Description
This Jamaican Jerk Fish recipe delivers a vibrant and spicy blend of traditional Caribbean flavors perfectly coating tender, pan-fried white fish fillets. The homemade jerk seasoning combines aromatic garlic, onion, thyme, smoked paprika, and a kick of cayenne balanced with a touch of brown sugar, creating a deliciously crisp spice crust. Ready in just over 10 minutes, this dish is a quick and flavorful introduction to authentic Jamaican cuisine.
Ingredients
Scale
Jerk Seasoning
- 3 tsp garlic powder
- 3 tsp onion powder
- 2 tsp cooking salt (reduce to 1 1/2 tsp if using table salt)
- 3 tsp dried thyme
- 2 1/2 tsp brown sugar, lightly packed
- 2 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika (or ordinary paprika as substitute)
- 1 1/4 tsp allspice powder
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg powder
Fish
- 4 x 160g (6 oz) thin white fish fillets such as snapper, skinless, boneless (up to 1.5cm / 0.6” thick)
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Make Jerk Spice Blend: In a bowl, thoroughly mix all jerk seasoning spices. Spread the spice mixture evenly in a small tray just large enough to fit one fish fillet at a time.
- Coat Fish: Pat the fish fillets dry with paper towels. Coat both sides of each fillet generously with the jerk seasoning, pressing the spices onto the surface to adhere. Shake off any excess seasoning, then place the coated fillets on a clean plate.
- Heat Pan and Cook First Side: Heat half of the olive oil in a large non-stick pan over high heat until small wisps of smoke appear, indicating the pan is hot. Place 2 fillets presentation side down in the pan and cook for 2 minutes without moving to develop a deep bronze, reddish spice crust.
- Flip and Cook Other Side: Flip the fillets carefully and cook for 1 minute or until the internal temperature reaches 55°C (130°F) and the fish flakes easily at the thickest point.
- Rest and Serve: Remove the fish from the pan and rest on a wire rack for 2 minutes. This helps maintain the crispiness of the spice crust. Serve immediately with Jamaican sides for a complete meal.
Notes
- SPICE LEVEL: This jerk seasoning is traditionally spicy and packs a good punch. If you prefer milder flavors, start with less cayenne pepper and adjust to taste.
- Spices Substitution: Missing some spices? Substitute garlic powder with more onion powder, dried thyme with oregano, brown sugar with caster sugar, cayenne with ground chili or black pepper, smoked paprika with regular paprika, allspice with mixed spice, and nutmeg with more cinnamon. Avoid omitting cinnamon as it adds a unique flavor.
- Salt Amount: Using 2 tsp kosher or cooking salt works well for coating the thin fish fillets. If using finer table salt, reduce to 1 1/2 tsp to avoid oversalting.
- Brown Sugar: Lightly scoop and level the brown sugar rather than packing it in to maintain the correct sweetness balance.
- Fish Thickness: Use fillets no thicker than 1.5 cm (0.6”) to ensure proper cooking in 3 minutes without burning the spice crust. Fish will thicken slightly when cooking.
- Other Proteins: This jerk seasoning works great with thin chicken breasts or thighs, pork steaks, or shrimp. Just coat and pan fry similarly.
- Storage: Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 2 days but are not suitable for freezing.
- Nutrition Note: The nutrition facts account for using 2 tbsp olive oil and 2 tsp salt consumed across all 4 fillets.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 fish fillet (approximately 160g)
- Calories: 280 kcal
- Sugar: 1.5 g
- Sodium: 730 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 6 g
- Fiber: 1.2 g
- Protein: 34 g
- Cholesterol: 65 mg
