What Is It About Grouper?

[Andy M.]

Every year when we go to Aruba, hands down the most popular fish dish is grouper in one form or another. It may be the most popular dish overall in Aruba restuarants. Our Florida SIL orders it every time we eat out. I visit a forum for Aruba fans and they all talk about how great grouper is.

This appears to be a very popular food fish. I've never had it but I'm curious. Have you had grouper? Do you like it?

 

[Dawgluver]

It's one of the most popular fish in restaurants on Cozumel too. It's thick, dense, flaky and delicious. I won't eat "fishy" tasting fish. Careful if it's endangered. If Aruba has it in abundance, go for it!

We've seen grouper when snorkeling, they could take your head off! Massive fish!

If you have a chance, since Aruba is in the Caribbean, have a go at lionfish if you can find it. It's even better than walleye, and that's saying a lot!

 

[Cooking Goddess]

It's common in Florida, too. Himself really enjoys it, and orders it often. I find it to be too greasy for me. Not a strong, fishy flavor, though.

 

[medtran49]

When we used to dive and spearfish, Craig would always go after black grouper as they are the best, whitest and firmest flesh. Very hard to chase down because they spook easily. Red grouper after they get to a certain size tend to have worms (any grouper really) in the flesh that have to be cut out. Strawberry grouper were pretty good too but big enough to take were few and far between, especially where we frequented.

My preferred fish is hogfish. It doesn't taste fishy at all, is firm, white.

Dawgluver, you are probably talking about goliath grouper, formerly known as jewfish. They are pretty slow moving and get absolutely massive. They have been protected for a long time in U.S. waters, not sure about other Caribbean countries.

 

[GA Home Cook]

There are a couple different kinds of Grouper. if you can find Black Grouper, MMMMMMMM is that good.

 

[RPCookin]

Every year when we go to Aruba, hands down the most popular fish dish is grouper in one form or another. It may be the most popular dish overall in Aruba restuarants. Our Florida SIL orders it every time we eat out. I visit a forum for Aruba fans and they all talk about how great grouper is.

This appears to be a very popular food fish. I've never had it but I'm curious. Have you had grouper? Do you like it?

Oh man... I have to ask, "Why haven't you tried it?" I'll take grouper over just about any fish I've ever eaten. We ate it a lot when we lived in the Bahamas - always had some in the freezer. It's light, flaky and delicious.

It's one of the most popular fish in restaurants on Cozumel too. It's thick, dense, flaky and delicious. I won't eat "fishy" tasting fish. Careful if it's endangered. If Aruba has it in abundance, go for it!

We've seen grouper when snorkeling, they could take your head off! Massive fish!

If you have a chance, since Aruba is in the Caribbean, have a go at lionfish if you can find it. It's even better than walleye, and that's saying a lot!

Grouper fishing is strictly controlled in the Bahamas, with a 4 month off season. They are constantly apprehending poachers from Haiti and the Dominican Republic who fish illegally in Bahamian waters because they have trashed the fisheries in their own territory.

Agree about lionfish... delicious! We lived on Long Island in the Bahamas, and they have started having lionfish tournaments a couple of times a year to try and keep a handle on the infestation.

It's common in Florida, too. Himself really enjoys it, and orders it often. I find it to be too greasy for me. Not a strong, fishy flavor, though.

If you had greasy grouper then it was not very well prepared. There is nothing greasy or oily about it.

When we used to dive and spearfish, Craig would always go after black grouper as they are the best, whitest and firmest flesh. Very hard to chase down because they spook easily. Red grouper after they get to a certain size tend to have worms (any grouper really) in the flesh that have to be cut out. Strawberry grouper were pretty good too but big enough to take were few and far between, especially where we frequented.

My preferred fish is hogfish. It doesn't taste fishy at all, is firm, white.

Dawgluver, you are probably talking about goliath grouper, formerly known as jewfish. They are pretty slow moving and get absolutely massive. They have been protected for a long time in U.S. waters, not sure about other Caribbean countries.

Hogfish is definitly as good as grouper. The big mutton snappers we caught in the Bahamas were also very tasty. We mostly had Nassau Grouper, and I've seen them when scuba diving that had to weigh in at 30-40 pounds at least. That's larger than typical though.

 

[Andy M.]

Oh man... I have to ask, "Why haven't you tried it?" I'll take grouper over just about any fish I've ever eaten. We ate it a lot when we lived in the Bahamas - always had some in the freezer. It's light, flaky and delicious...

When people describe a fish saying 'it doesn't taste fishy' like it's a good thing, I don't bother with it. I like swordfish, salmon, bluefish - fish that have bold/distinctive flavors. I gravitate more to shellfish. Shrimp is my favorite, followed by lobster and sea scallops.

 

[Roll_Bones]

If you ever had red snapper or mutton fish, then you were almost eating a grouper. If both fish are similar in size, it would be a very close call. Grouper is usually skinned where snapper can have the skin left on.
I love both and would ask for the freshest of the two. If both were caught that day, I would ask what time were they caught.
If they were caught at the exact same time, I would flip a coin and know it would be great.

 

[CraigC]

Oh man... I have to ask, "Why haven't you tried it?" I'll take grouper over just about any fish I've ever eaten. We ate it a lot when we lived in the Bahamas - always had some in the freezer. It's light, flaky and delicious.



Grouper fishing is strictly controlled in the Bahamas, with a 4 month off season. They are constantly apprehending poachers from Haiti and the Dominican Republic who fish illegally in Bahamian waters because they have trashed the fisheries in their own territory.

Agree about lionfish... delicious! We lived on Long Island in the Bahamas, and they have started having lionfish tournaments a couple of times a year to try and keep a handle on the infestation.



If you had greasy grouper then it was not very well prepared. There is nothing greasy or oily about it.



Hogfish is definitly as good as grouper. The big mutton snappers we caught in the Bahamas were also very tasty. We mostly had Nassau Grouper, and I've seen them when scuba diving that had to weigh in at 30-40 pounds at least. That's larger than typical though.

Nassau grouper were put on a no take list in the US back in the early '80's I believe and are still prohibited from harvest.

 

[tenspeed]

If you ever had red snapper or mutton fish, then you were almost eating a grouper. If both fish are similar in size, it would be a very close call. Grouper is usually skinned where snapper can have the skin left on.

It’s been a few decades since I have been able to find grouper. Had it once in a restaurant in Cincinnati, and then found it at the local Kroger supermarket in Michigan, of all places. It was a fairly thick piece, probably what is referred to as a loin, roughly the size of a pork tenderloin. The red snapper available here is from a much smaller fish, no bigger than 2 or 3 lbs. You’re a lot closer to the Gulf, so availability would be different than here.

We get fish from all over the world, but I’ve never seen grouper in a fish market or on a menu here. Same for walleye – it doesn’t seem to be available once you get away from the Great Lakes.

 

[CraigC]

It’s been a few decades since I have been able to find grouper. Had it once in a restaurant in Cincinnati, and then found it at the local Kroger supermarket in Michigan, of all places. It was a fairly thick piece, probably what is referred to as a loin, roughly the size of a pork tenderloin. The red snapper available here is from a much smaller fish, no bigger than 2 or 3 lbs. You’re a lot closer to the Gulf, so availability would be different than here.

We get fish from all over the world, but I’ve never seen grouper in a fish market or on a menu here. Same for walleye – it doesn’t seem to be available once you get away from the Great Lakes.

Grouper are caught on the east coast as well. I know blacks get as far north as Georgia and hogfish extend as far north as South Carolina as do the spiny lobster.

 

[RPCookin]

Nassau grouper were put on a no take list in the US back in the early '80's I believe and are still prohibited from harvest.

It's the predominant species of grouper found in the Bahamas - they're called Nassau grouper for a reason. They have both a size limit and limited season.

 

[CraigC]

It's the predominant species of grouper found in the Bahamas - they're called Nassau grouper for a reason. They have both a size limit and limited season.

Don't know why that has any significance on them being a prohibited species in the US, but ok. The US was setting bag limits and seasons long before the Bahamians got smart and realized there is no such thing as a never ending supply. BTW, the Jamaicans destroyed their local fishery and were working 40 miles off their coast back in the late '80's.

 

[Dawgluver]

For several months a year in Cozumel, it's illegal to take grouper, lobster, octopus, and conch. Gives them a chance to replenish. Of course, there's frozen, and probably some poaching going on.

We saw Goliath grouper while snorkeling in Key West. One had a spear stuck in its eye.

 

[RPCookin]

Don't know why that has any significance on them being a prohibited species in the US, but ok. The US was setting bag limits and seasons long before the Bahamians got smart and realized there is no such thing as a never ending supply. BTW, the Jamaicans destroyed their local fishery and were working 40 miles off their coast back in the late '80's.

All I know is that there is rarely any shortage of grouper on the island we lived on. Maybe right at the end of the off season when the fish house freezer would get depleted. Same with crawfish (spiny lobster) - the closed season started April 1 and doesn't open again until August 1 - the suppliers freezers will usually run out in early to mid July.

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

When people describe a fish saying 'it doesn't taste fishy' like it's a good thing, I don't bother with it. I like swordfish, salmon, bluefish - fish that have bold/distinctive flavors. I gravitate more to shellfish. Shrimp is my favorite, followed by lobster and sea scallops.

I'm with you. Give me swordfish, steelhead, rainbow trout, brookies, basically any member of the salmonid family, except for the swordfish isn't in that family, but tastes similar.

I don't like the cod-liver-oil flavor that comes from improperly prepared fish. But the flavor of those fish I mentioned is what I crave when I want fish.

That's not to say that I don't like Boston Bluefish, or pollack, or cod. I just prefer the trout and salmon to the sweet fish.

I really like crab, shrimp, and shellfish. Not so crazy about lobster. I like it, but I like the others better. And I really like squid. Just sayin'.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

 

[tenspeed]

I got curious about grouper and asked Mr. Google. Learned that there are quite a few species of grouper (nearly a dozen in the waters around Florida), some are protected (Nassau and goliath), and some are regularly caught (gag, red and black grouper). Some were overfished, but have rebounded since catch limits and seasons were put in place. Grouper sandwiches seem to be a popular item in Florida gulf restaurants. Interesting stuff. Still, I can't find any around here!

 

[Addie]

Julia one time showed off a full grown humongous groper. She was touting the goodness of this behemoth of a water creature. Just looking down the gullet of this fish, was enough for me. I will stick with my local fish.

 

[RPCookin]

Here is another type of grouper from down under - Aussies call it a potato cod. My wife dove with them when she was in Australia 25 years ago (I think the dive site was called Cod Hole).

 

[GotGarlic]

That's quite a few fillets o' fish there!