Grilled Barramundi is the quintessential Australian fish dish — barramundi (Lates calcarifer), the iconic endemic Australian fish, grilled until the skin is crisp and the flesh is just cooked through, served with lemon, a simple salad, and chips. Barramundi is the fish every Australian restaurant serves and every Australian fisherman dreams of catching.
Barramundi (Lates calcarifer, from the Aboriginal language meaning 'large-scaled river fish') is the iconic fish of Australia — endemic to the northern waters, prized by both Indigenous Australians (for whom it is a totem animal) and modern anglers. It is the fish most commonly served in Australian restaurants as 'the local catch.' The flesh is white, firm, and mild, with a clean flavor that makes it perfect for simple grilling. Barramundi is farmed extensively but wild-caught is considered superior. Grilling it skin-on until the skin crisps is the classic Australian preparation.
A fillet of barramundi with the skin crackling-crisp, the flesh white, moist, and flaking, a squeeze of lemon over it. The skin is the prize — salty, crunchy, almost like a potato chip. The flesh is sweet and clean. Eaten with a fork, with a cold white wine, on a warm evening. It is the most Australian fish dish.
The skin must be scored (to prevent curling) and cooked skin-side down first, over high heat, until it is crackling-crisp. The flesh side needs only 1-2 minutes. Overcooking barramundi dries it — it should be just opaque, still moist. A light seasoning of salt is all it needs; the flavor of the fish is the point.
Variations
Some pan-fry instead of grill; some serve with mango salsa (tropical Australian); some bake it in paper; the skin can be served on or off.
On the Palate
Where Barramundi Grilled sits in the Australian flavor cloud
Ingredients
Serves 4How it's made
7 steps · 20 min active + 10 min waiting
- 13 min
Score the skin of 4 barramundi fillets (about 200 g each) in 3 places.
- 21 min
Season both sides with salt.
- 32 min
Heat a grill pan or barbecue to high; brush with oil.
- 41 min
Place the fillets skin-side down; press flat for 30 seconds.
- 54 min
Cook 4 minutes skin-side down until the skin is crisp.
Watch outLeave it skin-side down without moving it until the skin is crackling-crisp — lifting early tears the skin and it never crisps.
- 62 min
Flip; cook 2 minutes until the flesh is just opaque.
Watch outFlip for just a minute or two, until the flesh turns barely opaque — overcooked barramundi dries out fast, so pull it while still moist.
- 71 min
Serve with lemon wedges, a green salad, and chips.
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