Fillet red snapper correctly, and you show respect to this iconic species by harvesting every last bit of meat. There’s much more to a big red snapper than just fillets. I like to harvest the cheeks, the collars, and even the little bits of meat that stick to the bones. Read on to learn some history on America’s favorite fish and find out how I, a professional fishmonger, break down a red snapper.
The Legacy of Red Snapper
Red snapper (Lutjanus campechanus) have been an essential part of Gulf Coast and Atlantic fisheries for centuries. The species was first described in scientific literature in the early 1800s, and commercial fishing for red snapper in the Gulf dates back to the late 19th century.
By the mid-1900s, commercial harvests were booming, and so was recreational interest. However, heavy fishing pressure led to concerns about declining stocks, prompting regulations to be put in place. Today, red snapper numbers have rebounded under strict management, but many anglers argue the rules haven’t loosened with the population’s recovery.
A Fishery in Tug-of-War
With populations rebounding, recreational anglers feel frustrated when they are forced to release fish that are practically jumping in the boat, while commercial fishermen argue that their quotas should be expanded to reflect the abundance seen on the water. This frustration is especially high in areas where red snapper are so thick that they dominate the ecosystem, outcompeting other reef fish.
Many anglers believe restrictive limits do not align with the reality they are seeing firsthand, while regulators argue that gradual, science-based management is what led to the recovery in the first place.
Red Snapper: Economic Powerhouse
Red snapper is not just another fish on the dock. It is a cornerstone of the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic economies, fueling both commercial markets and recreational tourism. From high-end seafood restaurants to bait shops and charter operations, the economic impact of this prized species stretches far beyond the fillet counter.
Anglers from across the country flock to the Gulf states and the Atlantic coast for the chance to battle these hard-fighting, gorgeous fish—injecting millions of dollars into coastal communities. But with such great demand and economic value come regulatory headaches.
Striking a balance between commercial interests and recreational access has put fisheries managers in a constant tug-of-war, with every decision bound to frustrate one group or the other. Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic waters do not follow the same rulebook. There are different jurisdictions, different quotas and different levels of enforcement.
Meanwhile, in certain areas of the Atlantic where I fish, red snapper are so overpopulated they will hit a bare hook. Federal scientists tell us the snapper we catch are dying after release, but there are so many that it’s difficult to catch anything else. The regulations just keep getting stricter.
Snapper Fun Facts
• Interestingly, red snapper are not red when they are born. Juvenile snapper start out with a brownish tint that helps them blend into their surroundings. As they mature and move into deeper waters, their scales develop the beautiful deep red coloration that makes them so recognizable.
• Red snapper are extremely territorial and will aggressively defend their space around artificial reefs, shipwrecks and deep ledges. This behavior is part of the reason they are so easy to target for anglers — they tend to cluster tightly around structure, and once you find them, they usually bite fast and hard.
How to Fillet Red Snapper
One thing we can all hopefully agree on: When you are lucky enough to catch a legal red snapper, you should respect the species by harvesting every drop.
We call the bone-in collar plus the dark pectoral fin meat snapper wings. If you have never had Buffalo snapper wings, you are missing out on one of the richest, most flavorful parts of the fish — not to mention a good portion of its meat.
Extra large red snapper also have delicious cheeks! Even after removing these prime off-cuts, the fish still has more to give. The skeleton holds excellent meat that falls right off the bone after a gentle 30-minute simmer (not a boil). This tender meat is perfect for soups, fish cakes, casseroles and so much more. Any way you use fresh-picked crab meat, you can use steamed skeleton meat instead.
Step 1: Scaling Red Snapper
To utilize the whole fish, I like to scale the collars before filleting. The reason for scaling the collars is simple: You are going to remove them from the skeleton after filleting and cook them skin-on.
If you’re planning to remove the skin or grill your snapper on the half-shell (keeping the skin and scales on), there’s no need to scale your fish—except for the collars, since those will be cooked with the skin on.
Step 2: The First Cut
If you’re not removing the scales, start your first cut behind the head at a sharp angle. Angle the knife so it slides underneath the thick, tough scales and goes straight to the soft skin with ease.
The meat around the head extends all the way to the forehead, so with this first cut, go deep into the forehead. Wherever the knife can enter easily, there’s meat to be found in that big head.
Step 3: Remove the Collar
Next, flip your knife around and fully separate the connection between the belly and collar. Cut between the pectoral and pelvic fins.
Step 4: Open the Top
Now, using just the tip of your knife, enter the opening at the snapper’s head. Position the blade facing away from you at nearly a 180-degree angle. This allows you to gently push the knife forward along the dorsal fin, creating a slit along the entire fish. This slit provides an opening to follow the natural form, so you don’t have to cut through the tough scales.
Step 5: Begin the Fillet
Now, rest your knife on top of the skeleton at a slight angle and begin filleting. Angle the blade down just enough to maximize the amount of red snapper meat you retain, but not so much that you accidentally cut through the skeleton into the opposite fillet.
Step 6: Separate the Pin Bones
Once you reach the center spine, you’re ready to separate the pin bones from the ribs. Insert just the tip of your knife at the base of the ribs, angle it slightly upward, and push forward swiftly. This severs the pin bones’ connection to the ribs, allowing you to lift the fillet higher without tearing the meat.
With this extra lift, use the upper quarter of the knife to rest on the other side of the spine and continue filleting down the opposite side. Once you’ve ensured that you’ve preserved as much meat as possible on both sides of the spine, move on to the ribs.
Step 7: Go Around the Ribs
The mark of a true fillet pro is working over the ribs instead of cutting through them and having to remove them later. Using your left hand, hold the head meat up while your filleting hand rests the knife on top of the ribs.
Start sliding the blade down along the ribs, keeping a shallow angle to feel the knife scrape against the rib bones without cutting through them. When you reach the bottom of the ribs, the first fillet is ready to be removed.
Flip the fish and repeat the process on the other side.
5 High-Quality Fillet Knives
There are a lot of good fillet knives on the market. Here are a few quality knives to begin the search.
• The AFTCO 8-inch Flexible Fillet Knife has a full-tang Böker German stainless-steel blade with AFTCO’s gold tin finish. It was designed to retain sharpness and resist corrosion, and the textured polypropylene handle is slip-free.
• Dexter’s 7-inch Flexible Fillet Knife is the workhorse in a line of fish knives renowned among professionals for performance and value. High-carbon steel is easy to sharpen, and the Sani-Safe handle is grippy, even when wet.
• The Bubba 7-inch Tapered Flex Folding Knife is a folding fillet knife with a Ti-Nitride coated high-carbon stainless blade that is sharp and corrosion resistant. The non-slip handle features a trigger grip for security and control.
• Benchmade’s 7-inch Fishcrafter features the company’s CPM-MagnaCut steel that was created for corrosion resistance and edge retention with a medium flex. A Santoprene handle retains its grip even when it’s wet and slimy.
• The Toadfish 8.5-inch Stowaway Fillet Knife is a folding knife with a built-in carabiner to hang from a belt-loop. The blade is Japanese stainless-steel with a black finish and a serrated top edge. The non-slip handle is designed for a comfortable and secure grip.
