Grilled Mahi Mahi - For the Carnivore Diet
This is a simple, animal-only way to grill mahi mahi so it stays moist with a crisped skin. A brief dry brine firms the flesh and seasons from within. Basting with tallow or ghee protects the lean fish from drying out, and a final knob of butter adds richness. If you want a brinier finish without plants, mash a little salt-cured anchovy into the butter.
Choose skin-on fillets if possible; the skin shields the flesh from direct heat and crisps nicely. Aim for a medium-high grill so you get good color without overcooking. Pull the fish when it hits 130–135°F in the center and rest briefly so the juices settle.
If you can’t grill outdoors, a ripping-hot cast-iron skillet or grill pan works well. Oil the surface with tallow, sear skin-side down until crisp, flip, baste, and finish to temp. To keep this strictly carnivore, use salt-cured anchovies rather than oil-packed, or skip them and use plain butter or more tallow.
Ingredients
- 2 mahi mahi fillets (6–8 oz each), skin-on preferred
- Fine salt, about 3/4 tsp total
- 2 tbsp beef tallow or ghee, plus a little extra for oiling the grill
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter, for finishing
- Optional: 2 salt-cured anchovy fillets, rinsed and minced (to mash into the finishing butter)
Instructions
- Dry-brine: Pat the fillets dry and season both sides evenly with the salt. Set on a rack and refrigerate uncovered for 20 minutes.
- Preheat the grill to medium-high (about 450–500°F). Clean the grates and oil them lightly with tallow.
- Prep the fish: Pat the fillets dry again. Lightly coat with melted tallow or ghee. If skin-on, make a few shallow slashes in the skin to prevent curling.
- Grill skin-side down for 3–4 minutes until the skin is crisp and the flesh turns opaque about halfway up. Baste the top with a little tallow.
- Flip carefully and grill 2–3 minutes more, basting once, until the thickest part reaches 130–135°F.
- Finish: Remove to a warm plate and top each fillet with 1 tbsp butter. For an anchovy finish, mash the minced salt-cured anchovy into the butter first. Rest 2–3 minutes and serve.