How it eats
- Flavor: mild. It has a light, sweet, briny flavor with a subtle ocean tang and very little of the stronger taste that some bottom fish carry.
- Texture: Raw flesh is soft and somewhat translucent, cooking up into moist, fine flakes that hold together but flake apart easily with a fork.
- Cleaning: Rinse the fish in cold water, then fillet along the backbone with a thin, flexible blade, removing the dark bloodline down the center. The skin is thin and delicate, so most cooks remove it after filleting, and a 1 lb weakfish yields about 6 to 7 oz of skinless meat.
- Best ways to cook it: Fried, Pan-seared, Baked, Broiled
From the beach to the kitchen
Bleed the weakfish the moment it comes out of the surf or off the pier, then lay it on ice right away to keep the flesh sweet. Keep only the fish you are allowed to keep and check current South Carolina regulations before you start cleaning. A properly iced weakfish will hold its texture and flavor far better than one left in a bucket of warm water.
Size and bag limits for weakfish are on the Weakfish page.
What goes best with weakfish
- Lemon: Lemon is the most common finishing touch on weakfish and sharpens the sweet flavor.
- Cornmeal: Cornmeal dredge is the most popular coating for fried weakfish along the Grand Strand.
- Butter: Brown butter brings out the sweet, delicate flavor of weakfish without overpowering it.
- Old Bay: The classic Myrtle Beach seasoning for surf-caught white fish like this one.
- Mayonnaise: A mayo binder keeps baked weakfish moist and adds a soft richness.
- Garlic: Gentle garlic in butter or oil pairs well with the sweet flesh.
- Dill: Dill and lemon are a time tested pairing for soft, mild white fillets.
- Parsley: Bright chopped parsley finishes pan-seared or baked fillets.
Have something else in mind? Pick your ingredients and compare every fish.
Recipes
Classic Myrtle Beach Cornmeal Fried Weakfish
Fried | 20 min | Serves 2
Ingredients
- 1 lb weakfish fillets, skin off
- 1/2 cup fine yellow cornmeal
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp Old Bay seasoning
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- about 2 cups peanut or canola oil for frying
Steps
- Pat the fillets dry with paper towels and cut into finger sized pieces.
- Mix cornmeal, flour, Old Bay, salt, and pepper in a shallow bowl.
- Pour buttermilk into a second bowl.
- Dip each piece in buttermilk, then dredge in the cornmeal mix and press gently so the coat sticks.
- Heat oil in a heavy skillet to 350 F, about 1/2 inch deep.
- Fry the fillets in small batches for 2 to 3 minutes per side until golden and flaky.
- Drain on a rack or paper towels and serve with lemon wedges.
Tip: Do not crowd the pan or the oil temp will drop and the crust will turn greasy.
Pan-Seared Weakfish with Lemon Butter and Parsley
Pan-seared | 15 min | Serves 2
Ingredients
- 1 lb weakfish fillets, skin off
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Steps
- Pat the fillets dry and season both sides with salt and pepper.
- Heat olive oil in a stainless skillet over medium high heat.
- Lay fillets in the pan and cook 2 to 3 minutes until the underside is golden.
- Flip carefully, add butter and garlic, and baste the fillets for another 1 to 2 minutes.
- Squeeze in lemon juice, swirl the pan, and pull from the heat.
- Plate the fillets, spoon the pan sauce over, and top with parsley.
Tip: Small weakfish fillets cook in under 5 minutes total, so pull them the moment they flake.
Baked Weakfish with Parmesan and Mayo Crust
Baked | 25 min | Serves 2
Ingredients
- 1 lb weakfish fillets, skin off
- 3 tbsp mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp parmesan, grated
- 2 tbsp panko
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 2 lemon wedges for serving
Steps
- Preheat the oven to 400 F and line a small baking dish with a light coat of oil.
- Pat the fillets dry and lay them in the dish, then season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
- Spread a thin layer of mayonnaise over the top of each fillet.
- Mix parmesan, panko, and paprika, then sprinkle over the mayo to cover the fillets.
- Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until the topping is golden and the fish flakes.
- Serve with lemon wedges and a simple green salad.
Tip: The mayo keeps the small fillets moist, so do not skip it even if it sounds odd.
Broiled Weakfish with Old Bay, Butter, and Dill
Broiled | 15 min | Serves 2
Ingredients
- 1 lb weakfish fillets, skin off
- 2 tbsp melted butter
- 1 tsp Old Bay seasoning
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
- 1 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Steps
- Preheat the broiler on high and set the rack 4 inches from the heat.
- Line a sheet pan with foil and brush with a little of the melted butter.
- Lay the fillets on the pan and brush with the rest of the butter.
- Season with salt, pepper, Old Bay, and a squeeze of lemon.
- Broil 4 to 6 minutes until the tops are lightly browned and the flesh flakes.
- Top with fresh dill and a final squeeze of lemon before serving.
Tip: Watch the pan closely under the broiler, small fillets can go from browned to burnt in 30 seconds.
Weakfish Tacos and Mango Salsa
Pan-seared | 25 min | Serves 2
Ingredients
- 1 lb weakfish fillets, skin off
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp cajun seasoning
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 cup mango, diced
- 1 small jalapeno, minced
- 1 lime, juiced
- 2 tbsp cilantro, chopped
- 6 small flour tortillas
Steps
- Pat the fillets dry and season with paprika, cajun seasoning, salt, and pepper.
- Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat.
- Sear fillets 2 to 3 minutes per side until just cooked through, then break into chunks.
- In a bowl, mix mango, jalapeno, lime juice, and cilantro for the salsa.
- Warm tortillas in a dry pan or the microwave.
- Fill tortillas with fish, spoon salsa over the top, and serve.
Tip: Make the salsa first so the mango softens slightly while the fish cooks.
All recipes | Season, lures and limits for weakfish
