Grilling season is here and there is no better grouper recipe for grilling than Grilled Grouper with lime butter. This easy grilled grouper recipe is both healthy, delicious, and ready in less than 15 minutes, making it a summer must!
Grilling grouper is easy! If you have never grilled fish before you'll be surprised how amazing it turns out. The fish grills quickly with a gentle smoky flavor and a seared outside. If you are new to cooking fish, it is a perfect fish to start with and its fast so it is perfect for a quick weeknight dinner!
What Does Grilled Grouper Taste Like?
Grilled grouper is a saltwater fish commonly found in the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean. It is a flaky white fish that has a mild flavor and firm texture. It tastes similar to bass or halibut. It is not a "fishy fish" and appeals to many people who aren't necessarily seafood lovers.
How to Pick Fresh Grouper
- The first rule of thumb when choosing fresh grouper steak at the market is to smell it. If it smells fishy, don't choose it!
- Fresh grouper should be moist and firm and spring back when you press it down with your finger.
- Do not choose grouper with frost or ice crystals on it.
- If you cannot find suitable fresh grouper, check the frozen section of your grocery store.
Ingredients
- grouper fillets
- unsalted butter
- fresh lime and lime juice
- salt and pepper
- canola oil or vegetable oil for oiling the grill rack
Step by step
Since the grouper fillets are not as delicate as some other types of fish, they will stand up to grilling, frying, steaming, and baking. If it's not grilling weather you can also make this Key lime butter grilled grouper on a stovetop grill pan!
The key to this grilled grouper recipe is incorporating delicious lime butter flavor while grilling. The butter adds much-needed flavor and fat to the fish.
Combine softened butter with lime juice and lime zest in a small bowl and then rub into the grouper before grilling. The fish is then placed directly on an oiled grill grate or in a wire fish basket in the hot grill and cooked for about 6 minutes per side or until the fish is opaque and golden brown on the outside.
The grill gives the grouper a nice crispy sear thanks to that lime butter, but the inside of the grouper is perfectly cooked and light and flaky.
Variations
- if you do not have limes you can substitute fresh lemon juice in the mixture of butter
- grouper is a versatile fish, you can experiment with fresh herbs, spices, and seasonings: Cajun seasoning, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, and lemon pepper are all great options for seasoning the fresh fish
Tips for best results
- Grilling time is roughly 4 minutes per side per inch of thickness. My grouper steaks were about 1 ½ inches thick so my cook time was 6 minutes. Adjust the cooking time according to the thickness of your fish fillets.
- A grill basket or fish grate makes cleanup easy and prevents sticking. Whatever surface you use for grilling the fish, make sure it is well oiled.
Serving suggestions
I like to pair grouper with light, fresh sides such as fresh vegetables such as green beans or roasted peppers and red onions, Caesar salad, or light and fluffy rice pilaf. I also like to serve this Lime Butter Grouper with a bit of pico de gallo or spicy mango salsa to play upon the lime flavoring! You can also serve this up as grouper sandwiches for a more casual meal.
If you try this recipe, please comment and rate it below, I love hearing from you!
Key Lime Butter Grilled Grouper ~ Fresh from Florida
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: dinner
- Method: grilling
- Cuisine: American
Description
Grilling season is here and there is no better grouper recipe for grilling than this Key Lime Butter Grilled Grouper. This easy grilled grouper recipe is both healthy and delicious, making it a summer must!
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds of grouper fillets
- 2 tablespoons softened unsalted butter
- 2-3 tablespoons lime juice
- zest of one lime
- salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Brush the grill grate with vegetable or canola oil generously. Heat a grill on medium to medium-high heat.
- Stir the zest and juice of one key lime into the softened butter.
- Brush Key lime butter on each grouper fillet and season with salt & pepper.
- Place fillets on the grill and cook for approximately 6 minutes per side. When cooked the fish will become opaque and flaky.
- Once the fillets are cooked through, place on the serving dish and brush with any remaining butter.
- Tent with aluminum foil and allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
- Serve with additional lime wedges or pico de gallo if desired.
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 71
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 188 mg
- Fat: 3 g
- Carbohydrates: 5.2 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Cholesterol: 20.4 mg
Keywords: grilled grouper
This recipe was originally published in November 2013 and updated August 2019 with new photos and additional information.
Jocie@OPC The Better Half says
how fishy is grouper? i love salmon and other non fishy fish! lol but this looks soo yummy!
Keri says
It was much milder than I thought and not too fishy AT ALL! I am a non fishy fish kinda girl, too, Jocie! It stood up well to the grill pan and that lime butter was divine!!
Britni says
I love key lime anything and this looks fantastic!
Happy Valley Chow says
That butter sounds like it would be delicious on any kind of fish. Great recipe!
Happy Blogging!
Happy Valley Chow
Michele says
I always use lemon with fish. I can't wait to try key limes. Sounds relish!!
Steph @ The Silly Pearl says
Yum! I will need to pick up some grouper and try this recipe!
Sara @ Mom Endeavors says
We've never had Grouper, but that looks seriously delicious!
Katie says
This looks and sounds great! I can't wait to give this recipe a try!
Melissa says
yum!!
★★★★★
Jasmine says
Delicious! I was nervous to try to grill fish for the first time but it turned out great!
★★★★★
tlrthnu says
I made this with a substitution as my limes were dried out, so I used oranges. It worked with oranges, but I think it would be better with limes.
My one problem was that I could not get the butter to mix with the juice. It just would not happen.
I look forward to trying this with limes the next time.
★★★★
Melissa Riker says
So glad you liked it, let me know what you think when you try it with limes!
Sarah says
Try melting the butter then add the lime juice.
Deb says
Delicious! I found it easier to apply the lime butter to the filet when the flesh was patted dry. It was quick to make and would make a great dinner to serve to guests. Thank you!
★★★★★
Melissa Riker says
So glad you enjoyed it!
Diane Black says
Loved this recipe! The key lime butter was perfect for this fish but would also work well on other fish. I served the lime butter from a small gravy bowl;don’t worry about the butter getting clumped…it will dissolve perfectly when poured onto the warm filet. Yum!
★★★★★
Melissa Riker says
So glad you liked it Diane!