We visit the famous Mercado Negro in Ensenada, Baja California on a regular basis and stock up on shrimp to make Coctel de Camarones and more.
On our last trip, I also bought an Ocean Whitefish that had just been caught that day. The fishmonger and I started swapping recipes and somewhere in my memory I remembered Pescado Zarandeado.
Easy, flavorful, and perfect for grilling season.
Traditionally, people will use red snapper for Pescado Zarandeado, but any white fish will do.
The fishmonger fileted it open just as you see above. This Mexican fish recipe is typically made like this. However, you can also use fish filets as I did in the final picture.
What type of fish is best to grill?
- Snapper
- Cod
- Bass
- Grouper
- Haddock
- Mahi Mahi
- Tilapia
Although they are good for grilling, I do not recommend salmon, tuna, or swordfish for this recipe.
Note: The bones are still in. That means you have to use extra precaution when you eat it.
Also check out these Mexican Fish Recipes: Caldo de Pescado (Mexican Fish Soup), Ceviche de Pescado (Fish Ceviche), Pescado Empapelado (Mexican Fish in Foil Packet).
How to Make Pescado Zarandeado
These are the ingredients needed to make the sauce.
The recipe for the sauce varies, depending on who you talk to. I’ve seen recipes for Pescado Zarandeado that include a combination of the ingredients above.
However, the two main ingredients to the sauce: mayonnaise and mustard.
- Add all the ingredients in a bowl.
- Whisk to combine.
- Make the sauce and set it inside the fridge while you prepare the fish.
The sauce has mayo, and you don’t want it to go bad. You can make the sauce ahead of time. It will last in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Do not freeze the sauce. It will become watery.
Note: If you have leftover sauce, try it on grilled shrimp or grilled lobster. Yummy!
How to Prevent Fish from Getting Mushy:
Too much moisture can cause the fish to steam and not sear. This is what causes fish to get mushy when cooked.
To fix this problem, pat the fish dry with paper towels before cooking.
- Wash the fish well on both sides.
- Then, with a paper towel, pat it to dry.
Tip From The Fishmonger: Insert the knife in the flesh of the fish several times. This will help the fish absorb the sauce more.
Do this several times. Be sure not to go through the skin. We’re just after the fleshy part.
- Brush the sauce all over the fleshy part of the fish.
- Do not brush sauce on the skin side.
- You can add this later on the grill.
Do not brush the sauce hours before cooking. The marinade will absorb and begin the cooking process.
FYI: Pescado Zarandeado comes from the state of Nayarit. Some people also refer to this recipe as Puerto Vallarta Fish or Nayarit-Style Fish.
Also know: There are people who call this dish “Pescado Sarandeado.”
- Heat the grill.
- Add the fish.
I placed the fish on a large piece of well-oiled foil paper. Then transferred the foil paper to the grill. It makes for EASY clean up.
Traditionally, this is done in a grill basket. {AFFILIATE} There are restaurants on the beaches of Nayarit that have fire pits. Imagine smoky air and fish grilling next to crashing waves. It’s really quite impressive.
You can also do this on a grill pan on the stove. However, in the oven, you can make this recipe all year long.
Pescado Zarandeado In the Oven:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Brush sauce on the fish and bake for 15 minutes.
Can you put fish directly Grill?
- Fish that is meaty like Tuna, Salmon, Halibut, Swordfish all can go directly on the grill.
- Softer fish like Tilapia, Flounder, or Sole need to be placed in a foil packet or grill basket, or they will fall apart on the grill.
Remember, wet fish will steam, not sear. This would create a big mess on the grill.
Word to the Wise: Serve family-style. It is difficult to serve individual portions without the fish falling apart. This is also the reason I had to make a separate filet to take the picture above.
What to serve with Pescado Zarandeado?
1. Arroz Blanco
2. Ensalada de Coditos
4. Vegetables
3. Refried Beans
4. Grilled onions
5. Extra marinade
This recipe for Pescado Zarandeado is so tasty. Buy a big fish and make it for a crowd. It’s sure to be a showstopper.
Pescado Zarandeado
Ingredients
For the Marinade
- 2 tbsp mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp mustard
- 2 dashes Worcestershire sauce
- 2 dashes Jugo Maggi
- 1/4 tspn pepper
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 3 limes juice (or 6 key limes)
- 2 tbsp tomato sauce (or ketchup)
- 2 garlic cloves finely minced
For the Fish
- 4 lb fish whole, cut and opened in half
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
For the Marinade:
- In a small bowl, mix all the ingredients for the marinade.
- Place in the fridge until ready to use.
For the Fish:
- Heat grill to 400 degrees F.
- Rinse the fish.
- With a paper towel, pat the fish dry.
- Make sure you dry the front and the back.
- On a large piece of foil paper, generously brush the oil olive all over. Note: if using a grill basket, omit the foil paper.
- Place the fish on top of the foil paper.
- Gently make cuts on the fleshy part of the fish.
Do not cut through the fish to the other side. - Brush the fish with the marinade.
- Place the remaining marinade back in the fridge.
- Move the foil paper with the fish on top to the grill. Cook for 20 minutes.
- Remove from the foil paper.
- Serve immediately with extra marinade.
Notes
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Brush sauce on the fish and bake for 20 minutes.
Eating this pescado zarandeado on the beach watching the crashing waves sounds magical. This red fish recipe is sure to be a crowd favorite.
This pescado zarandeado (a mouthful haha) looks delish! I haven’t made it with mayo before but I’m going to have to try it!
I will have to get the grill fired up for this dish! I love fish and I know that this will be a hit around my house.
This looks delicious! The sauce sounds amazing. Haven’t tried a sauce with mayo on fish before, can’t wait to try it.
Sounds absolutely amazing! I’ve never heard of pescado before nor have I ever tried it but I would love to. The marinade sounds great!
I need to send this to my grandma! My grandpa is a master fisherman and they would LOVE this!!
Sounds like you had an absolutely beautiful view while you dined. We love fish especially grilled. We don’t normally butterfly the fish — like that. This recipe is right up our alley — will be printing out the recipe.
First time making this fish and this way, we loved it! Flavors were delicious!
I love the sound of that marinade! I usually marinate fish in a light oil-based marinade, but this one looks a bit thick and saucy, and it coats the fish nicely! I’ll have to give this a try some time!
I am always in search of new and exciting fish recipes. Mahi Mahi is my favorite on the grill so I am trying this dish soon!
What a delicious and fresh dish! I particularly like that it’s grilled because we’ve been having such warm days, it’s just too hot to turn on the stove!
That sauce sounds wonderful. So flavorful and so easy to assemble. We love fish in our family so I will definitely give this sauce a try next time I’m making dinner.