Cajun Butter Grilled Red Drum on the Half Shell
This Cajun Butter Grilled Red Drum on the Half Shell recipe is bold, buttery, and incredibly easy to make. Perfect for fresh redfish fillets, it’s a coastal favorite ready in under 30 minutes
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 12-15 minutes
- Total Time: ~25 minutes
- Yield: 2-4 servings 1x
Ingredients
Scale
- 1–2 Red Drum Fillets, skin and scales on (“on the half shell”)
- 4 tablespoons Unsalted Butter, Melted
- 1 tablespoons Cajun Seasoning (store bought or homemade )
- 2 Cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice
- 1 tsp hot sauce (optional)
- Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
- Lemon wedges, for serving
Instructions
- Set your grill to medium-high heat (375–400°F). For charcoal or pellet grills, use indirect heat. Optional: add a small chunk of pecan or oak wood for extra flavor.
- In a small bowl, combine the melted butter, Cajun seasoning, garlic, lemon juice, and hot sauce. Mix well and set aside.
- Pat the fillets dry with paper towels. Place skin-side down directly on the grill grates or a fish tray. Generously spoon the Cajun butter over the top of each fillet, reserving about 1/4 of the butter for serving if desired.
- Close the lid and cook for 12–15 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily with a fork. Do not flip the fish—leave it skin-side down the entire time.
- Spoon over any remaining Cajun butter if desired. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve with lemon wedges and your favorite sides.
Notes
Leftovers? If you happen to have extra fillets, the flaked redfish is fantastic the next day in fish tacos, over a salad, or even stirred into a seafood pasta. Just store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days and reheat gently.