Are Snook Good to Eat?

Snook are a fish species that are exciting to catch, but many anglers ask the same question: “Are snook good to eat?”

The answer is a resounding “yes!”

In this article, we’ll explore these unique fish in more detail and discuss the different ways you can prepare, cook and eat snook.

What are Snook?

Snook are a species of fish that belong to the family Centropomidae. In addition to their beautiful silver coloring, they are known to be very fun to catch since these fish are built for speed and power and a big snook is capable of putting up a serious fight.

They are mostly found along the coast of North and South America along the Atlantic and Pacific shores in warm, temperate regions. Snook are very prominent in Florida waters and it’s not hard to find a fishing guide in and around the south Florida coastal waters who take people snook fishing many days out of the year.

You can catch them around bridges, grassy flats and oyster beds by fishing with bucktail jigs, or live bait such as shrimp and other common natural baits you might use for catching any other type of game fish in these areas.

Can You Eat Snook?

Yes! Snook are one of the more sought-after species that anglers like to eat after they catch. You can cook snook using a variety of different methods that might include using a cast iron skillet or grilled fillets which allow the seasoning and other flavor to cook into the meat sufficiently.

Is It Safe to Eat Snook?

Snook are safe to eat as long as you take the proper precautions that you should always adhere to when catching and consuming most marine fish you find in fish markets or grocery stores. They don’t have a very high mercury level and you can eat them quite often if you choose to.

You can also eat snook raw if you want but it’s well-known that these fish have an excellent flavor when fully cooked.

What Does Snook Taste Like?

Snook fishing is mostly popular because of the outstanding taste that these fish have when compared to most seafood. They are often described as having a flavor that’s similar to mahi mahi or grouper. They are a white meat and they are usually compared to swordfish and trout.

These fish obviously will have a much more desirable taste when eaten fresh after they have been caught instead of freezing them or storing them in a refrigerated space for a period of time.

The common snook has a very clean diet of mostly smaller fish and crustaceans, which are the reason why they are such a good fish to eat. The meat has a medium firmness compared to most other species and it’s often customary for anglers to remove the skin before cooking.

If the skin is not removed before cooking, the snook might have what’s described as an unpleasant soapy taste. In fact, many times the snook is often referred to as a soap fish due to this distinct soapy taste.

Can You Snook It Raw?

It’s possible to eat snook raw in small portions, although it is usually considered to be less desirable than other raw game fish species. Some anglers like to create sushi using raw snook, but it’s generally accepted that their meat tastes much better when the fillets are cooked without the skin.

Can You Freeze Snook?

Snook is a species of fish that are best eaten fresh, but you can freeze them if you need to. If you must freeze them, be sure to remove the skin first and also add seasoning and marinate as desired before storing them in the freezer.

Best Snook Recipes

There are numerous ways you can cook and prepare a snook, but some of the best recipes usually involve fried snook with citrus fruits. Many people prefer baking snook, which involves adding a bit of olive oil to a small dish and placing the meat inside before adding salt and pepper as desired.

This site offers 5 excellent recipes for preparing snook with each one being easy enough for the average angler to follow.

Here’s a video on how to cook snook to perfection using a very simple method.

Snook FAQs