Lemon Butter Amberjack Fish

Name: Pan Seared Lemon Butter Amberjack
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Coastal
Ingredients: 6 fillets amberjack or other white fish (~2 1/2 lb); 1 1/2 Tbsp unsalted butter; 1 lemon, wedged into 6 pieces; 12 thyme sprigs; salt; black pepper

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This pan seared lemon butter amberjack is a straightforward coastal dish featuring fresh white fish fillets crisped in butter with bright lemon and thyme, ready in under 20 minutes.

🌍Coastal 🥗Keto 🥗Gluten-Free 🥗Pescatarian 🏷️Gluten free Low carb

🏷️

🏷️Seafood

🏷️Amberjack

Total

15 min

Servings

6

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe Source

View original recipe

From Eatsimplefood · by beckie

Ingredients

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6 Ingredients

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Instructions

1
Lightly salt and pepper amber jack fish fillets. Bring a large non-stick pan to medium high heat.
2
Add butter (add enough to coat the bottom of the pan). Add a touch of olive oil if the pan is too hot and the butter is smoking.
3
When hot lay fish down (skin side first if it still has skin). Squeeze a wedge of lemon over each piece and toss in six thyme sprigs (reserve the other 6 for garnish).
4
Cook ~ 3-4 minutes uncovered and undisturbed. Flip when the fish has a nice brown buttery color.
5
Add more butter if necessary. Cook an additional 3-4 minutes or until fish is flaky. Lower the heat if your pan is smoking too much. You don't need to flip again.
6
Add salt to taste and garnish with six fresh thyme sprigs.
7
Serve with a nice veggie. The veggies in this picture are steamed local rattlesnake green beans and halved cherry tomatoes tossed with mint pesto. Happy Eating! Beckie

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Tips & Notes

Pro tips

Pat fillets completely dry with paper towels before searing—moisture prevents browning and crisping.
Use medium-high heat and don't move the fillets once they hit the pan; let them sit 3–4 minutes skin-side down for maximum crust.
Add butter and lemon in the final 1–2 minutes to prevent burning; spoon the foaming butter over fillets for even cooking and flavor.
Amberjack fillets cook quickly; watch for the flesh to turn opaque from the bottom up—overcooking dries it out.

Substitutions

Amberjack → Cod, halibut, mahi-mahi, or grouper (adjust thickness and cooking time accordingly)
Unsalted butter → Olive oil or ghee (changes flavor profile slightly; use same amount)
Fresh thyme → Rosemary, oregano, or tarragon (1–2 sprigs per fillet to avoid overpowering)

Storage & make-ahead

Store leftover cooked fish in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 2 days; reheat gently in a low oven (300°F) with a splash of water to restore moisture.