Scup Recipes
Looking for some ways to add scup into your rotation? Browse these recipes for grilled scup, baked basil scup, and more!
Baked Scup with Basil
Ingredients
4 scup (porgies), whole, scaled, fined, gilled, and cleaned
3 tablespoons butter, margarine, or olive oil
3 tablespoons shallots or green onions, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup dry white wine
3 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped (or 1 tablespoon dried)
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Use a cooking spray or coast the bottom of a baking pan with vegetable oil.
- Spread the minced shallots or green onions in the baking pan.
- Make several slits along the sides of each scup using a sharp knife. Place the fish on the bed of onions and sprinkle them with the salt and chopped basil. Set aside for approximately 5 minutes to mix flavors.
- Pour wine over the fish and dot the fish with the butter or margarine (or a drizzle of olive oil).
- Cover with foil and bake for 10 to 15 minutes until the fish flesh turns opaque and begins to flake.
Recipe courtesy of Tony DiLernia, New York Sea Grant
Grilled Scup
Ingredients
Scup, whole, cleaned and scaled
Coarse sea salt
Directions
- Preheat the grill to medium high heat. Natural wood charcoal gives this fish a special smoky touch.
- Generously salt the fish on the outside and inside the cavity with coarse sea salt. Place the seasoned fish at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes before cooking.
- When the grill is ready, carefully place the scup on the grill. Use an oiled (cooking spray works well) fish grill basket if possible to prevent the fish from sticking and falling apart as it cooks.
- Cook each side for approximately 5 to 10 minutes, until the skin looks crispy. Be careful to not overcook. The fish is done as soon as you can gently lift the skin and white meat with a fork and see the middle bone.
- Enjoy your scup with a fork and your fingers—carefully pulling all the small bones and eating the tender juicy meat in between.
Pan Fried Scup
Ingredients
3 pounds scup, whole, dressed
Cooking oil
Cornmeal, white stone ground if available
Butter or margarine
Lemon juice
Salt
Pepper
Directions
- Wash and remove excess moisture from fish by patting it dry with a paper towel.
- Place a handful of cornmeal in a strong paper or plastic sack and place fish one or two at a time into the sack and shake it to coat the fish.
- Heat oil in a skillet until hot. Place fish in a skillet after shaking off excess cornmeal.
- Adjust heat so that fish fry quickly but do not burn. Turn fish when the edges are crisp and brown.
- Cook 2 to 3 minutes more to brown the second side. Remove cooked fish and place on a paper towel to drain.
- Immediately run a pat of butter or dab of margarine over each fish and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and lemon juice to taste.
- Serve as soon as possible.
Main Dishes
When you want seafood to be the star of your meal, try one of these main dishes! We've pulled together recipes featuring your favorite U.S. seafood that the whole family will love!
Appetizers, Soups, and Salads
Start your meal off right with a savory appetizer, hearty soup, or refreshing salad.