Pescado Frito (Fried Red Snapper)

By Von Diaz

Published March 24, 2021

Pescado Frito (Fried Red Snapper)
Christopher Simpson for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Prop Stylist: Paige Hicks.
Total Time
15 minutes, plus marinating
Rating
4(115)
Comments
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Fishing is an extraordinarily complex issue in Puerto Rico. Much of the seafood eaten doesn’t come from the island’s own waters, in part because of arcane legislation that controls fishing rights. And yet, whole deep-fried fish is a staple on the island, particularly along the west and southwest coast. There, you’ll find red snapper, simply marinated in adobo, fried and served with tostones, avocado salad and white rice. It is, in my opinion, the absolute best way to enjoy a whole fish. The frying turns the head and the tail into a crunchy fish chicharrón, and the skin and flesh cook evenly, keeping the flesh moist and the skin crisp. While bones are often a concern for those uncomfortable eating whole fish, there’s a simple solution: Eat it with your hands. Your fingers will do a much better job of finding bones than your fork will, and the experience is more visceral, and delicious.

Featured in: Von Diaz’s Essential Puerto Rican Recipes

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Ingredients

Yield:2 servings

    For the Adobo

    • 1lime, juiced (about 2 tablespoons)
    • 1tablespoon olive oil
    • 2medium garlic cloves, minced
    • ½teaspoon ground cumin
    • ½teaspoon dried oregano
    • ¼teaspoon store-bought or homemade sazón
    • 1teaspoon kosher salt

    For the Fish

    • 1(1½- to 2-pound) red snapper, cleaned, scaled and gilled
    • 1½quarts vegetable oil
    • Lime wedges, hot sauce and chopped cilantro leaves, for garnish
Ingredient Substitution Guide
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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Prepare the adobo: Combine all the adobo ingredients and grind them together in a large pilón or mortar and pestle, or simply mix them together in a small bowl.

  2. Step 2

    Prepare the fish: Make three shallow crosswise cuts on both sides of the surface of the fish skin, then place it in a deep container with a lid or a large resealable bag. Pour adobo over, rubbing it into the skin, head and cavity. Let marinate for at least 30 minutes at room temperature, or 2 to 3 hours in the fridge. If marinating longer, let the fish come to room temperature 30 minutes before frying.

  3. Step 3

    In a wide, heavy-bottomed pot large enough to submerge your fish, pour in enough oil to reach a depth of at least 2 inches. Heat over high until oil is simmering and reaches 350 degrees on a candy thermometer.

  4. Step 4

    Line a baking sheet with paper towels and set aside.

  5. Step 5

    Once the oil comes to temperature, pick the marinated fish up by the tail, shake off excess marinade, and lower it head-first into simmering oil. Use a pair of tongs to gently nudge the fish to prevent it from sticking to the pot. It’ll be very active at first, so have a splatter shield handy, if you’ve got one.

  6. Step 6

    Using a heat-safe ladle, baste any unsubmerged fish with hot oil repeatedly, ensuring fish cooks evenly. Fry until it turns golden brown, 5 to 10 minutes, watching carefully and removing immediately if it starts to get dark.

  7. Step 7

    Using an extra-long fish spatula, or a set of heatproof tongs and a heatproof spatula, carefully lift the fish out of the oil and transfer it to the lined baking sheet.

  8. Step 8

    Let rest for 2 to 3 minutes. Garnish with lime wedges, hot sauce and cilantro.

Ratings

4 out of 5
115 user ratings
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Comments

Ed

I made this yesterday and the fish tastes incredible. It’s a day later and want to have this recipe again for dinner this evening. The NYT recipe makes a lot of sazon. You can quarter the sazon recipe. For 1 fish the recommendation is for .25 of sazon. Also I used ground annatto and the recommended substitute of sweet paprika would just not be the same. And I used a lot of vegetable oil - a lot - almost 3 litres. I made the choice to completely submerge the fish in the oil. It was less fussy.

Roak

"It will keep in an air-tight container for years." I thought we'd learned that spices shouldn't be kept "for years." One year at most?, then replace.

Gigi

Delicious! I made using a skinless cod fillet. I tried shallow frying and roasting it as well. I know I didn't follow the recipe exactly and I hope my variations weren't too sacrilegious, but it was superb. The flavor was excellent and I highly recommend. This will be in heavy rotation at my house

Tina Bertolacci

I made this tonight just as written, per fish. I was making 3 Red Snappers so I tripled the marinate. I thought it was perfect. I made Mojo Isleño to dip the fish in and I thought it was a great addition. Served it with corn on the grill and zucchini cooked Mexican style. Will make this again.

Diana

Very, Very nice. I have my own recipe for Sazon, but tried Ms Diaz's and also love it! I will add this recipe and the sazon to my rotation.

Food is love

This is really good! Make sure your pan is large enough. Only thing I did was add a splash of Mexican beer.

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