Red Snapper with Lemon & Chilli Butter

Red Snapper with Lemon & Chilli Butter

This easy baked red snapper recipe is cooked whole over indirect heat and finished with a simple lemon and chilli butter sauce. It’s quick to prep, hard to stuff up, and perfect for feeding a crowd. You can cook this on a pellet smoker, BBQ, or in the oven.

Choosing Your Snapper:
Freshness is everything with whole fish. Look for
•    Clear, bright eyes (not cloudy)
•    Firm flesh that springs back when pressed
•    Pink-red gills that are moist, not slimy
•    A fresh, ocean-like smell (not overly “fishy”)

If you’re buying from a fishmonger, ask when it was caught and cleaned.

Equipment Needed:
•    Pellet smoker, BBQ with hood, or conventional oven
•    Large foil-lined tray or roasting pan
•    Fish spatula or two wide spatulas for flipping
•    Instant-read thermometer (aim for 63°C / 145°F internal temp)

Why Cook Whole Fish?
Cooking snapper whole keeps the flesh juicy, protects it from drying out, and gives you incredible flavour from the cavity stuffing. It also looks pretty impressive on the table for very little extra effort.

Preparation:
Start by descaling and rinsing your snapper, then pat it dry thoroughly.
Cut large diagonal slits into both sides of the fish. This helps seasoning penetrate and speeds up cooking.
Mix your seasoning and coat the fish lightly with olive oil, inside and out.
Season generously, including inside the cavity.
Stuff the cavity with lemon slices, thyme and butter.
Prepare your vegetables and spread them out on a foil-lined tray to create a bed for the fish to sit on.
The Cook:
Preheat your pellet smoker, BBQ, or oven to 230°C (450°F) using indirect heat.
Place the fish on top of the vegetables and cook for about 20 minutes, then carefully flip and cook for another 15–20 minutes.
You’re aiming for an internal temperature of 63°C (145°F) at the thickest part.
The Payoff:
While the fish cooks, prepare the lemon and chilli butter sauce.
Once the snapper is cooked, rest it for a few minutes, then serve whole over the roasted vegetables and spoon the sauce over the top.
Rustic, messy, ridiculously good.

Ingredients:
Snapper
•    1 whole snapper, approx. 5 kg (11 lb)
Seasoning
•    2 tbsp olive oil
•    2 tsp kosher salt
•    1 tsp white pepper
•    1 tsp garlic powder
•    1 tsp dried oregano
•    2 tsp sweet paprika
Cavity Filling
•    100 g unsalted butter (3.5 oz)
•    2 sprigs fresh thyme
•    1 lemon, sliced
Vegetable Bed
•    1 green capsicum, sliced
•    1 red capsicum, sliced
•    1 brown onion, sliced
•    1 bunch spring onions
•    500 g cherry tomatoes (1.1 lb)
•    2 tbsp olive oil
•    ½ tsp kosher salt
•    ¼ tsp black pepper
Lemon & Chilli Butter Sauce
•    2 tbsp olive oil
•    150 g unsalted butter (5.3 oz)
•    1 brown onion, finely chopped
•    Zest and juice of 1 lemon
•    ½ tsp chilli flakes
•    4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
•    ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
•    4 spring onions, finely chopped
•    10 g fresh chives, chopped
•    ½ tsp kosher salt
•    ¼ tsp black pepper
•    

Recipe Steps:
1    Preheat smoker, BBQ, or oven to 230°C (450°F) using indirect heat.
2    Descale, rinse and pat dry the snapper.
3    Cut diagonal slits on both sides of the fish.
4    Mix seasoning ingredients in a bowl.
5    Rub olive oil over the fish, inside and out.
6    Apply seasoning generously, including inside the cavity.
7    Stuff cavity with butter, thyme and lemon slices.
8    Toss vegetables with olive oil, salt and pepper.
9    Spread vegetables on a foil-lined tray and place fish on top.
10    Cook for 20 minutes, then carefully flip the fish.
11    Cook for a further 15–20 minutes until internal temp reaches 63°C (145°F).
12    While cooking, melt butter and oil in a pan.
13    Add onion and cook until softened.
14    Add garlic, chilli flakes, lemon zest and juice.
15    Stir in spring onions, parsley and chives.
16    Season with salt and pepper, then remove from heat.
17    Rest fish briefly, then serve over vegetables and drizzle with sauce.

Recipe Info:
•    Prep Time: 20 minutes
•    Cook Time: 35–45 minutes
•    Serves: 4–6
•    Effort: Easy
•    Course: Main
•    Cuisine: Australian / Thai Fusion
•    Hydration: 2 beers

Tips & Variations:
•    Oven Method: No smoker? Cook this in a fan-forced oven at 220°C (430°F) using the same timing.
•    No Whole Fish? You can use large snapper fillets – reduce cook time to 12–15 minutes per side.
•    Extra Crunch: Finish with a quick blast of direct heat or grill for crispy skin.
•    Herb Swap: Try coriander instead of parsley for more Thai-style flavour.
•    Foil Boat Option: If you’re worried about sticking, create a loose foil “boat” under the fish.

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