What’s a snapper fillet?

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A snapper fillet refers to a thin cut of the flesh of an edible fish called the snapper. It’s a cohesive piece taken from the side of the fish, from the tail just behind the gills. This cut can be grilled, oven roasted, or cooked in butter in a skillet. The versatile red snapper fillet can also be battered and fried in oil. Snapper fish generally has a slightly sweet, sometimes nutty flavor that tends to absorb the flavors in which it cooks.

The term red snapper can refer to some types of fish, many of which are edible and particularly tasty. Seasoning this type of fish is easy because the flesh has a neutral flavor that pairs well with many types of herbs and flavorings. A snapper fillet is often flavored with herb butter, flavored olive oil, or a light herb-tomato sauce. These fillets can also be curried or cooked with aromatic vegetables such as onions, carrots and garlic.

Because snapper fish are large, the technique used to prepare a snapper fillet usually involves removing the fish flesh from the body in large segments before cutting the segments into fillets. Smaller fish can be cut into fillets without first separating the flesh from the body. Fillets cut from the body of a fish are usually cut along the center of the fish, holding the knife perpendicular to the length of the fish and parallel to the cutting surface, and cutting from the tail to the head end. The fish head should be cut off first.

Some who first encounter the word threads wonder how the term threads is to be spelled. Although the word fillets with an L is used in the dish filet mignon, the correct English language spelling when referring to fish is filet with two Ls. When describing a snapper fillet in French for a French restaurant, it is correct to use the French spelling, as in the filet vivaneau.

Due to overfishing, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has declared the red snapper a threatened fish species. Until snapper populations return to a sustainable level, diners can choose alternative types of fish that aren’t overfished or ones that are farmed. Some organizations recommend avoiding all snapper because efforts to fish a less protected type of snapper can harm protected snapper. Other names used for red snapper include red cod and vermilion swordfish. Alternative types of fish that can be used in place of red snapper include black rockfish and common paddock.

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