Rockfish with Old Bay Butter

Name: Rockfish with Old Bay Butter
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 3 small whole rockfish (striped bass), hybrid striped bass, other small bass, snapper, or other mild-flavored fish, about 2 pounds each, gutted and cleaned; 3 small whole rockfish (striped bass), hybrid striped bass, other small bass, snapper, or other mild-flavored fish, about 2 pounds each, gutted and cleaned; 3 small whole rockfish (striped bass), hybrid striped bass, other small bass, snapper, or other mild-flavored fish, about 2 pounds each, gutted and cleaned; 3 small whole rockfish (striped bass), hybrid striped bass, other small bass, snapper, or other mild-flavored fish, about 2 pounds each, gutted and cleaned; 3 small whole rockfish (striped bass), hybrid striped bass, other small bass, snapper, or other mild-flavored fish, about 2 pounds each, gutted and cleaned; Olive oil; Juice and zest of 2 lemons (reserve the zest for the butter below); Juice of 2 lemons; ½ cup white vinegar; ¼ cup water; 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil; ½ cup unsalted butter or Smoked Butter; ½ cup unsalted butter or Smoked Butter; 2 teaspoons Old Bay Seasoning, or more to taste; Lemon wedges and parsley sprigs, for garnish; Lemon wedges and parsley sprigs, for garnish

Preparation info

Serves
6

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Smoke & Spice

By Cheryl Alters Jamison and Bill Jamison

Published 2014

About

The rockfish or striped bass is one of the mid- and upper-Atlantic coast conservation successes. After years of overfishing, an enforced moratorium and more intelligent management policies have put it back on the table again. Here we smoke whole fish, and then serve them with an Old Bay Seasoning-flavored butter.

Ingredients

3 small whole rockfish (striped bass), hybrid striped bass, other small bass, snapper, or other mild-flavored fish, about 2 pounds each, gutted and cleaned
Olive oil

Method

Prepare the smoker for barbecuing, bringing the temperature to 180°F to 200°F.
Cut three deep diagonal slashes into both sides of the fish to promote even cooking and flavor absorption. Rub the fish inside and out with the oil and half of the lemon juice. Sprinkle sparingly with Old Bay Seasoning. Allow the fish to sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes.<