Sometimes you just need a little creativity to bring out the best in a wild caught fish preparation. By cooking up this Blackened Flounder with Lemon Butter Sauce recipe in a cast iron pan, I'm able to capitalize on a lot of my favorite things about being in the kitchen: wonderfully fresh ingredients that I had a hand in procuring; amazing cooking implements that are easy to work with; anticipatory smells and sights that precede a great meal; and the combination of lemon and butter, which is always a winner!
I don't know about you, but if I'm cooking a fish dish, this is the sort of thing I'm looking for as an end result. The seasonings are on point, and the fish goes well with the ultimate flavors that come pouring out of the lemon butter sauce. When you need a crowd-pleasing recipe, this is one you can pull out of your back pocket.
Be sure to check out my new cookbook, The Weekend Wild Game Cookbook: Easy, Everyday Meals for Hunters and Their Families available on Amazon.
Blackened Flounder Recipe Ingredients
- 3-4 Flounder Fillets (about 1 pound) or other white fish
- 6 Tablespoons Butter, Divided
- 1 Teaspoon Minced Garlic
- 1 Lemon, (Half of it Sliced for Garnish, Half Juiced)
- Chopped Fresh Parsley (Optional, for Garnish)
Blackened Seasoning Mix
- 1 Teaspoon Paprika
- 1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1 Teaspoon Onion Powder
- 1 Teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
- 1/2 Teaspoon Dried Oregano
- 1/2 Teaspoon Dried Thyme
- 1/4 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
Blackened Flounder Recipe Instructions
1. Combine the paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, Old Bay, oregano, thyme and cayenne pepper and mix.
2. Lay the flounder filets flat, dry them using a paper towel then sprinkle seasonings on the first side. Lightly pat the seasoning into the filet. Flip the filets and repeat the same process. The filets can sit in the refrigerator for up to an hour seasoned.
3. Heat a large cast iron skillet over high heat for 2-3 minutes, then reduce to medium high and add 4 tablespoons of butter. Once the butter is melted and just beginning to brown, place the fish flat in the skillet. Cook the fish in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding the skillet. Remove the filets from the skillet.
4. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter to the same pan and allow it to melt. Once the butter has melted add the garlic. Cook for 1 minute until the garlic turns crispy golden and then add in lemon slices. Cook for 1 minute then flip.
5. Return the fillets to the skillet with the lemon slices. Let it simmer in butter sauce for 1-2 minutes or until it reaches the desired doneness, or about 145?F. Cooking time will vary depending on the size and thickness of your fish filets.
6. Squeeze the juice from the reaming lemon half onto the flounder and serve while it is still warm garnished with fresh parsley.
