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Whole30 Blackened Snapper with Lemon, Garlic and Herb Butter Paleo Primal Gourmet Easy Fish Recipe
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5 from 1 vote

Blackened Snapper with Lemon, Garlic and Herb Butter (Whole30, Paleo)

Packed with flavour, a bit spicy and super easy to prepare, this Blackened Snapper is a great weeknight protein option and pairs very well with many sides.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Blackened Fish Recipe, Blackened Snapper, Paleo Fish Recipe, Paleo Snapper Recipe, Whole30 Blackened Fish, Whole30 Blackened Snapper, Whole30 Fish Recipe
Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients

For the Lemon, Garlic and Herb Butter:

  • 1/4 cup room temperature ghee or grass-fed butter
  • Zest of 1 lemon approximately 1 packed teaspoon
  • Juice of half a lemon approximately 1 tablespoon
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
  • 2 cloves garlic finely chopped

For the Blackened Snapper:

  • 1 pound red snapper filets - thawed if previously frozen
  • 1.25 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper or up to 1 teaspoon if you prefer it spicier
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly-cracked black pepper
  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil plus extra, as needed

Instructions

For the Lemon Garlic and Herb Butter:

  • In a small bowl, combine the ghee or butter, lemon juice, lemon zest, parsley and garlic and stir to incorporate. Cover and set aside at room temperature. Leftovers can be stored in a covered bowl or shaped into a log in plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to one week.

For the Blackened Snapper:

  • In a bowl or mason jar, combine the salt, garlic powder, sweet paprika, smoked paprika, thyme, cayenne pepper and black pepper. Stir or shake to incorporate and set aside. Any leftover spice mix can be stored in the sealed jar for up to one month.
  • Rinse and pat fish very dry with paper towel. If necessary, slice each filet in half so it can fit in the pan. Liberally season both sides of each filet with the spice mix.
  • Preheat oven to 200F. Preheat a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil and heat until shimmering.
  • Working in batches so as not to overcrowd the pan, fry the fish, undisturbed, until a dark brown crust forms, around 3 to 4 minutes. Flip and cook until a dark brown crust forms and the centre is opaque and flaky, around 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer the cooked fish to a platter and, while it's still hot, brush the top of each filet with one teaspoon of the compound butter. Keep the platter warm in the preheated oven while you repeat this process and cook the rest of the fish. Serve immediately.