Get a Little Bolder with Our Grilled Red Grouper with Basil Lime Pesto

You Can’t Go Wrong With Locally Caught Red Grouper

You’re going to love this week’s fish AND the way we show you how to prepare it. We’re going to show off our fantastic, locally caught red grouper this week and we’re quite certain you’ll love how it tastes and what we do with it. All the delicious members of the grouper family are popular fish down here in Key West, but the red grouper has a taste and texture all its own and is well worth having a sample.

Red groupers are common in all the waters surrounding Key West. Like all groupers, the red groupers you find around Key West are tender, easy to prepare, and have a flaky, white meat flavor. In fact, although we’re going to be making our recipe with pesto this week, red grouper doesn’t need much preparation at all to be delicious.

In general, groupers can be some extremely big fish, with some species topping out at over a meter long and almost 25 kg. They have a thick body and large mouth, but that won’t bother you much when you’re eating one!

Our Grilled Red Grouper with Basil Lime Pesto

We have to tell you– this is one of our favorite recipes and we hope you enjoy it too, both making and eating it!

First, we’ll go over how to prepare a pesto that will complement the red grouper’s mild flavor perfectly.

Here are the ingredients you’ll need for the pesto:

  • 1 cup fresh basil leaves
  • 1 cup parsley
  • 1/4 cup fresh Parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 teaspoon grated lime zest
  • 2 tablespoons of lime juice
  • 1/2 tablespoons virgin olive oil
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 2-3 garlic cloves, chopped

Preparing the pesto is very simple: just combine the basil, parsley, Parmesan, lime juice, salt, and garlic in your food processor and pulse the mixture until it’s finely chopped. Then let stand for 15-20 minutes

Here’s all you’ll need for the Red Grouper:

  • 4 6-ounce grouper fillets
  • 1/2 teaspoon of salt to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • Cooking spray

And here’s a fantastic way to prepare the fish:

Salt and pepper the fish evenly
Coat your grill rack with cooking spray and place the grouper on it
Grill 4-5 minutes per side when it flakes easily using a fork

Serve this delicious creation with a side of pasta and maybe some lemon wedges for a light but satisfying meal for you and your guests. If you’re looking for a wine suggestion to go with this dish, pair it with a bright tasting white with enough acidity to offset the olive oil. Whatever you choose, this will be one of the simplest and best tasting seafood dishes you’ve ever cooked.

3 Ways To Enjoy The Best Seafood in Key West

There are three great ways to enjoy our locally caught seafood and fish. If you’re down here in Key West, we’re right here in Old Town and you can dine with us or take your seafood with you. But if you’re not going to be in the Key West area and want fresh fish delivered to your home, you won’t find a better place for online fish delivery than Eaton’s Market.