Grilled Jerk Red Fish Recipe

Prepare and blend marinade

Remove stems from the scotch bonnet (wear gloves if sensitive) and roughly chop. In a food processor or blender combine the chopped pepper, chopped green onions, thyme leaves, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, lime juice, brown sugar, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, olive oil, salt and black pepper. Blend until smooth but slightly coarse — you want a paste that will cling to the fish. If marinade is too thick, add 1–2 teaspoons water or additional olive oil to reach a spreadable consistency.

Taste and adjust

Taste a small amount of the marinade (avoid direct contact with pepper residue in your mouth). Adjust seasoning by adding more salt, lime juice for brightness, or brown sugar for balance as desired. Keep in mind the marinade should be bold and slightly spicy since it will mellow when cooked.

Pat the red snapper fillets dry with paper towels. Place fillets in a shallow dish or resealable bag. Reserve about 2 tablespoons of the marinade for basting later. Spread the remaining marinade evenly over both sides of each fillet, pressing gently so it adheres, and, if using skin-on fillets, also rub some marinade onto the skin. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 2 hours. (30 minutes for a lighter flavor, up to 2 hours for deeper penetration.)

Preheat grill and oil grates

Preheat a gas or charcoal grill to medium-high heat (about 400–450°F / 200–230°C). Clean and oil the grill grates well to prevent sticking: dip a folded paper towel in vegetable oil, use tongs to rub it over the hot grates, or brush oil directly on fish.

Grill the fish

Brush the fish lightly with vegetable oil. Place fillets skin-side down on the grill at an angle to the bars for nice grill marks. Grill with the lid closed for 3–5 minutes, depending on thickness (for 3/4–1-inch fillets about 4 minutes), until the edges begin to turn opaque and fish releases easily from the grate. Flip carefully using a wide spatula and grill the flesh side for an additional 2–4 minutes until opaque and just flaking. Total cook time will be roughly 6–9 minutes. During the last 1–2 minutes, baste once with the reserved marinade to intensify flavor and glaze the surface — do not over-baste or the sugars can burn.

If you prefer, cook on a fish plank: soak a cedar plank 1 hour, preheat grill to medium, place plank on grill until it smokes, then lay fillets (skin-side down) on the plank and cook with a closed lid 8–12 minutes until done.

Transfer the grilled fillets to a platter and let rest 2–3 minutes. This allows juices to redistribute and finishes carryover cooking.

Garnish with chopped cilantro or parsley and serve with lime wedges for squeezing over the fish. Suggest serving with rice and peas, grilled vegetables, or a crisp salad.