Red Fish Blue Fish Smoked Mullet Dip

In this new series, we’ll bring you the best recipes from our restaurants, so you can take the flavor home.

The beautiful Gulf of Mexico has supplied the majority of striped mullet in the U.S. since the 1960s. in fact, dockside revenue for the fish topped $13 million in 2013. Not only are mullet valuable to our coastal economy, they are also important to the aquatic food chain, thus measures have been taken to ensure their sustainability.

Lucky for us, we have a ready supply of mullet available at Red Fish Blue Fish, where we serve the fish as a popular appetizer. 

“The smoked mullet dip is one of the best appetizers on the island,” says General Manager Jeremy Agricola. “Served cool, its perfect for a hot summer day and is something you just can’t find anywhere. With its creamy texture and crispy flour chips, it keeps our guest coming back for more.”

While Florida vacationers continue to order snow crab legs and other delicacies that aren’t even caught in Gulf waters, we can offer an authentic made-right-here treat in our Smoked Mullet Dip. It’s a taste of old Florida we’re glad our guests don’t shy away from … a wonderful regional food tradition we’re proud to carry on.

Here’s how you can make it at home:

Red Fish Blue Fish Smoked Mullet Dip

4 lbs. mullet

¼ cup liquid smoke

1 lb. cream cheese

2 TBSP lemon juice

1 TSP granulated garlic

1 TSP black pepper

1 TBSP kosher salt

Allow cream cheese to come to room temperature. Combine with lemon juice and seasonings and mix well.

Bring 2 gallons water to a boil. Add ¼ cup of liquid smoke and the mullet. Allow fish to cook for 10 minutes and turn off.

Drain mullet well, and add to cream cheese mixture while still hot. Stir well, breaking up the mullet.

Cool thoroughly before serving.

– Ashley Kahn Salley

Lead Storyteller, Innisfree Hotels