How it eats
- Flavor: mild. It has a clean, slightly sweet flavor with a hint of the muddy surf and very little fishy taste, similar to a small black drum or sheepshead.
- Texture: Raw red drum flesh is firm and slightly translucent, and it cooks up flaky and moist with a meaty bite if you do not overcook it.
- Cleaning: Scale the fish first, then run a sharp knife behind the pectoral fin and down the backbone to lift two skin-on fillets, trimming away the dark red bloodline down the center because that is where the strongest taste sits. At about 18 inches and 2.6 pounds you will get roughly 10 to 12 ounces of usable meat from both fillets, enough for two people. Pin bones are few and easy to pull with pliers, and the skin crisps up nicely if you leave it on.
- Best ways to cook it: Pan-seared, Grilled, Fried, Baked
From the beach to the kitchen
Bleed the fish right in the surf or in a bucket of seawater the second you land it, then drop it on ice in a cooler for the ride home. Keep fish on ice, not in a sealed bag of meltwater, and only bring home what you intend to eat because regulations are strictly enforced.
Size and bag limits for red drum are on the Red Drum page.
What goes best with red drum
- Lemon: Lemon is the classic bright finish for any mild drum fillet.
- Cornmeal: Cornmeal breading is the go-to coating for a Carolina pier drum fry.
- Old Bay: Old Bay is a Carolina pier classic and suits red drum well.
- Butter: Brown butter adds richness to the mild flesh without overpowering it.
- Lime: Lime works especially well with chili and cilantro in tacos or ceviche.
- Mayonnaise: Makes a moist binder for baked fillets and tarter sauces that pair with the sweet flesh.
- Hot sauce: A few dashes of vinegar-based hot sauce cut through the meatiness.
- Garlic: Garlic and butter is the standard home cook's match for mild white fillets.
Have something else in mind? Pick your ingredients and compare every fish.
Recipes
Myrtle Beach Cornmeal Fried Drum
Fried | 25 min | Serves 2
Ingredients
- 12 oz red drum fillets, skin on
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp Old Bay seasoning
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 cups vegetable oil, for frying
Steps
- Cut the fillets into finger-sized strips and pat them dry with paper towels.
- Soak the strips in buttermilk for 10 minutes while you mix the cornmeal, flour, Old Bay, paprika, salt and pepper in a shallow bowl.
- Heat 1/2 inch of oil in a cast iron skillet to 365 F.
- Lift each piece from the buttermilk, let the excess drip, then dredge through the cornmeal mix, pressing it on.
- Rest the dredged pieces on a wire rack for 5 minutes so the crust sets.
- Fry in small batches for about 3 minutes per side, until deep golden and the fish flakes to 145 F inside.
- Drain on a wire rack over a sheet pan and serve with lemon wedges and tartar sauce.
Tip: Resting the dredged pieces on a rack for 5 minutes before frying keeps the crust from slipping off in the oil.
Pan-Seared Red Drum with Butter and Lemon
Pan-seared | 15 min | Serves 2
Ingredients
- 12 oz red drum fillets, skin on
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
- 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 lemon, sliced for serving
Steps
- Pat the fillets dry and season both sides with salt and pepper.
- Heat olive oil in a stainless skillet over medium-high until it shimmers.
- Lay the fillets in skin side down and press flat for 30 seconds so the skin contacts the pan.
- Cook 4 minutes on the skin side, then flip and cook 2 more minutes for a 1 inch fillet, until the fish reaches 145 F inside.
- Slide the fish onto warm plates and lower the heat to medium.
- Add butter and garlic to the same pan, swirl until the butter foams and turns tan, then squeeze in the lemon juice.
- Spoon the pan sauce over the fillets, scatter parsley and serve with lemon slices.
Tip: Pull pin bones out with needle-nose pliers before cooking so guests do not bite into them.
Grilled Drum Tacos with Mango Salsa
Grilled | 30 min | Serves 3
Ingredients
- 12 oz red drum fillets, skin off
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 cup mango, diced
- 1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
- 1 jalapeno, minced
- 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
- 1 lime, juiced
- 6 small flour tortillas
Steps
- Brush the fillets with olive oil and season with chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper.
- Stir the mango, red onion, jalapeno, cilantro and lime juice in a bowl to make the salsa.
- Heat a clean, oiled grill to medium-high, about 400 F.
- Grill the fillets 3 to 4 minutes per side, turning once, until they flake with a fork and read 145 F inside.
- Slide the fish onto a cutting board and break into chunks.
- Warm the tortillas on the grill for 20 seconds per side.
- Pile fish and mango salsa into the tortillas and serve with extra lime.
Tip: Oil the grill grates with a folded paper towel held in tongs so the delicate fillets do not stick.
Baked Red Drum with Old Bay and Mayo
Baked | 25 min | Serves 2
Ingredients
- 12 oz red drum fillets, skin on
- 3 tbsp mayonnaise
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp Old Bay seasoning
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1 tbsp butter, melted
Steps
- Heat the oven to 400 F and line a sheet pan with parchment.
- Pat the fillets dry and lay them skin down on the pan.
- Mix mayonnaise, lemon juice, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a small bowl.
- Spread the mayo mixture over the top of each fillet.
- Sprinkle Old Bay and paprika evenly over the mayo, then drizzle with melted butter.
- Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until the topping is lightly browned and the fish flakes to 145 F inside.
- Serve with extra lemon and steamed rice or hush puppies.
Tip: Spread the mayo all the way to the edges so the fillets stay moist through the bake.
Blackened Drum Sandwich with Cajun Mayo
Blackened | 20 min | Serves 2
Ingredients
- 12 oz red drum fillets, skin off
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 1 tbsp cajun seasoning
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 tbsp mayonnaise
- 1 tsp hot sauce
- 1 tsp lemon, juiced
- 4 strips bacon, cooked crisp
- 2 potato buns, toasted
Steps
- Mix paprika, cajun seasoning, garlic powder, salt and black pepper in a small bowl.
- Coat both sides of the fish with the rub and let it sit 5 minutes.
- Stir mayonnaise, hot sauce and lemon juice together for the Cajun mayo.
- Heat a cast iron skillet over high until very hot, then add olive oil until it shimmers and just starts to smoke.
- Lay the fillets in the pan and cook 2 minutes per side, pressing lightly so the crust forms, until the fish reaches 145 F inside.
- Transfer to a plate and let rest 2 minutes.
- Build the sandwich on toasted buns with Cajun mayo, the blackened fish, and crisp bacon.
Tip: Open a window and run your vent fan, because blackening creates a lot of smoke.
All recipes | Season, lures and limits for red drum
