Air Fryer Whole Fish

Learn how to cook some bream fish using your air fryer. No deep fat frying needed, yet you will get the same delicious, crispy results using a fraction of the cooking oil.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Caribbean

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 30

Total Time 1

Servings people

Calories 665kcal

Author Charla

Ingredients

1-2 large bream gutted and de-scaled
2 tablespoon seafood seasoning (8g) see notes for the link
½ teaspoon jerk seasoning paste (1g) see notes for the link
1 teaspoon paprika (2g)
1 tablespoon lime juice (15g)
2 tablespoon olive oil (28g)
a splash of water (if needed)
2-3 cups mixed vegetables tightly packed (250g-364g)

Instructions

Place the fish on a chopping board.
Use kitchen scissors to trim off the dorsal and pectoral fins and discard.
Use a sharp knife to make 3-4 diagonal scores, leaving a 3-4cm gap between each line on each side of the fish. (be careful not to cut too deep into the fishes cavity).
In a small bowl mix together the olive oil, lime juice, jerk seasoning paste and seafood seasoning and add a splash of water if the paste is too thick.
Before applying the wet rub to the fish, do a taste test as you may want to add additional pink salt and black pepper.
Use your hands (with gloves) or a pastry brush to thoroughly coat the fish with the wet rub including the scores and the cavity too.
Leave the fish to marinate for 1-2 hours (or overnight in the refrigerator if you wish to).
Preheat your air fryer.
Once the air fryer is preheated, place some parchment paper or a liner in the basket.
Place the fish in the basket.
Air fry the fish for 25-30 minutes at 190c/375f.
Half way through the cooking time turn the fish over, using an egg spatula to lessen the chances of the fish breaking up.
Continue to air fry the fish and about 10 minutes before the finishing time add the vegetables of your choice to the basket.
Once everything is cooked, sprinkle the vegetables with the seafood seasoning and serve.

Notes

Feel free to use any other whole fish for this recipe - parrot, doctor, butter fish, snapper, butter fish, red mullet, sprats etc.
The lime yields a zesty taste, if you don't care for this taste then omit the lime and add more water instead.
This is the link that you will need for my Homemade Jerk Paste and Seafood Seasoning.
If you are planning on cooking 2 fish then you will need to do this separately depending on the capacity of your fryer.
If you are a novice or don't like gutting the fish yourself, your fishmonger should be able to do this for you. (just ask!).
Don't add the vegetables to the air fryer too soon or they will burn.
As per typical Caribbean custom, the fish is washed/cleaned in either lemon/lime, vinegar, salt. I like to use Lime and salt.
If you don't want to air fry the vegetables, you can steam them on the stove instead.

Nutrition