Pescado Frito (Fried Red Snapper)

By Von Diaz

Pescado Frito (Fried Red Snapper)
Christopher Simpson for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Prop Stylist: Paige Hicks.
Total Time
15 minutes, plus marinating
Rating
4(107)
Notes
Read community notes

Fishing is an extraordinarily complex issue in Puerto Rico. Much of the seafood eaten doesn’t come from the island’s own waters, in part because of arcane legislation that controls fishing rights. And yet, whole deep-fried fish is a staple on the island, particularly along the west and southwest coast. There, you’ll find red snapper, simply marinated in adobo, fried and served with tostones, avocado salad and white rice. It is, in my opinion, the absolute best way to enjoy a whole fish. The frying turns the head and the tail into a crunchy fish chicharrón, and the skin and flesh cook evenly, keeping the flesh moist and the skin crisp. While bones are often a concern for those uncomfortable eating whole fish, there’s a simple solution: Eat it with your hands. Your fingers will do a much better job of finding bones than your fork will, and the experience is more visceral, and delicious.

Featured in: Von Diaz’s Essential Puerto Rican Recipes

  • or to save this recipe.

  • Subscriber benefit: give recipes to anyone
    As a subscriber, you have 10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers. Learn more.
    Subscribe

  • Print Options

Advertisement

Ingredients

Yield:2 servings

    For the Adobo

    • 1lime, juiced (about 2 tablespoons)
    • 1tablespoon olive oil
    • 2medium garlic cloves, minced
    • ½teaspoon ground cumin
    • ½teaspoon dried oregano
    • ¼teaspoon store-bought or homemade sazón
    • 1teaspoon kosher salt

    For the Fish

    • 1(1��- to 2-pound) red snapper, cleaned, scaled and gilled
    • 1½quarts vegetable oil
    • Lime wedges, hot sauce and chopped cilantro leaves, for garnish
Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Prepare the adobo: Combine all the adobo ingredients and grind them together in a large pilón or mortar and pestle, or simply mix them together in a small bowl.

  2. Step 2

    Prepare the fish: Make three shallow crosswise cuts on both sides of the surface of the fish skin, then place it in a deep container with a lid or a large resealable bag. Pour adobo over, rubbing it into the skin, head and cavity. Let marinate for at least 30 minutes at room temperature, or 2 to 3 hours in the fridge. If marinating longer, let the fish come to room temperature 30 minutes before frying.

  3. Step 3

    In a wide, heavy-bottomed pot large enough to submerge your fish, pour in enough oil to reach a depth of at least 2 inches. Heat over high until oil is simmering and reaches 350 degrees on a candy thermometer.

  4. Step 4

    Line a baking sheet with paper towels and set aside.

  5. Step 5

    Once the oil comes to temperature, pick the marinated fish up by the tail, shake off excess marinade, and lower it head-first into simmering oil. Use a pair of tongs to gently nudge the fish to prevent it from sticking to the pot. It’ll be very active at first, so have a splatter shield handy, if you’ve got one.

  6. Step 6

    Using a heat-safe ladle, baste any unsubmerged fish with hot oil repeatedly, ensuring fish cooks evenly. Fry until it turns golden brown, 5 to 10 minutes, watching carefully and removing immediately if it starts to get dark.

  7. Step 7

    Using an extra-long fish spatula, or a set of heatproof tongs and a heatproof spatula, carefully lift the fish out of the oil and transfer it to the lined baking sheet.

  8. Step 8

    Let rest for 2 to 3 minutes. Garnish with lime wedges, hot sauce and cilantro.

Ratings

4 out of 5
107 user ratings
Your rating

or to rate this recipe.

Have you cooked this?

or to mark this recipe as cooked.

Private Notes

Leave a Private Note on this recipe and see it here.

Cooking Notes

Roak

"It will keep in an air-tight container for years." I thought we'd learned that spices shouldn't be kept "for years." One year at most?, then replace.

Ed

I made this yesterday and the fish tastes incredible. It’s a day later and want to have this recipe again for dinner this evening. The NYT recipe makes a lot of sazon. You can quarter the sazon recipe. For 1 fish the recommendation is for .25 of sazon. Also I used ground annatto and the recommended substitute of sweet paprika would just not be the same. And I used a lot of vegetable oil - a lot - almost 3 litres. I made the choice to completely submerge the fish in the oil. It was less fussy.

Gigi

Delicious! I made using a skinless cod fillet. I tried shallow frying and roasting it as well. I know I didn't follow the recipe exactly and I hope my variations weren't too sacrilegious, but it was superb. The flavor was excellent and I highly recommend. This will be in heavy rotation at my house

Food is love

This is really good! Make sure your pan is large enough. Only thing I did was add a splash of Mexican beer.

Sofia

Excellent flavor and presentation. We ate ours with Spanish rice and crisp-tender broccoli. The fins and tail were crispy and fun to eat, the flesh took on a mild and delicious taste from the marinade. I used whole cumin seeds and they were just the right potency. I will be making this again with fresh red snapper from our local fish shop.

Arturo Sala

made last evening was delicious

L

Family loved it! Used fillets and pan fried.

cindy

Unbelievably good. Didn’t have vegetable oil so used olive oil. What a treat!

j martin

Can't wait to make this. A restaurant here makes this with whole catfish, it is delicious with salt, lime juice, tabasco sauce, and tartar sauce. Served with a baked potato.

Dana

"It is, in my opinion, the absolute best way to enjoy a whole fish." I agree wholeheartedly! Loved this!

Rhi

Incredibly easy and delicious. Served it along side the NYT avocado salad and it was my favorite meal I’ve made in a long time. Keeping this one in rotation.

Ed

I made this yesterday and the fish tastes incredible. It’s a day later and want to have this recipe again for dinner this evening. The NYT recipe makes a lot of sazon. You can quarter the sazon recipe. For 1 fish the recommendation is for .25 of sazon. Also I used ground annatto and the recommended substitute of sweet paprika would just not be the same. And I used a lot of vegetable oil - a lot - almost 3 litres. I made the choice to completely submerge the fish in the oil. It was less fussy.

Gigi

Delicious! I made using a skinless cod fillet. I tried shallow frying and roasting it as well. I know I didn't follow the recipe exactly and I hope my variations weren't too sacrilegious, but it was superb. The flavor was excellent and I highly recommend. This will be in heavy rotation at my house

Roak

"It will keep in an air-tight container for years." I thought we'd learned that spices shouldn't be kept "for years." One year at most?, then replace.

Nora

I adore snapper but we don't have that in Italy. What could be used as a substitute? Thanks

Judy

Black bass, porgy, parago, seabream, any saltwater, white fleshed fish that isn't too large for your pan.

Sue

Really, whatever small- to medium-size (one- or two-serving) white fish you find at your fish market works beautifully for this. In New Zealand, we used blue cod; in Seattle, small sea bass.

Private notes are only visible to you.

Recipe Tags

Advertisement

or to save this recipe.

More Recipes From Von Diaz

Trending on Cooking

Cooking Guides