Whole Snapper on the BBQ in Foil with Lime and Herbs
CUSTOMS DECLARATION. Goods: one snapper, whole, unrepentant. Colin held eye contact with it for some time.
C.
Crew of 4 · Prep 15 min · Cook 30 min · Sting: none
Fresh off the fire.
Jump to the recipe · All Christmas BBQ recipes
Give this a go. Trust the thermometer, not the clock.
The Cargo (ingredients)
- 1 whole snapper, about 1.5 kg, cleaned and scaled
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 tsp Rum and Que Shandy Lemon-Lime Beer Rub
- 2 limes, sliced
- 1 lemon, sliced
- Large handful of dill and parsley
- 3 spring onions, halved
- 40 g butter, in pieces
The Run (method)
- Heat a hooded barbecue to about 200°C.
- Score the fish three times on each side. Rub with oil and Shandy, inside and out.
- Lay half the citrus and herbs on a double sheet of foil. Fish on top. Stuff the cavity with the rest, add butter, and seal the foil tightly.
- Cook 25–35 minutes. Probe through the foil into the thickest part for about 63°C, or open one corner, check it flakes easily, and reseal.
- Open it at the table. Stand back. Accept compliments.
Cook It With
Rum and Que Shandy Lemon-Lime Beer RubBeer-inspired lemon and lime from the New Zealand comp scene. No chilli.
Danny Balboas Snake Oil Hot SauceA showman's tonic of jalapeño, pineapple and lime. Medium to hot.
The Aftermath. Foil: everywhere. Fish: excellent.
Where It Goes Wrong
- Stuck to the foil. Bed of citrus and herbs goes underneath. The lime takes the hit so the fish doesn't have to.
- Underdone at the spine. Back on for 5 minutes.
- A guest asks about the eyes. Offer them one.
Darryl's Secret
Add a last light shake of Shandy when you open the parcel. The steam carries it straight to the crew.
Store it: Refrigerate leftovers promptly and eat within a day. Watch for bones. Check the label for allergens.
How It Reached the Book
Some cargo finds you. This one came aboard off Port Phillip Heads, in the arms of a bloke who said it was the last snapper in the bay and that he'd need the esky back. I've still got the esky.
In the Margin
Well. That's the first time they've agreed in forty years of ink.
Underneath, smaller, in pencil: "Christmas, the two of you, the fish, the rain. Remember?" Nobody's signed it. I've got no idea who it's written to.
Anyway. Fish.
The Rub Smuggler. Esky available upon proof of ownership.
