Grilled Sheepshead & Crab Buerre Blanc
By Andrew Zimmern
I love pulling my own dinner into the boat, especially when it’s sheepshead and I have this meal to look forward to. Sheepshead is a truly underrated fish, it has a lovely firm texture, which makes it easier to grill, and sweet, mild flavored meat. I like to serve it with a rich and luxurious crab buerre blanc. What makes this the perfect pairing you ask? Well, we always talk about what grows together goes together, and guess what, sheepshead eat crab. And it’s their diet that makes them some of the best tasting fish out there. If you’re looking for something to compliment this meal, try a bitter greens salad with lots of citrus, it helps cut through the rich sauce.
Watch this episode of Field to Fire on Outdoor Channel.
Grilled Whole Sheepshead with Crab Butter Sauce
Ingredients
Sheepshead
- 1 whole sheepshead
- Salt
- White pepper
- Crispy shallots, for serving (recipe below)
- Crab sauce, for serving (recipe below)
- Bitter Greens and Citrus salad, for serving (recipe)
Crab Buerre Blanc Sauce
- 3 shallots, diced
- Several sprigs fresh thyme
- 3 cups white wine
- 1 teaspoon white peppercorns
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 3 sticks salted butter cut in cubes
- 1 pound jumbo lump crabmeat, drained well, and at room temp
- Juice of 1 lemon
Instructions
Be sure your sheepshead is scaled, gutted, cleaned, and dried. Make a few lateral incisions in a whole fish to promote even cooking or if you are cooking filets just lightly score to prevent curling.
Brush with oil, season well with salt and white pepper. Cook on a grill with wide slats or in a fish basket. Both should be seasoned well and I like to use cooking oil spray on the grill as well.
Cook for about 8 minutes per inch of thickness over medium-high direct heat. While all your fish prep is going on, make your crispy shallots and sauce.
For the crab sauce:
In a medium saucepan set over direct medium heat, add the shallots, wine, thyme and peppercorns. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to reduce at a simmer until liquid is about a third of a cup.
Pull out the thyme stems. Add the cream and bring back to simmer. Cook for a minute or two. Remove the pan from the heat, and whisk in the butter slowly in small handfuls.
Add the crab. Place the pan back on the lowest heat setting or place the pan in a pot of hot water, stirring gently.
Plate the fish whole (pulling portions off the frame) with the crab sauce and plenty of crispy onions. Serve this with a salad of winter greens with citrus segments, a citrus vinaigrette and lemony bread crumbs.
The Crispy Shallots
- 12 peeled whole shallots, large ones are best.
Slice thin on a sharp mandoline. Fry for 7-9 minutes in 300 degree oil Pull and drain carefully. Raise heat to 375. Fry again carefully for a few minutes to brown and crisp. Drain on a paper towel and season with salt. Garnish the fish with a healthy pile of crispy shallots.
