Charred Snoek With Lemon & Garlic Oil
South African braai-style grilled snoek with a vibrant lemon-garlic oil finish. Whole fish, char-kissed skin, and crispy edges ready in under 20 minutes.
- Total time
- 18 min
- Servings
- 2
- Calories
- 520
- Protein
- 58g
Ingredients
- 2 lb whole snoek or similar white fish (2–3 lb), gutted and scaled
- 2 whole lemon
- 6 clove garlic cloves, minced
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 1 tsp sea salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ¼ cup fresh herbs (parsley or thyme), chopped
- ¼ tsp chili flakes (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Pat snoek dry inside and out with paper towels. Season cavities and skin generously with salt and black pepper.
- 2
Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high until shimmering. Lay snoek in pan and sear 5–6 minutes per side until skin crisps and edges char.
- 3
Combine remaining olive oil with minced garlic in a small bowl. Let sit 1 minute until fragrant.
- 4
Squeeze 1 lemon over the cooked fish. Drizzle garlic oil across the skin. Scatter fresh herbs and chili flakes on top.
- 5
Serve hot with remaining lemon wedges and crusty bread for soaking up the oil.
Tools you’ll need
- large cast-iron or heavy stainless-steel skillet (12-inch minimum)
- paper towels
- small mixing bowl
- spoon
- fish spatula (optional but helpful)
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