My hubby went offshore diving with some friends yesterday and brought home fresh blackfish! All the guys get their spear guns and shoot at {legal} fish underwater. It makes him happy, I get some me time, and the freshest seafood anyone could ask for. It’s a win-win situation!
Since I never know what he’s going to bring home, as long as I have some butter and fresh herbs on hand, I’m “in the clear”. This recipe is so simple and it doesn’t overpower the fresh taste of the fish.
Tautog are also called blackfish, and are bottom feeders mostly found around rocks and wrecks.
Here are some of the pretty filets before I added the butter herb mixture. Tautog are a white flaky fish that have a sweetness to them. I’ve read that they are sometimes referred to as “the poor man’s lobster”, but I beg to differ. Tautog is a very good fish, but doesn’t remind me of lobster.
This recipe is so super simple. Place the fish filets in a baking dish sprayed with cooking spray. Top with butter that has been melted with fresh herbs, garlic and lemon juice. Add fresh sliced scallions, Old Bay Seasoning and fresh cracked pepper. Bake (uncovered) about 12 minutes, or until fish is fully cooked and flaky.
I love to serve it with Carolina Cole Slaw and baked beans… delicious!
Print
Herb Baked Tautog (Blackfish)
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
For the herb butter:
- 1 stick (½ cup) butter
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
For the fish:
- 4 tautog filets (about 2 pounds) or any white flaky fish
- ¼ cup sliced green onions
- Old Bay Seasoning
- Fresh cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add remaining herb butter ingredients and stir to combine. Reduce heat to low while preparing fish.
- Place filets in a baking dish sprayed with cooking spray.
- Pour herb butter over fish filets. Sprinkle with desired amounts of Old Bay Seasoning and pepper. Top with sliced green onions.
- Bake (uncovered) for 10-15 minutes, or until fish are fully cooked and flaky.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Seafood
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: baked tautog fish, baked blackfish
Incredible simple recipe for such a delicious fish!!! Thank you
★★★★★
Thank you Chris, so glad you enjoyed it!
Delicious recipe. Quick and easy. Will definitely pass along.
★★★★★
Me and my friend Goldy are going to try this recipe tonight. I’ll be cooking it in Williamsburg and he’s making it at his apt near Prospect Park. I wasn’t going to cook it, but after hearing him talk about this recipe I was swayed to make it also. I like cooking and sharing recipes with friends now that I’m grown up.
Thanks so much, Steven… I hope you enjoy it! Cooking and sharing recipes is definitely what I love most as an adult as well! 🙂
Delicious!! Just made this for dinner!!!
Thanks so much, Maura! Glad you enjoyed it.
Hi Lollie! Congrats on your son’s catch! No, I had no idea about the photo without a link back on keyingredient.com… thanks for the heads-up. I’d be honored to be a part of your post about their fishing trip, thank you. I hope you enjoy your seafood meal tonight!
My 8yo son caught a tautog while fishing with his dad & brother today.
I had never heard of tautog or blackfish before, so I started researching recipes as soon as I got a text from my husband.
I came across your recipe, which I’m going to use tonight, but while doing a little more surfing around I came across your recipe on KeyIngredient.com – http://www.keyingredient.com/recipes/254519981/tautog-blackfish-baked-in-herbed-butter. It was posted by a Jim M, and it uses one of your photos from this post. As a fellow blogger, I thought I’d let you know in case this use of your content & photography is unauthorized.
P.S. I am going to write about post about their annual fishing trip and our tautog supper. Would you mind if I included your recipe, and possibly one of your photos – with appropriate credit to you and linking to your site, of course.