# How do I grill amber jack?



## atcNick (Apr 7, 2005)

Fish is not something I've cooked many times. Got a buddy bringing me some fresh amber jack and we plan on grilling it. Any help would be appreciated. Seasoning?glaze?internal temperature etc


-Nick


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## FishBurd27 (Sep 18, 2012)

*MMMMmmmmm....*

My god how I love grilled amberjack, probably my favorite fish bar none!!

I take and cut the fish into managble pieces about one and half inches thick then marinate in the following in a ziplok for about 30-60 mins:
melter butter
olive oil
tiny bit of rice vinager
minced garlic
fresh cracked black pepper
sea salt
tonys, I only use the herbs and spice kind, the blue can
and sometimes a little siraucha sauce i.e. rooster sauce.

Then grill on hot grill (5-600 degrees) direct heat for about 6-7 mins each side. Then let sit for about 5-7 minutes before eating. My god I'm hungry :rotfl: now


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## roundman (May 21, 2004)

we use to just leave the skin on the whole side, lay on grill baste with whatever you like, lemon slices, tonys etc, and just use a spatcuhla to run along the skin and put on plate, aj is good fried too, i thought anyway,lol


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## 2wahoo (May 21, 2004)

FishBurd27 said:


> My god how I love grilled amberjack, probably my favorite fish bar none!!
> 
> I take and cut the fish into managble pieces about one and half inches thick then marinate in the following in a ziplok for about 30-60 mins:
> melter butter
> ...


That temp seems too hot? I've a ton of fish amd never at that temp.


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## FishBurd27 (Sep 18, 2012)

2wahoo said:


> That temp seems too hot? I've a ton of fish amd never at that temp.


Def a personal prefrence, but I do like my grill hot for fish, but it def has to be a good grill that has nice even heat and can't be one that has huge flames right under the fish. Of course the way **** is made now days who knows how accurate the gauges are. could be 450 for all i know, but I do like it hot and don't mess with the meat unless flipping. So many variables here...


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## flatscat1 (Jun 2, 2005)

My favorite is on the grill, but I do it on a heavy iron plate (like a skillet without sides). Academy sells them. I know AJ are not as flakey as some fish, but they can still stick to a hot grill.....so, to avoid this, I use an iron plate. You still get the flavor and ease of the grill but you don't have to worry about it sticking or being difficult to flip.

As for seasonings, by favorite for AJ and grilled swordfish is the original CharCrust. See package below but you can get at most grocery stores. Coat fish with a little olive oil and sprinkle liberally with Char Crust.
http://www.charcrust.com/home/index.php


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## Drundel (Feb 6, 2006)

I've only cooked it once, and it was a small piece that wouldn't fit in the vacuum bag, but I got a cast iron skillet as hot as I could and put a little olive oil in it, then coated each side with blackened redfish magic and seared it about 3 min per side. It was really good.


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## ComeFrom? (May 21, 2004)

They're served smoked at bars in the Keys in place of Goldfish crackers as munchies. Too bloody bloody for me any other way.


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## flatscat1 (Jun 2, 2005)

Drundel said:


> I've only cooked it once, and it was a small piece that wouldn't fit in the vacuum bag, but I got a cast iron skillet as hot as I could and put a little olive oil in it, then coated each side with blackened redfish magic and seared it about 3 min per side. It was really good.


Yep, this is similar to what I described above. The Char Crust seasoning is more mild. Fish comes out more a light blackened and less spicey, which I prefer on fresh fish and thicker fillets. Now if the fish is a few days old....spicey blackened might be better.


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## Johnboat (Jun 7, 2004)

*AJ is a superb grilling fish.*

Make sure your pieces have any dark red flesh trimmed off. What you cook will have large white flakes of tender fish. Many good ideas above. Me. I just season with a little Tony Cs or Cavenders...melted butter basted on and put on the grill.


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## atcNick (Apr 7, 2005)

What temperature should I cook it to?


-Nick


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## spurgersalty (Jun 29, 2010)

Pm BeeGee on here, he grilled some a while back and really has a taste for it. I'll try to find the thread also.


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## spurgersalty (Jun 29, 2010)

Here it is Nick http://2coolfishing.com/ttmbforum/showthread.php?t=415050


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## atcNick (Apr 7, 2005)

spurgersalty said:


> Here it is Nick http://2coolfishing.com/ttmbforum/showthread.php?t=415050


Thanks dude. I'll check it out.


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## redspeck (Jul 3, 2012)

FishBurd27 said:


> My god how I love grilled amberjack, probably my favorite fish bar none!!
> 
> I take and cut the fish into managble pieces about one and half inches thick then marinate in the following in a ziplok for about 30-60 mins:
> melter butter
> ...


That sounds so good!


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## 2wahoo (May 21, 2004)

Drundel said:


> I've only cooked it once, and it was a small piece that wouldn't fit in the vacuum bag, but I got a cast iron skillet as hot as I could and put a little olive oil in it, then coated each side with blackened redfish magic and seared it about 3 min per side. It was really good.


If you want to blacken, try this.

Cut fish into medium pieces and put in olive oil in a bowl.

Get a cast iron skillet hot, but just short of smoking too much.

Take a piece from the olive oil and fully coat in Paul Prudhomme Blackened Redfish Magic.

Put pieces in skillet and flip after 3-5 minutes. Cook for about 2-3 min on 2nd side.

Eat s large pile of this. Then, drink lots of beer. Yumm!


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## Privateer (Nov 28, 2009)

Salt, pepper, olive oil...450 deg. gas or charchoal...4 min. on each side...finish in a 350 degree oven for 8 min. spoon on chopped fresh sweet basil and lemon/butter/garlic 6 min. into the baking...stand back, give high fives...


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## Dick Hanks (Aug 16, 2007)

I need some help with this one...

So far, there are recipes for 2 different Jacks here.

One for Amber Jack and one for Jack Cravelle. The only Jack that I haven't given away to someone else to eat, or used for cut bait/chum is Monterey Jack cheese.

I guess that I need to give it a try. Would you compare either of these 2 Jacks to say King Mackerel in flavor and texture? I find Kings a little to fishy tasting for my liking.... Unless smoked that is.


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## fishingtwo (Feb 23, 2009)

I always saved it for when I was in a cookout, cooked it in the smoker.
Would take the whole fillet and cut it length wise and remove the blood line.
Season with some lemon-pepper and top with a lot of butter and lemon or lime slices.
wrap in foil and place on the smoker with the foil open for a couple hours. I always did this when I was smoking briskets so the temp. would be 250-275 degrees. Flip it over and add more butter, close the foil and cook another 2-4 hours. sometimes I have left it on as long as 10 hours, just keep adding butter. Enjoy


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## quackersmacker (Jun 15, 2005)

Blacken it, then throw some lump crab in with some pico de gallo, warm it up a little bit then throw it on the blackened amberjack. You'll be licking the plate!


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## acoastalbender (Jul 16, 2011)

Looks like plenty of ways to cook so I offer just this....go to Academy or a kitchen store or whatever and get yourself one (or a couple) of those hamburger basket things that are like a big, square, wire clamshell cooker. Spray it with non-stick and put your fish in it and close. You can flip it however many times as you like and it won't crumble and fall into the fire grates and you can still put spices and bastings on it while it cooks through the wire openings *and *get those slick hot grill marks to boot....:biggrin:

.


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## TxFig (May 4, 2006)

atcNick said:


> What temperature should I cook it to?


Until the meat flakes apart with a fork.


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## Johnboat (Jun 7, 2004)

*I agree, but consider a couple of things.*



TxFig said:


> Until the meat flakes apart with a fork.


1. Remember that fish continues to cook a little even after you take it off the fire....so like he says, test it often and get it off fast.

2. If you put refrigerator-cold thick (and most AJ grilled pieces are pretty thick) fish on the grill it is easy to overcook the outside and still have raw on the inside. So take your fish out of the fridge maybe 30 mins prior to cooking. And I sometimes use the lid down to more evenly cook thick fish....but just for a couple of minutes...not for a beer break...too easy to overcook.


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## flatscat1 (Jun 2, 2005)

Johnboat said:


> 1. Remember that fish continues to cook a little even after you take it off the fire....so like he says, test it often and get it off fast.
> 
> 2. If you put refrigerator-cold thick (and most AJ grilled pieces are pretty thick) fish on the grill it is easy to overcook the outside and still have raw on the inside. So take your fish out of the fridge maybe 30 mins prior to cooking. And I sometimes use the lid down to more evenly cook thick fish....but just for a couple of minutes...not for a beer break...too easy to overcook.


This is very good advice. Let thick fillets come to room temp before putting the heat to them....so they will cook more evenly, and he's right about the temp continuing to rise after removing from grill.

The opposite for tuna, where you want a slightly rare middle of course.


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## That Robbie Guy (Aug 11, 2009)

Yes, I know it's not grilled.

http://blogs.houstonpress.com/eating/2012/09/100_favorite_dishes_2012_no_2.php


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