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+ servings
Two whole fish baked in salt.

Salt Baked Fish

You might be surprised to learn how easy it is to make salt baked fish... And the results are an incredibly moist and well-seasoned fish with a gorgeous presentation!
4.50 from 2 votes
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Course: Entree
Cuisine: American, Eclectic
Keyword: Impressive Dinners, Unique Fish Recipes, Whole Fish Recipes
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Makes: 3 -4 servings
Author: Sues

Ingredients

  • 2-3 lbs. whole fish like red snapper or branzino (either 2 smaller fish or 1 large fish), cleaned and gutted
  • ¼ grapefruit, sliced into rounds
  • ½ lime, sliced into rounds
  • 6-10 mint leaves
  • 3 lb. box coarse kosher salt
  • 6 large egg whites

Instructions

  • Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.
  • Stuff fish with grapefruit slices, lime slices, and mint leaves (see recipe notes for alternative stuffing)
  • In a large bowl, mix together kosher salt and egg whites until mixture resembles wet sand.
  • Spread about 1 cup of the mixture on the bottom of a large baking sheet to create a "bed" for the fish. Lay the fish on the bed. Use the rest of the salt mixture to completely coat the fish, gently pressing down.
  • Bake fish for about 30 minutes (or until fish has an internal temperature of about 135 degrees). Remove from oven and let cool slightly, about 5 minutes.
  • Use a mallet to gently crack the salt coating away from the fish.
  • Serve fish as is or remove the skin and fillet before serving.

Notes

Alternative stuffing: You can also try using ¼ of a small onion, sliced; ½ lemon cut into rounds; and a small bunch of parsley. 
Feel free to get creative and use the herbs and citrus that sound delicious to you!
Share a Photo of Your Finished Recipe!Mention @wearenotmartha and share a photo if you've made the recipe!