product. The difference in texture and quality in
the many various grouper species is notable. Aside from
groupers being all white fleshed and lean, unless you know
the specific species you're handling, prejudging the flavor
and cooking qualities of market bought fish is a [censored] shoot.

Most people here in Northern Florida don't poach or use grouper in
chowders. Grouper cheeks tend to be tough and strong and inexpensive,
and I know a few restaurants that use cheeks in chowder. The grouper
groupies are about evenly divided into the grillers and the fryers.
Most restaurants offer both, including my favorite, a grilled grouper
sandwich with lettuce, tomato, and tartar sauce. Restaurants also
offer blackened grouper. There are two species sold here, known only
as black and red. Red has the stronger flavor of the two and is less
expensive. Black is the top of the line, with good texture and mild
flavor. Red is mostly the one deep fried or blackened, while black
grouper is mostly grilled. It is a waste of good, expensive fish to
deep fry black grouper. I buy black grouper fillets in my seafood
store and grill them. I agree with you that it tends to dry out, so I
baste the fillets with olive oil or butter, and the grill time is so
short that they turn out great. I keep my grill clean, but I always
give it an extra going over before grilling grouper, because it is so
mild it will pick up the flavor of any particles from previous use,
moreso than most other foods. It is upsetting to have 12 bucks worth
of black grouper taste like yesterday's hamburgers.