Steven Raichlen shares his recipe for grilled whole snapper topped with traditional pipian sauce all prepared on the Big Green Egg.
Ingredients
- 2 whole snappers, cleaned, preferably with heads-on, each about 2 pounds
- Coarse salt, kosher or sea
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Lime, halved, for serving
- 1 sweet onion, peeled and thinly sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
- 6 sprigs fresh cilantro
- 1 poblano chile (green or red), seeded and thinly sliced
- Extra virgin olive oil
Pipian Sauce Ingredients
- 8 fresh tomatillos, husked and rinsed
- 1 poblano pepper
- 3 serrano chiles
- ยฝ small onion
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled and skewered on a toothpick
- 2 scallions, trimmed
- 2 romaine lettuce leaves, cut into 1-inch slices
- 1 cup hulled pumpkin seeds
- ยฝ cup fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped
- ยฝ tsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp fresh lime juice, or more to taste
- 1 ยฝ cup water, or more as needed
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
Set the EGG for indirect cooking with a convEGGtor at 450ยฐF with wood chunks or chips.
Generously season the cavities of the fish with salt and pepper, then stuff with the onion, garlic, cilantro, and chile. Pin the cavities shut with toothpicks.
Brush the outside of the fish with olive oil, then make three diagonal, parallel slashes on the top side of each to facilitate even cooking.
Arrange the stuffed fish on the grill grate, slashed sides up.
Grill the fish until it is tender and the internal temperature is at least 145ยฐF, 30 to 40 minutes, or as needed. Carefully transfer the fish to a platter using a wide spatula.