I first started cooking tripletail after finding it at our local fish market here in the Keys. It is not a fish you see everywhere, but when you do, it is worth bringing home. A quick dusting of flour helps the outside brown, while garlic butter and lemon give it a classic seafood flavor.
This recipe is fast, simple, and ready in about 15 minutes. Serve it with rice, potatoes, or a green vegetable for an easy fresh fish dinner.
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Tripletail is a mild white fish with a firm, flaky texture and a slightly sweet taste. This fish was wild-caught in the warm waters off Islamorada in South Florida.
For this recipe, I'm cooking fresh tripletail in a hot skillet and finishing it with a quick garlic butter sauce. It is simple, fast, and one of our favorite Florida fish dinners.
What is Atlantic Tripletail?
Tripletail, a Florida native, is a delicious fish known for its three-lobed tail fin.
According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the tripletail's elongated dorsal and anal fins give the illusion of three tails.
The daily bag limit is 2 fish per person. The minimum size limit is 18 inches. Hook and line only, no nets or spearing.
These fish are able to seamlessly blend with structures like buoys, debris, or floating seaweed, camouflaging themselves. Additionally, their flattened body shape and slow movements contribute to their ability to hide in plain sight, making them hard to detect.
What You Need for Seared Tripletail
- ¾ to 1 pound tripletail filets, with bones removed, cut into 2 pieces
- All-purpose flour (use rice flour for gluten-free)
- ½ stick of unsalted butter
- 1-2 large garlic cloves
- ½ lemon, juiced
- Sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Lemon wedges for serving
- Sliced green onions for garnish
For The Garlic Butter Sauce
Melt butter in a pan over medium heat to melt, stirring occasionally, for about 3 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice with ½ teaspoon of sea salt and a tablespoon of chopped parsley. Lower heat and cover pan until fish is ready.
Note: if you are using salted butter, be careful with the salt.
How to Sear Tripletail Fish on The Stovetop
Rinse the tripletail fillets under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels. Pour the flour into a shallow dish.
Season fish on both sides with salt and pepper. Dredge the fish in the flour and shake off excess.
Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a 12" cast-iron or heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat until you can see ripples in the oil; add fish.
Cook for 3-4 minutes on the first side. Flip and cook another 2 minutes or until the fish is golden brown and the fish flakes easily with a fork.
Place fish on individual plates. You can also use lemon zest for a more lemony flavor.
Top each piece of seared tripletail with warm butter sauce. Garnish with parsley and lemon wedges.
Substitutes for Triple Tail
You can find wild-caught tripletail in fresh fish markets in Florida during the summer and fall. You're probably not going to find it at your local grocery store.
This tripletail recipe can also be made with yellowtail or snapper, such as red snapper. If you're working with snapper, try this pan-seared snapper recipe. It works with any thin white fish fillets.
Grouper and mahi can also be used as substitutes, though they'll need to be cooked slightly longer since the fillets tend to be thicker.
Serving Suggestions
This delicious Seared Tripletail recipe is easy to make. Fresh fish needs very little seasoning to make it taste great. Tripletail has a mild flavor so it goes with almost anything.
You can start your meal with a batch of Smoked Fish Dip, a traditional Florida appetizer.
Try Key West Sweet and Old Sour Chicken, made with Old Sour Key Lime Sauce that's available at Key West Legal Rum, on Simonton Street, right off Duval Street. Check it out. It's excellent!
How to Store Tripletail
Tripletail is a white, flaky fish with a mild flavor, making it suitable for various cooking methods, including searing.
When you bring the tripletail home, refrigerate the fillets by wrapping them in plastic wrap and storing them in an airtight container.
The raw fish will keep well for 3-4 days. You can also freeze tripletail by wrapping it in plastic wrap and freezing it in an airtight zip-top freezer bag.
Try some of our homemade sides with your fresh catch.
FAQ
Tripletail is a mild and sweet white fish fillet. It is thicker than yellowtail and thinner than grouper. It is one of the least fishy-tasting fish I've had in Florida.
Fresh fish needs very little on the side. You can enjoy your tripletail fillets with green beans, roasted Brussels sprouts, potatoes, or rice.
Yes! Tripletails have firm, white flaky flesh that tastes sweet. Its mild in flavor and can be prepared in a variety of ways, including grilling, frying, or baking.
Tripletail is a species of fish found in warm coastal waters around the world. They are known for their distinctive appearance, with a flattened body and three rounded lobes at the end of their dorsal and anal fins.
Enjoy These Fresh Fish Recipes Too!
These are some of our most requested fish recipes:
Seared Tripletail with Lemon Butter Sauce
Ingredients
For The Lemon Butter Sauce
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic, or ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- juice of a half lemon, (use a whole lemon if they're small)
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
For The Fish
- ¾ pound pound tripletail filet, with bones removed, cut into 2 pieces
- 2 tablespoons flour, (use rice flour for gluten-free)
- ¼ cup olive oil
- sea salt
- lemon wedges for serving
Instructions
- Melt butter in a pan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 3 minutes. Add garlic, lemon juice, ½ teaspoon salt, fresh pepper, and a tablespoon of chopped parsley. Lower heat and cover pan until fish is ready.
- Rinse the tripletail fillets under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels. Pour the flour into a shallow dish.
- Season fish on both sides with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Dredge the fish in the flour and shake off excess.
- Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a 12-inch cast-iron or heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat until you can see ripples in the oil; add fish.
- Cook for 3-4 minutes on the first side. Flip and cook another 2 minutes or until the fish is golden brown and the fish flakes easily with a fork.
- Place fish on individual plates with lemon wedges. Pour butter sauce over each piece of fish.
Marjorie TG says
This worked exactly as written, thanks!
Michael Jake says
This worked exactly as written, thanks!