Red snapper can grow surprisingly large, topping the scale at 35 pounds. But the average market size is only roughly 4 to 6 pounds. Red snapper that are under 4 pounds have a lighter pink colored skin, but as they grow older (and bigger), they develop a deeper red skin as well as red eyes. As with most fish, their darkest skin is toward their spine, and fades to a lighter color around the belly. Raw red snapper flesh is pink with yellow streaks. It turns to a lighter color when cooked, but never completely white.  They get their name from their notably land-animal-like teeth.

Red snapper are found from Brazil to the Gulf of Mexico, as well as northward to the Western Atlantic coast of Massachusetts. In retail environments, one can find Red snapper whole, dressed, or in fillets with the skin on.

Red snapper is a lean fish, so in the kitchen, you’ll want to consider their firm texture. and sweet, almost nutty flavor. Although red snapper’s flavor profile is distinct, it is also mild, which allows a lot of versatility when cooking. Some of the typical cooking methods of red
snapper include: baking, broiling, grilling, sautéing and steaming.

Per 6-ounce portion, red snappers contain 171 calories, 35 grams of protein and only 2
grams of fat. They are a good source of vitamin B6, B12 and selenium.

Tune into this week’s recipe, as we are cooking red snapper whole! We enjoy teaching you new
ways to cook fish and hope you find this recipe enticing enough to try (because it’s a great one!)