This weekend marks the beginning of red snapper season in the Gulf of Mexico, but what happens after you hook one? Nick Evans went to a local chef to find out.
Beginning Saturday, Florida anglers can start reeling in red snapper in state Gulf waters. The state season will continue until July 12, before resuming this fall. Executive Chef Nathan Knight at Tallahassee’s Kool Beanz, suggests Caribbean jerk rub for snapper. First, he says score the skin side—this will help get it crispy, then cover the fish with the rub, and put it skin side up in a hot pan.
“As soon as it’s brown, and it’ll come free from the pan by itself, flip it over, throw it right in a pre-heated oven around 400.” Knight says. “In about seven minutes you’ll have a cooked fish. Very easy, very tasty, you can serve it with a mango salsa, papaya salsa, pineapple salsa something like that.”
Snapper is fair game again come Labor Day, and then for every weekend until the end of October. The state’s snapper season covers the first nine nautical miles from shore. Federal waters extending beyond that point open June first.
Clarification: an earlier version of this article didn't specify this snapper season is for Gulf waters only.
