Capt. Charlie’s Broiled Grouper Throats

Capt. Charlie’s Broiled Grouper Throats: Start with as many grouper throats as you have. (Yes, there really are grouper throats, this is not a joke.) For those of you not familiar with the throat, it is the piece of the fish that is attached under the bottom jaw that includes the pectoral fins and extends down the stomach cavity. The gills are above the throat. If you have never taken the throats off a grouper, it is easier to accomplish with a pair of sheet metal cutters than a knife, but you can do it with a knife easily if you find the joints around the jaws and cut here first. Might be a good idea to get someone who knows their stuff to show you how to do it. You can’t take the skin off this piece, so don’t worry about that.

Back to the recipe, place your throats in a zip-lock bag that is big enough to hold them, cover with your favorite brand of Italian dressing and place in the refrigerator overnight (if you can’t wait, they don’t have to marinate overnight, but the longer the better). After they have marinated, “break” them in the center so that they lay flat, score the inside that will be face up with a sharp knife, and place them on a hot grill (charcoal or gas), or under the broiler in your oven until they flake easily with a fork (usually about ten minutes). Remove from grill or oven, place on your plate and dig in. Remember, there is still skin on the bottom, there are no small bones, and it is like eating potato chips – hard to stop once you start, and you can’t eat just one.

After you try these the first time, I guarantee that you will never in the future feed the throats to the crabs or fertilize the plants as you do with the rest of your fish carcasses. You can make great fish stock from the carcasses to add to you fish stews etc.

Good fishing, tight lines and happy eating,
Capt. Charlie

Capt. Charlie’s Broiled Grouper Throats