I first had whole baked barramundi with a citrus and sultana stuffing when I was a kid for Christmas. Fast forward 15 years and I was still thinking about it. So of course, I had to try out my own version.
Preparing and cooking and entire fish always seemed really scary, but it worked out so well and I have had amazing feedback from friends and family with my recipe.
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How to prepare whole barramundi?
To prepare whole barramundi, you will need to scale, gut and clean the fish. This can be done by asking your fishmonger to do it for you, or you can do it yourself at home.
Scale barramundi
Place the fish on a flat surface and hold it by the tail. Use a fish scaler to scrape the scales off the body of the fish, working from the tail to the head. Rinse the fish under cold water to remove any remaining scales.
Gut barramundi
Place the fish on a flat surface and use a sharp knife to make a cut along the belly of the fish, from the anus to the chin. Reach inside the fish and remove the internal organs. Be careful not to rupture the gallbladder, as this will make the fish taste bitter. Rinse the fish cavity under cold water to remove any blood or residue.
Clean the fish
Use a sharp knife (I like using a fillet knife) to remove the fins & head from the fish (if you desire. Personally, I leave it on because I'm a bit lazy). Rinse the fish inside and out under cold water and pat it dry with paper towels.
How to cook whole barramundi?
You can cook whole barramundi a few different ways depending on your preferences.
I personally love the flavour that comes from grilling barramundi on the BBQ, but you could also do this in the oven (or stove at a pinch, although, I wouldn't recommend).
- Prepare the fish
If required, gut, descale and clean the fish (leave skeleton in). Pat the skin down with a paper towel. Slice the fish from the head to the tail on one side of the skeleton so you’re left with a cavity for the filling (don’t slice through to the other side).
- Rice
Heat rice according to packet instructions (usually 1-2 minutes in the microwave).
- Stuffing
Combine rice, sultanas, parsley, crushed garlic, lemon & orange rind, orange juice, 2 teaspoon smoked paprika, 2 teaspoon sumac and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium bowl. Add salt & pepper to taste.
- Coat fish
Mix the remaining olive oil and spices together and rub both sides of the fish. Fill the fish cavity with the stuffing.
- Bake or grill whole fish
If grilling on the BBQ, use LOTS of olive oil on the grill plate otherwise it will stick when you sear the skin. Once seared the skin (5 minutes each side), place on a large heat safe tray indirectly on the heat. You can then bake by closing the lid for 20-30minutes until the fish is flakey. You want t keep the BBQ at about 180C otherwise it might cook a bit too quickly on the outside and leave the inside undercooked
If you want to bake a whole fish in the oven, place it on a lined baking tray and place in the oven @180C for 25-30 minutes or until the fish is cooked and flakey.
What to serve with grilled whole barramundi?
Grilled barramundi can be served with a variety of sides. Here are some of my favourites:
- Honey Roasted Carrots
- Potato Salad
- Tartare Sauce
- Bacon Wrapped Asparagus
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Frequently Asked Questions
Whole barramundi can be cooked in a variety of ways, including baking, grilling, and barbecuing. The best way to cook whole barramundi is to cook it until it is cooked through, with the flesh flaking easily from the bone.
To check if the fish is cooked through, insert a fork into the thickest part of the fish. The fish is cooked through when the flesh flakes easily from the bone
Whole barramundi can be purchased from most seafood markets and supermarkets. I usually get my whole barramundi from woolworths because they are typically smaller in size which make them perfect for a main protein between myself and my partner. That way we don't have leftovers!
Yes, barramundi can be undercooked. Undercooked barramundi may contain harmful bacteria that can cause food poisoning. It is important to cook barramundi until it is cooked through, with the flesh flaking easily from the bone.
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Recipe
Whole Baked Barramundi Recipe
Ingredients
- 1-2 barramundi approx 1kg (See Note 1)
- 250 g microwave rice (See Note 2)
- 1 clove garlic crushed
- ⅓ cup parsley finely chopped
- 2 tablespoon lemon rind
- 2 tablespoon orange rind
- ¼ cup orange juice
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp sumac
- ¼ cup sultanas
Instructions
Prepare fish
- If required, gut, descale and clean the fish (leave skeleton in) (See Note 3). Pat the skin down with a paper towel. Slice the fish from the head to the tail on one side of the skeleton so you’re left with a cavity for the filling (don’t slice through to the other side).
Rice
- Heat rice according to packet instructions (usually 1-2 minutes in the microwave).
Stuffing
- Combine rice, sultanas, parsley, crushed garlic, lemon & orange rind, orange juice, 2 teaspoon smoked paprika, 2 teaspoon sumac and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium bowl. Add salt & pepper to taste.
Coat Fish
- Mix the remaining olive oil and spices together and rub both sides of the fish. Fill the fish cavity with the stuffing.
Bake (oven)
- If you want to bake a whole fish in the oven, place it on a lined baking tray and place in the oven @180C for 25-30 minutes or until the fish is cooked and flakey.
Grill (bbq)
- If grilling on the BBQ, use LOTS of olive oil on the grill plate otherwise it will stick when you sear the skin. Once seared the skin (5 minutes each side), place on a large heat safe tray indirectly on the heat. You can then bake by closing the lid for 20-30 minutes until the fish is flakey. You want t keep the BBQ at about 180C otherwise it might cook a bit too quickly on the outside and leave the inside undercooked.
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