Wood-Fired Grilled Gulf Fish with Charred Lemon Butter
Succulent Gulf fish grilled over wood fire and topped with a smoky charred lemon butter sauce, evoking the vibrant seafood flavors of New Orleans. This American-inspired seafood recipe, ready in about 30 minutes, pairs Gulf fish fillets, unsalted butter, fresh lemon juice for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 320 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.
Ingredients
- 4 pieces, 6 oz each Gulf fish fillets
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 whole lemon
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
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Equipment for this recipe
Tools this recipe's steps call for, with a link to each on Amazon.
Instructions
- Step 1: Preheat your grill to medium-high heat (about 450°F). Brush 4 Gulf fish fillets with 2 tbsp olive oil, then season evenly with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper.
- Step 2: Place the whole lemon directly on the grill and cook, turning occasionally, for 6-8 minutes until the skin is charred and blistered. Remove and let cool slightly, then slice in half and squeeze out 2 tbsp juice, reserving the charred halves.
- Step 3: In a small saucepan, melt 6 tbsp unsalted butter over medium heat. Add 3 minced garlic cloves and 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves, cooking gently for 2 minutes until fragrant but not browned.
- Step 4: Stir in the 2 tbsp charred lemon juice and remove from heat.
- Step 5: Grill the fish fillets for 4-5 minutes per side until opaque and flaky, with nice grill marks.
- Step 6: Plate the grilled fish and spoon the warm charred lemon butter sauce over each fillet. Garnish with grilled lemon halves for squeezing.








