Pejelagarto Asado al Carbón Tabasqueño

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Charcoal grill with adjustable grate
• •Volcanic stone molcajete or blender
• •Long fish spatula
• •Large clay platter from Jalpa de Mendez or other Tabasco barro

Instructions

1. 1

   Clean the fish

   Rinse the cleaned, split pejelagarto under cold water and pat it very dry. Leave the armored skin on. That skin is not trash, it is the shield that lets the fish roast over charcoal without falling apart. Check the cavity for any dark bloodline and scrape it away with a spoon.

2. 2

   Grind the marinade

   In a molcajete or blender, grind the achiote paste, sour orange juice, garlic, salt, peppercorns, and 6 chile amashito until smooth enough to spread. The marinade should be brick red, sharp from the citrus, and earthy from the achiote. Taste it before it touches the fish. It should be a little too salty because the fish is thick.

3. 3

   Rub and rest

   Rub the marinade all over the flesh side of the pejelagarto, pushing it into the cuts near the backbone. Spread the softened lard over the flesh in a thin layer. La manteca es el sabor, even with fish. Let it rest at room temperature for 25 minutes while you build the fire. Do not leave it sitting all afternoon. Fresh river fish deserves respect.

4. 4

   Prepare the coals

   Build a charcoal fire and let the flames die down until the coals are gray with a steady red center. You want medium heat, not a bonfire. Hold your hand four inches above the grate: four seconds is right. Oil the grate lightly. If the fire is too fierce, the achiote burns before the flesh cooks.

5. 5

   Roast skin side down

   Set the fish skin side down on the grill. Do not move it for 18 to 22 minutes. The armored skin will darken, crackle, and protect the meat underneath. Spoon any remaining marinade over the flesh during the first 10 minutes only. After that, leave it alone so the surface can set.

   If the edges blacken too fast, move the fish to a cooler part of the grill. Charcoal cooking is attention, not guessing.
6. 6

   Finish the flesh

   When the thickest part of the flesh flakes with a fork and turns opaque near the backbone, carefully turn the fish flesh side down for 2 to 3 minutes only. This kisses the achiote against the grate and gives it color. Turn it back skin side down immediately. Cook to 145F at the thickest part if you are using a thermometer.

7. 7

   Make the table salsa

   Crush a few extra chile amashito with a pinch of salt and the juice of 2 limes in the molcajete. Stir in the sliced white onion and chopped cilantro. This salsa is sharp, not complicated. The chile should wake up the fish, not bury it.

8. 8

   Serve whole

   Transfer the pejelagarto to a large clay platter. Scatter the onion from the salsa around it and put lime halves on the side. Serve with warm corn tortillas. Each person pulls meat from the bones and makes a tortilla with fish, amashito, onion, and lime. Así se hace y punto.

Chef Tips

• •Buy pejelagarto from a fish vendor who knows Tabasco river fish. The eyes should be clear, the flesh firm, and the smell clean, like river water, never sour. Pregúntale a las señoras del mercado.
• •Chile amashito is Tabasco's small fresh chile. If you cannot find it, chile piquin or chile chiltepin is the closest direction, but it is a compromise. You will miss that sharp Tabasco bite.
• •Achiote paste varies. Some commercial pastes are mostly coloring and salt. Look for one with annatto seed, garlic, oregano, cumin, clove, and allspice. Better still, buy it from a market vendor who makes it.
• •If pejelagarto is impossible where you live, use a whole firm fish with skin, like red snapper or branzino, and accept that you are making grilled fish with Tabasco seasoning, not true pejelagarto asado.

Advance Preparation

• •The achiote marinade can be ground one day ahead and refrigerated in a covered jar. Stir before using because the annatto settles.
• •The fish should be rubbed no more than 30 minutes before grilling. Longer marinating tightens the flesh and muddies the clean river flavor.
• •The chile amashito salsa is best made at the table, but the onion can be sliced and held in cold water for up to two hours, then drained.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 275g)