Jamaican fried red snapper with escovitch is bursting with rich Caribbean flavors and fried to golden perfection. This fish is often served with rice and peas, tostones, and salad. This fish is seasoned with a blend of spices including scotch bonnet peppers for a kick of heat. The bright flavors of the escovitch pair perfectly with the spicy flavors of the fish. It’s the perfect combination!
I collaborated with Chef Sayles for this recipe. Chef Sayles is a menu curator specializing in Caribbean cuisine. He creates unique dishes with bold flavors and his plating style is impeccable. Give him a follow on social media!
For this recipe, he taught me some of his techniques when frying the fish and shared his signature Jamaican spices to create this delicious escovitch fish packed with Caribbean flavor!
Jamaican red snapper ingredients:
Dry rub
- Onion powder
- Garlic powder
- Salt
- Paprika
- Ground annatto
- Thyme
- Ground oregano
- Cumin
- Green onion powder
- Allspice
- Ground ginger
- Black pepper
- White pepper
- Ground scotch bonnet pepper
Escovitch
- Onion
- Carrot
- Scotch bonnet peppers
- Bell pepper
- Vinegar
- Water
- Sugar
- Dry rub
*Find the full recipe with measurements at the bottom of this post or click the Jump to Recipe button at the top of this page.
How to make Jamaican red snapper:
Clean and prep fish
Clean and scale the fish. Thoroughly rinse with vinegar or lime juice. Slice 3 small slits on each side of the fish. Pat dry.
Season fish
Rub the fish with scotch bonnet peppers on both sides and then rub with crushed garlic all over. Season generously with the dry rub. Set aside.
Make the escovitch
Thinly slice the onion and peppers. Use a vegetable peeler to make carrot ribbons. In a small pot, add vinegar, water, sugar, and dry rub. Stir to combine and bring to a boil. Pour the mixture over the sliced vegetables. Allow the vegetables to soak for at least 1 hour.
Fry the fish
Place a large skillet over medium-high heat and add enough oil to deep fry the fish. Fry the fish until browned and crisp, about 5 to 7 minutes per side, depending on the size of the fish. Use tongs and a spatula or two spatulas to flip the fish carefully and prevent it from falling apart.
Remove fish and place on a paper towel-lined plate to soak excess oil. Serve the fish topped with the escovitch. Enjoy!
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Jamaican Fried Red Snapper with Escovitch
Ingredients
- 4 lbs red snapper, whole cleaned and scaled
- 3 cloves garlic crushed, optional
- 1 quart canola oil other oil options: corn oil, vegetable oil, avocado oil, or peanut oil
Dry rub
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp ground annatto
- 1/4 tsp thyme
- 1/4 tsp ground oregano
- 1/4 tsp cumin
- 1/4 tsp green onion powder
- 1/8 tsp allspice
- 1/8 tsp ground ginger
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
- 1/8 tsp white pepper
- 1/8 tsp ground scotch bonnet pepper optional
Escovitch
- 1/2 white onion thinly sliced
- 1 carrot sliced into ribbons
- 2 Scotch bonnet peppers sliced, seeded
- 1/4 red bell pepper thinly sliced
- 1 cup vinegar
- 1 cup water
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1/2 tbsp salt
- 1/4 tsp dry rub optional
Instructions
Clean and prep fish
- Clean and scale the fish. Slice 3 small slits on each side of the fish. Pat dry.
Season fish
- Rub the fish with scotch bonnet peppers on both sides and then rub with crushed garlic all over.
- Season generously with the dry rub. Set aside.
Make the escovitch
- Thinly slice the onion and peppers. Use a vegetable peeler to make carrot ribbons.
- In a small pot, add vinegar, water, sugar, and salt. Stir to combine and bring to a boil.
- Pour the mixture over the sliced vegetables. Soak for at least 1 hour.
Fry the fish
- Place a large skillet over medium-high heat and add enough oil to deep fry the fish.
- Fry the fish until browned and crisp, about 5-7 minutes per side, depending on the size of the fish. Use tongs and a spatula or two spatulas to flip the fish carefully and prevent it from falling apart.
- Remove fish and place on a paper towel-lined plate to soak excess oil.
- Serve the fish topped with the escovitch. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Tips:
Use tongs and a spatula or two spatulas to flip the fish carefully and prevent it from falling apart. Allow the vegetables to soak in the escovitch liquid for at least 1 hour. This will allow them to pickle and absorb the flavors of the spices. Fry the fish in batches. Do not overcrowd the pan, for best results.
Check out my other Caribbean recipes!
Arroz con Pollo (Chicken and Rice)
Alcapurrias (Puerto Rican Fritters)
Churrasco with Chimichurri Sauce
Arroz con Gandules (Rice with Pigeon Peas)
Puerto Rican Potato Salad (Ensalada de Papa)
Arroz con Salchichas (Rice with Sausage)
Pegao (Puerto Rican Crispy Rice)
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