Fried Red Snapper with Hooked
★ Issue CMSC·22–026 · Published 19 Jun 2022
friedHookedseafood

Fried Red Snapper with Hooked.

Brine whole snapper in lime and soy, coat thick with Hooked, then fry until the skin shatters crisp and golden

PREP 15 min
COOK 10 min
TOTAL 2:25h h
SERVES 2 people
HEAT mild
BLEND RATING 4.7 46 reviews · Hooked®
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You'll need
Large bowl12-inch skillet or largerDeep-fry thermometerPaper towelsFish spatula

Brine whole snapper in lime and soy, coat thick with Hooked, then fry until the skin shatters crisp and golden

Ingredients

For the Fish:

  • 2 red snapper fish, purchased whole and cleaned out
  • 2 Tablespoons Casa M Spice Co Hooked
  • 1 Tablespoon Casa M Spice Co Chain Reaction
  • 1 cup flour, all-purpose
  • 4 limes, divided
  • 2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
  • corn or canola oil for frying

Method

  1. 01

    Rinse and initial soak

    10 min

    Rinse the whole snapper under cold water, then submerge it in a bowl of fresh water with juice from one lime. This initial bath rinses out any remaining blood and starts opening up the fish's flavor profile.

  2. 02

    Brine the snapper

    90 min

    Drain the water bath, then add juice from the second lime, soy sauce, and your Hooked and Chain Reaction spices. Let the fish sit for 1 to 2 hours minimum—the salt and acid work deep into the meat while the spices build a flavor base.

  3. 03

    Mix the dredge

    2 min

    Combine flour, Hooked, and Chain Reaction on a flat plate and mix thoroughly. A well-mixed dredge coat ensures every bite gets seasoned evenly, not just a spice dust on the outside.

  4. 04

    Heat the oil

    5 min

    Pour about ½ inch of corn or canola oil into your skillet and bring it to medium heat. You're looking for the oil to shimmer and move fast—hot enough to crisp that skin in seconds, but not so hot it burns the outside before the inside cooks.

  5. 05

    Fry the snapper

    8 min

    Coat the brined fish in your dredge and carefully lay it skin-side down in the hot oil. Red snapper cooks fast, so keep an eye on it—you want that skin golden and shattered, not charred black. Flip once the skin is crisp and finish cooking through.

  6. 06

    Drain and rest

    2 min

    Transfer the fish to a paper towel–lined plate to shed excess oil. This keeps the skin crisp instead of getting soggy on the plate.

  7. 07

    Plate and serve

    Set the snapper on the table with lime wedges alongside for squeezing, and whatever sides you're running—rice and beans, salad, whatever feels right. Let people finish it the way they like.

From Mike's Notebook

01

Pat the snapper completely dry after marinating—wet skin won't shatter, it'll steam.

02

Mix your Hooked and Chain Reaction into the flour before dredging, not after.

03

Oil needs to hit 375°F; below that and you're poaching the fish in grease.

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