Blackened Tripletail Fish

Blackened tripletail fish makes a great dinner and it’s easy to cook at home. All you need is a fresh piece of fish, a little butter, a good spice rub, and a hot skillet. Cajun seasoning is the perfect blend to bring out the flavor of the mild white fish. Serve with your favorite sides for an easy meal.

What Makes Tripletail Special?

Atlantic tripletail (Lobotes surinamensis) isn’t as well-known as snapper or mahi mahi, but it’s one of the best-tasting fish in Florida. This white fish cooks up perfectly whether you sear, grill, or roast it.

Tripletail is a lean, mild white fish with a slightly sweet flavor. The meat is somewhat firm with a flaky texture. It’s often compared to red snapper or grouper.

It’s not high in fat, but it tastes rich and meaty thanks to its clean flesh and natural diet of shrimp, crabs, and small fish.

It gets its name from its unique fins, which look like a third tail. You can find find tripletail floating near buoys or drifting debris, blending in by lying on its side like seaweed.

Check out Seared Tripletail with Garlic Butter Sauce and Baked Tripletail with Basil Butter for more options!

Blackened Fish

Blackening is a cooking technique popularized by the late Chef Paul Prudhomme of Louisiana in the 1980s. It has become a staple of Cajun cuisine and is now used worldwide.

Blackened seasoning is a spice blend made with paprika, cayenne, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, and black pepper.

To blacken fish, the fillets are generously coated in a spice mixture and then seared in a hot cast-iron skillet.

This version delivers bold flavor without the smoke and mess of traditional high-heat blackened fish.

What You Need

Blackened seasoning is a mixture of spices. If mixing all these spices is not what you had in mind, pick up a bottle of blackened seasoning called Redfish Magic.

It's available at all seafood markets, and in either the fish department or spice aisle at your grocery store.

• Tripletail fillets (about 6 oz each)
• Unsalted butter
• Blackened seasoning: paprika, thyme, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, black pepper, coarse or kosher salt.
• Lemon wedges for serving
• Parsley for garnish

Tripletail Recipe

This is a fresh 12 ounce tripletail fillet. You can slice it right down the middle to make two portions.

Recipe for Blackened Tripletail

While we usually salt and pepper fish before cooking, this one should be seasoned to taste at the end of cooking. The seasoning has a lot of flavor in it and the extra salt might make the dish overly salty for you.

• In a large bowl, whisk paprika, thyme, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, black pepper, and salt. Make sure all the spices are blended so there aren't any hot spots.
• Rinse the fish and pat it dry with a paper towel.
• Brush both sides of the fillets with melted butter, then coat evenly with the blackening spice mix, pressing gently to help it stick.
• Heat a cast-iron or heavy stainless steel skillet over medium-high heat. Add one tablespoon of butter and swirl to coat the pan.
• Once the butter melts, place the fish in the hot skillet.
• Sear for 2-3 minutes per side, or until the fish flakes easily with a fork. The internal temperature should reach 145°F (62.8°C) with an instant-read thermometer.
• Remove from heat and let the fish rest for a minute.
• Serve with fresh lemon wedges.

What To Serve with Blackened Fish

Blackened tripletail can be served with sides like coleslaw, roasted vegetables with garlic, or dirty rice, another Cajun favorite.

It also makes a great base for fish tacos, served on warm tortillas with a drizzle of cilantro-lime crema and cabbage slaw. Add a side of mango pico de Gallo for a tropical burst of flavor.

For a more filling meal, serve it with yellow rice or roasted baby gold potatoes.

Storage and Reheating

For the best taste, cook it the same day you catch it or freeze it in individual portions right away to keep it fresh.

• Wrap fresh fish tightly in plastic wrap and keep it in the coldest part of the fridge. Use within 1 to 2 days.
• If you're not cooking it right away, wrap the fillets in plastic wrap, then place them in a freezer-safe bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before cooking.
• If you have a vacuum sealer, even better. It will lock in the flavor and keep the fish from getting freezer burn.
• To reheat cooked fish, warm a pan over low heat. Add a little butter. Cook the fish for a few minutes on each side until it is hot.

More Cajun Blackened Recipes

• Blackened Swordfish
• Cajun Blackened Shrimp
• Blackened Baked Snapper with Key Lime Butter
• Broiled Yellowtail Snapper Recipe
• Grilled Grouper Collar
• Amazing Blackened Chicken Tacos

Here are more 5-star recipes using Blackened Seasoning.

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