Cast Iron Seared Halibut 

This post may contain affiliate links. See my full disclosure HERE.

Jump to Recipe

pan seared halibut recipe

This cast iron seared halibut was our favorite meal of the entire summer. Cooked over a beach fire during sunset it doesn’t really get better than that. Whether you’re looking for a perfect summer seared halibut recipe or an ultimate beach date idea, you’ve found it here.

This recipe features halibut filets, summer vegetables such as fennel, spring onions, yellow summer squash, fresh thyme, and a butter, mead, lime sauce. Instructions below guide you to cook the fish to perfection. Irrefutably, this dish has a 5-star restaurant taste and feel, but you will be surprised how easy and simple it is to pull off this incredibly delicious and impressive pan seared halibut recipe.

No matter which cooking method you desire, if you’re wanting to cook halibut on a grill, in cast iron over the fire or inside on the stove top you will find step-by-step instructions below. Cooking fish is like riding a bike (a bit odd analogy but trust me), once you learn how to cook halibut fillet and nail it, you will forever be able to recreate perfection. For me, cooking fish isn’t an exact science where you can cook it for “X” amount of time and it will always be that timing. It is an intuitive cooking process, using touch, sight and your instincts to achieve the perfect result. The fillets will always vary in size, thickness and dimensions, as well as your heat source plays a role in the cooking process. But at the end of the day it is still simple, lots of butter, a hot pan and a watchful eye.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 lbs halibut 
• 1/2 bulb fennel
• Spring onions 
• Yellow summer squash
• Orange cherry tomatoes 
• Fresh thyme
• 1/4 cup dry honey mead (or dry white wine)
• Flaky salt for seasoning and finishing
• 8 tablespoons butter (I used Miyokos dairy-free butter)
• 1 lime juiced

Instructions:

Prepare the vegetables by cutting the spring onions in half, thinly slicing the fennel, and cutting the summer squash and cherry tomatoes.  Drizzle olive oil over the cut half of the spring onions and place them on the grill grate or in your pan to achieve a nice sear or grill marks. Sauté the rest of the vegetables in the cast iron skillet with a drizzle of olive oil or butter. Place al dente vegetables to the side.

Cooking the fish- heat a heavy bottomed pan, such as a cast iron skillet, on medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add half the butter to the pan. Season the fish with sea salt and place it skin side up to get a sear for a crispy golden-brown top. The cook time on each side will be determined by the thickness and size of the fillet. Cook time is typically 5-7 minutes per side. When the side of the fish looks cooked halfway up the height of the fillet, add the rest of the butter and few sprigs of fresh thyme, and flip the fish with a spatula. Cook for the same amount of time on the skin side. Check for firmness with the back of your spatula. If the fish is squishy, with a lot of give when applying downward pressure, it likely needs more time. It should have a slightly firm feel. During the final few minutes of cooking add the dry mead or dry white wine. Remove the fish from the heat source and add in the cooked vegetables squeeze half a lime over all the ingredients. Remove the hard woody stems from the fresh thyme. Plate the meal, skin side down, spoon the butter sauce over the fish and vegetables, and finish with flaky salt. Garnish with fresh thyme and the raw green ends from your bulb of fennel. 

Outdoor cooking- Build your fire and allow a bed of coals to form, spread the logs out to lower the flames and allow for building your cooking space over it by using large rocks on each side and a level grate on top. Feed thinner, kindling-sized wood for the duration of the cook to keep the temperature regulated. 

If you are using a grill, you can add dampened wood chips to create a more smoky flavor.  When cooking directly on the grate make sure to generously oil the grate and ingredients to avoid sticking.

@mole.in.the.wall

Cast iron seared halibut recipe @ moleinthewall.com #halibut

♬ Chamber Of Reflection – Mac DeMarco

Equipment used:

Big Green Egg Grate

Lodge Cast Iron Skillet

Blue Enamel Camping Dishes

Notes for halibut in cast iron on grill:

An alternative to the dry honey mead that is used in this recipe is any dry white wine that you like.

Halibut seasoning: Sea salt, cracked black pepper if you like and some fresh herbs such as thyme.

Best herbs for halibut: Fresh thyme, tarragon, parsley, chives, dill, lemon thyme, marjoram.

Halibut on the grill: To avoid sticking, make sure your grate or cast iron is hot and oiled sufficiently.

How to cook halibut without drying it out: pan fry halibut in butter(lots of it!) or sauce. Don’t cook on too high of heat so that the center can cook through before the surface over cooks. Use touch and feel to check for firmness.

If you enjoyed this recipe you may also enjoy: hot smoked salmon, hot smoked salmon dip, or crispy salmon rice bowl.

I hope you thoroughly enjoy this cast iron seared halibut recipe and that it fuels your soul!

tags: grilled halibut recipes, halibut on the grill