Recipe from "Chef Paul Prudhomme's Louisiana Kitchen"
Adapted by Molly O'Neill
- Total Time
- About 30 minutes
- Rating
- 4(258)
- Notes
- Read community notes
The chef Paul Prudhomme's recipe for blackened redfish once became a national craze. Mr. Prudhomme dipped redfish fillets in butter, dusted them with ground cayenne and a mix of dried herbs, and seared them in a red-hot iron skillet until a black crust formed. The dish became so popular that the redfish population in the Gulf of Mexico came under threat. You could use fluke, flounder or porgy, instead. Any firm white-fleshed fish will do. —Molly O'Neill
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Ingredients
Yield:6 servings
- 1tablespoon paprika
- 2½teaspoons kosher salt
- 1teaspoon onion powder
- 1teaspoon garlic powder
- 1teaspoon ground cayenne
- ½teaspoon dried thyme
- ½teaspoon dried oregano
- 1½cups unsalted butter, melted
- 6skinless redfish, pompano or tilefish fillets, or other firm-fleshed fish, each 8 to 10 ounces and about ½ inch thick
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
660 calories; 51 grams fat; 31 grams saturated fat; 2 grams trans fat; 13 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 2 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 0 grams sugars; 52 grams protein; 731 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
Step
1
In a small bowl, combine the paprika, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne, thyme and oregano. Mix well. Set aside.
Step
2
Place a large cast-iron skillet over high heat until very hot, about 10 minutes. It will get smoky, so turn on the exhaust fan and turn off the smoke detector.
Step
3
Meanwhile, pour 2 tablespoons of melted butter in each of 6 small ramekins; set aside and keep warm. Pour the remaining butter into a shallow bowl. Dip each fillet in the butter so that both sides are well coated. Sprinkle the spice mix generously and evenly on both sides of the fish, patting it on by hand.
Step
4
When the skillet is heated, place the fillets inside without crowding and top each with 1 teaspoon of melted butter. Cook, uncovered, until the underside looks charred, about 2 minutes. Turn the fillets over and again pour 1 teaspoon of butter on top; cook until done, about 2 minutes more. Transfer to warmed plates and repeat with the remaining fish. Serve immediately, with a ramekin of butter on each plate.
Ratings
4
out of 5
258
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Cooking Notes
Tom
This recipe is missing black/white pepper:
1 tbsp. sweet paprika
2 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. cayenne
3/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
3/4 tsp. freshly ground white pepper
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
12 oz. butter, melted
6 oz. (8-oz.) 1⁄2-inch–thick filets skinless, boneless red drum, black drum, or red snapper
Larry Morris
That's probably because it was just Paul Prudhomme's recipe that made him world famous.
It's possible you should have used less Cheez Whiz.
Zphilly
I’m reading directly from his cookbook and the recipe/ process is identical. The one omission here is that the is absense of black and white pepper
Alicia
Open the windows and disable your fire alarms- it really does smoke :) Fish cooked beautifully though I think you could leave out the salt altogether- I used unsalted butter and followed the recipe exactly but the coating was pretty salty (and I like salt.) Otherwise, it's a fun recipe to try !
Franch
I cooked it at lower heat because don't have (and don't believe in) powdered onion or garlic - used real thing, which would have burnt at the recommended temperature). I used a fraction of the butter and a fraction of the salt and it tasted great. What I will keep from this recipe is the seasoning mix (minus most of the salt.
AT
3/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper3/4 tsp. freshly ground white pepper
LUX
Paul's first two books were amazing. Full of technique as well as great recipes . I think I have cooked everything out of those 2 books. he included spice recipes which he did not in later books. His stories is that as the youngest of 13 kids he had to stay in and help cook while the rest of the kids helped with the crops. I highly, highly recommend those two books, Chef Paul Prudhomme's Louisiana Kitchen and The Prudhomme Family Cookbook. Real Blackening is not what you get at most restaurants
D. Mangan
Turn the smoke detector back “on”!!
Faith
We used this spice mix to cook a redfish whole, just stuffed it with thyme & lemon then broiled at the end to make the skin crispy. It was delicious!
Wanda
Heated caste iron pan on stove then moved out to grill on high. Very good.
Marty
Made with black drum, fresh from the NC coast. Delicious! I used the same home-made Cajun spice that I use for gumbo; it's pretty spicy, so I will use a lighter hand next time.
Bruce Burger
I even tried it with rib eye and it was excellent. I blackened the steak in a cast iron skillet and used coconut oil instead of butter.I personally did not miss the white and black pepper as Tom suggested. It really tasted delicious without it, as was in the original recipe. It does smoke so turn your fans on and open your windows!
Steve
to avoid the smoke alarms, I heated a cast iron skillet in our oven at 500 until piping hot, then put it on a hot gas grill outside with the burners on full. No smokey house, no coughing fit, and delicious redfish. Thank you again, Paul!
Grace
Cooked this using pompano for family members with a dairy allergy, so served some with butter and some without (cooked in canola oil). Delicious both ways!!! A drizzle of olive oil when served provided some of the same creaminess :)
Lynn
I think if you don't use diamond crystal kosher salt, if you use Morton's for example, you should cut the amount of salt in half.
Steve
this is true if one uses Morton's table salt. Morton's kosher salt has about the same grain size and density as Diamond Crystal kosher salt. I've used both interchangeably in pickling with no noticeable effect.
Coquille
Made this with swordfish and only about a third of the butter and it was fabulous. Wouldn't change anything else!
Jen
I made this using cod and considerably less butter. Still delicious! I topped it with homemade pineapple salsa, and it was a very nice combination.
Yo Paulie
His seasoning is available in stores and online. I use it on salmon (a "red" fish) on the BBQ.
Coonass boi
Except Redfish is actually white but ok
Seamus
This recipe for blackened seasoning is VERY different from the one you buy in a store - mostly salt.Prolly don't even need salt...
Iris jewett
Have been making this for many years using salmon. At local fairs, it is put on a hamburger bun with lots of fried onions (with some of the spice mixture added) and thousand island dressing.
D. Mangan
Turn the smoke detector back “on”!!
AT
3/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper3/4 tsp. freshly ground white pepper
LUX
Paul's first two books were amazing. Full of technique as well as great recipes . I think I have cooked everything out of those 2 books. he included spice recipes which he did not in later books. His stories is that as the youngest of 13 kids he had to stay in and help cook while the rest of the kids helped with the crops. I highly, highly recommend those two books, Chef Paul Prudhomme's Louisiana Kitchen and The Prudhomme Family Cookbook. Real Blackening is not what you get at most restaurants
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