Seared Tripletail with Garlic Butter Sauce is a quick and easy dish to pull together after a long day of fishing in South Florida.
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Seared tripletail fish is a delicious dish that involves quickly cooking tripletail fish on high heat to create a flavorful crust while keeping the inside moist and tender.
Tripletail is a white, flaky fish with a mild flavor. This fish was wild-caught in the warm waters of Islamorada in South Florida.
Sweet and buttery tripletail is one of our favorite Florida fish. Tripletail's mild flavor makes it a great canvas for various seasonings and cooking methods.
Today I'm cooking our fresh fish in a big skillet with quick garlic butter sauce to go with it.
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.
Tripletail 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 filet, with bones removed, cut into 2 pieces
- 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 tripletails in the fresh fish markets in Florida in 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. Grouper can be used in its place and will have to be cooked a little longer because it's thicker.
Serving Suggestions
Fresh fish needs very little on the side. You can enjoy your triple tail with green beans, Brussels sprouts, and potatoes or rice. Try our White Rice with Asparagus.
How to Cook Tripletail
Seared tripletail fish is a delicious dish that involves quickly cooking tripletail fish on high heat to create a flavorful crust while keeping the inside moist and tender. 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.
This delicious Seared Tripletail recipe is easy to make. Fresh fish needs very little seasoning to make it taste great. Try our Lemon Asparagus Rice or Roasted Little Potatoes to go on the side.
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.
"📖 Recipe"
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 ¾ to 1 pound tripletail filet with bones removed, cut into 2 pieces
- 2 tablespoons flour (use rice flour for gluten-free)
- ¼ cup olive oil
- juice of 1 lemon
- sea salt
- lemon wedges for serving
- sliced green onions for garnish
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 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. Pour butter sauce over each piece of fish.
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