A Spoon Full of Lovin' · June 2026
Roasted Gulf Coast Red Snapper
A stunning whole fish straight from the Gulf Coast
The next time you're able to make a trip to the Gulf Coast, you'll probably be able to find a boat with fresh caught shrimp, crabs — and if you're lucky, they might have netted up a few red snapper. This fish is so easily prepared and makes a stunning statement on your dinner table. No one will be disappointed with this red snapper. It's a winner every time.
Ingredients
- 1 whole red snapper, head removed and scaled (ask the fisherman!)
- Fresh garlic, sliced
- 1–2 lemons, sliced into rounds
- 1–2 cans of your favorite beer
- 2 sticks of butter
- Old Bay seasoning (or your favorite seasoning), to taste
Instructions
Preheat the Oven
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Prep the Fish
Make diagonal cuts along both sides of the fish as shown in the photo. Stuff each cut with a slice of fresh garlic, then tuck a lemon slice into each diagonal cut as well.
Set Up the Pan
Place the fish on a rack inside a large shallow baking dish. Pour your favorite beer over the top of the fish — use 2 cans if it is a large red snapper. You want about ½" of beer in the bottom of the pan.
Add the Butter
Take one stick of butter, slice it, and lay the slices on top of the snapper. Take the second stick of butter, cut it in half, and place one half on each side of the fish.
Season
Dust the red snapper generously with Old Bay or your favorite seasoning.
Roast & Baste
Place in the preheated oven and baste the fish every 10 minutes or so for about 30 minutes, or until nicely browned and the flesh of the fish is white and flakes easily.
Robin's Tips & Variations
- Ask the fisherman to remove the head and scales right at the dock — it saves a lot of prep work at home.
- The beer in the bottom of the pan keeps the fish moist and adds a wonderful depth of flavor to the pan juices.
- Basting is the key — don't skip it. Every 10 minutes keeps the fish beautifully moist and golden.
- The flesh is done when it turns white and flakes easily when tested with a fork.
- Serve with crusty sourdough bread to soak up those incredible pan juices.
It's a winner every time!
If you make this, I'd love to hear how it turned out. Drop me a note on the blog page. Happy cooking — with a spoon full of lovin'!