Capt. Charlie's Broiled Grouper Throats
Start with as many grouper throats as you have. (Yes, there
really are grouper throats, this is not a joke.) For those of you
not familiar with the throat, it is the piece of the fish that is
attached under the bottom jaw that includes the pectoral fins and
extends down the stomach cavity. The gills are above the throat.
If you have never taken the throats off a grouper, it is easier
to accomplish with a pair of sheet metal cutters than a knife,
but you can do it with a knife easily if you find the joints
around the jaws and cut here first. Might be a good idea to get
someone who knows their stuff to show you how to do it. You can't
take the skin off this piece, so don't worry about that.
Back to the recipe, place your throats in a zip-lock bag that is
big enough to hold them, cover with your favorite brand of
Italian dressing and place in the refrigerator overnight (if you
can't wait, they don't have to marinate overnight, but the longer
the better). After they have marinated, "break" them in
the center so that they lay flat, score the inside that will be
face up with a sharp knife, and place them on a hot grill
(charcoal or gas), or under the broiler in your oven until they
flake easily with a fork (usually about ten minutes). Remove from
grill or oven, place on your plate and dig in. Remember, there is
still skin on the bottom, there are no small bones, and it is
like eating potato chips - hard to stop once you start, and you
can't eat just one.
After you try these the first time, I guarantee that you will
never in the future feed the throats to the crabs or fertilize
the plants as you do with the rest of your fish carcasses.
Good fishing, tight lines and happy eating,
Capt. Charlie
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