The collar of a grouper, or any fish, is a frequently overlooked but delicious part of the fish. In this guide, I'll walk you through the steps to grill a grouper collar, as well as directions for roasting and broiling it.
Tender and succulent, the grouper collar rivals any other part of the fish.
What is a Fish Collar?
A fish collar is the section of every fish located just behind the head and gills, where the head meets the body.
The collar, or throat, includes the pectoral fin muscles and surrounding meat, and is a delicacy in many culinary traditions.
Each fish has a distinct collar whose dimensions correlate with its size.
For example, a yellowtail has a small 4-inch collar, while a large grouper has a proportionately sizable one.
This grouper collar weighs 3 pounds. It has a lot of meat on it! I cut it in half and grilled half of it today.
What Does Grouper Collar Taste Like?
The collar is a somewhat fatty and juicy section of the fish. It tastes like delicate sweet white fish.
Fresh Florida grouper is sweet, has a large flake, and it's not fishy tasting at all!
Ways to Cook Grouper Collar
Unlike the perfect-looking fish fillets we're accustomed to, the collar consists of meat sitting on top of cartilage and bones.
Like all fresh fish, fresh grouper throats need very little seasoning to make them taste great. That means salt and pepper and a little blackening or Old Bay.
I like to throw halved lemons on the grill with all grilled fish so they char and they're easy to squeeze over the fish.
Grouper collars can be broiled, grilled, roasted, fried, smoked, or poached.
If you need to cut the throat out of your fish, watch this YouTube video from Hubbard's Marina in Madeira Beach, Florida.
What You Need
- fish collar(s)
- salt
- pepper
- blackening seasoning or Old Bay
- lemon
How To Cook Fish Collar
Preheat the grill to high heat, oil the grates, and use a grill brush to clean them.
Wash the fish under cold running water. Pat dry with paper towels and brush with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and dust with blackened seasoning.
Place the fish and halved lemons on the grill. Flip the fish at 10 minutes. If you have a very large collar, you can flip it at 20 minutes. The lemons do not have to be flipped.
When the fish is cooked, the flesh should be 145°F, opaque, and flakes easily when pierced with a fork. The skin will be charred.
To Broil or Roast the Fish Collar in The Oven
Oven-roasting fish collars is easy. Preheat the oven to 425°F to roast or turn the oven up to broil.
Brush the fish with olive oil and season with salt and pepper or blackened seasoning. Place the fish directly on the baking pan. (You can skip the parchment paper on this one!)
Broil or roast for 10 to 30 minutes or until the fish is white and flaky. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes.
Homemade Blackening Seasoning
In a small jar, mix the following spices:
- 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (use more if you prefer spicy food)
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Store the leftovers in a sealed airtight jar for up to 3 months.
What Goes with Grouper?
When you're outside grilling your fresh catch, all you need are salt, napkins, and cold drinks.
In the kitchen, pair your grouper with some Roasted Tiny Red Potatoes, Lemon Asparagus Rice, or a Mango Pico de Gallo. It also pairs well with a big green salad.
Takeaway
Fish collars, often overlooked, are a delicious delicacy. Located between the head and body behind the gills, the collar consists of a bony piece of meat covered in thick tuna skin, making it resistant to overcooking and preventing the meat from drying out easily.
Grouper is a lean source of protein and is low in calories and cholesterol.
Full of collagen, the bones add flavor to the meat, but you have to be careful of a few small bones that might be there.
All fish have collars. Tuna has a collar, Salmon has a collar, and all my favorite Florida snappers have collars. Of course, Yellowtail, Triple Tail, and Mutton Snappers have them too!
Use this recipe to cook all of your fish collars 🌸
"📖 Recipe"
Grilled Grouper Collars
Ingredients
- 1 Grouper collar (or other fish collar)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- salt and pepper
- 1 tablespoon blackened seasoning*
- 2 lemons
Instructions
- Preheat the grill to high heat, oil the grates, and use a grill brush to clean them.
- Wash the fish under cold running water. Pat dry with paper towels and brush with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and dust with blackened seasoning.
- Place the fish and halved lemons on the grill. Flip the fish at 10 minutes. If you have a very large collar, you can flip it at 20 minutes. The lemons do not have to be flipped.
- When the fish is cooked, the flesh should be opaque and flake easily when pierced with a fork. Internal temperature should register around 145°F with a meat thermometer.
Notes
- 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (use more if you prefer spicy food)
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
The provided nutritional information is an estimate per serving. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
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