Grouper Bites, or Chicharrones de Mero, are a delicious, crispy treat that brings the rich flavors of Puerto Rican cuisine to life. These are bite-sized morsels of fish covered in a seasoned batter similar to Bacalaitos (salt cod fritters).
With a light crunch on the outside and a tender fish center, Grouper Bites are perfect as appetizers or as part of a larger meal. Serve them with arroz amarillo or arroz blanco (yellow or white rice), stewed beans, and an avocado wedge.
Are you planning a gathering? Don't forget to add Empanadillas to your menu. crispy and flaky meat pockets. Instant Pot Pernil: cook your tender and juicy pork roast in the Instant Pot for half the time it would take to cook in the oven. Arroz con gandules, a traditional side dish for every celebration, is the same as Guineos en Escabeche. Pinchos de Cerdo or pork kabobs are also great handhelds.
What are Chicharrones?
Chicharrones is an umbrella term for foods that are crispy fried. For example, pork rinds (chicharrones), chicken nuggets (chicharrones de pollo), and, in this case, grouper nuggets (chicharrones de mero). However, not all crispy fried foods are chicharrones.
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Why you'll love this recipe
- Fun to Eat: Who doesn't like bite-size food?!🤤 Because of their sizes, they can be served as appetizers at a party or as family-friendly dinner option.
- Versatile: These can be made with pork, chicken, or shrimp. Why not? Even Tofu.
- Customizable: Change the herbs and spices to complement any cuisine.
- Delicious: I think the bite-size makes them that much more delicious!
- Easy to prepare: Easy preparation in 30 minutes or less.
Ingredient Notes
- Grouper (Mero) pieces: Frozen grouper already cut into bite-size pieces or whole fillets that can be cut into pieces. Frozen fish come relatively clean, with no skin or bones, but always check the product to ensure there are no bones left in the fish, especially if you are serving these to children.
- Cilantro: Cilantro enhances the tropical Caribbean flavors.
- Garlic and Spices: Garlic will add a bit of pungency, while cumin will give the batter a more floral bouquet.
See my recipe card below for a complete list of the ingredients with measurements.
Variations and Substitutions
- Other meats: You can apply this technique to shrimp, calamari, chicken, or pork. This recipe can be vegan as well, by frying sweet potatoes, broccoli, onion, and Tofu.
- Herbs: If cilantro tastes like soap, try parsley, rosemary, thyme, sage, basil, or marjoram. Make herb combinations for depth in flavor.
- Sofrito: If you do not have fresh herbs, a dollop of sofrito will do the trick!
- Spices: Change up the flavors. Add a dash of Old Bay, use a Cajun blend, or even a curry blend for an Indian twist.
- Beer: Substitute beer for water to give it a fluffier airy crust.
Want to make these Mero Fish Bites lower in carbs or even ketogenic?
If you want to keep it low-carb and use only flour, you can substitute regular flour with almond flour or coconut flour. Almond flour will give a more neutral flavor and a crunchy texture, while coconut flour will result in a slightly denser coating. Both are great low-carb options that will help you achieve a crispy texture without using traditional breadcrumbs.
How to make Grouper Bites
Here are the step-by-step instructions to make these delicious chicharrones. Please visit the recipe card for amounts and measurements.
Tartar sauce can be made ahead of time and chilled before service.
- Step 1: If the fish is frozen, thaw it out and pat it dry—option to add a light sprinkle of salt and maybe pepper.
- Step 2: In a small food processor. Chop garlic, peppercorns, and cilantro.
- Step 3: In a bowl, add flour, salt, cumin, and garlic/cilantro mix.
- Step 4: Add water. This is a light batter, but you can make it as thick as you desire by adding more or less water.
- Make tartar sauce: This sauce can be made ahead of time. Ingredients, top to bottom: mayonnaise, chopped pickles, and capers, chopped cilantro (option to use parsley), Worcestershire sauce, and lemon juice.
- Step 5: Mix all ingredients in a small bowl and chill until service.
- Step 6: Heat the oil. Using the Thermoworks Chefalarm or a probe thermometer, create a heating range of 350℉ (low)-375℉ (high). Or you can use a small fryer to control the temperature of the oil better.
- Step 7: Dip the fish in the batter. Option to lightly coat the fish with flour, but I do not find it necessary.
- Step 8: Deep fry the pieces until golden brown and crispy.
Top Tip: Extra Crunch
If you want your mero bites to have an extra crispy crunch, sprinkle a little bit of cornmeal into your batter. It’ll give the coating more texture and help achieve that perfect crunch.
Expert Tips
- Consistency is Key: When mixing your batter, make sure it’s thick enough to coat the fish but not too thick that it becomes doughy. A smooth, slightly thick batter is ideal for achieving that crispy, golden texture.
- Don’t Overcrowd the Pan: Fry the mero bites in batches. Overcrowding the pan can cause the temperature of the oil to drop, resulting in greasy, soggy bites rather than crispy ones.
- Low and Slow Frying: To get the perfect crispy texture without burning the pork, fry the chicharrón on medium-low heat. This allows the fat to render slowly, ensuring a crunchy, golden exterior while keeping the inside tender and juicy.
- Rest After Frying: Once the chicharrón is crispy, let it rest on a paper towel-lined plate for a minute or two. This helps absorb excess oil, maintaining its crispy texture and preventing it from becoming greasy.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can substitute grouper with another firm, white fish like cod, halibut, tilapia, or catfish. Please ensure the fish is cut into bite-sized chunks and has a similar texture to grouper for the best results.
The best method is frying them in hot oil to get that crispy, golden crust. However, you can also bake them at 400°F for a healthier version.
After frying, let the nuggets rest on a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil. For extra crispiness, use panko breadcrumbs in the coating.
It's best to serve them fresh, but you can prepare and coat the nuggets, par-fry them, and refrigerate them. Then, finish frying them when you're ready to serve.
Par-frying and refrigerating is a good method if you're looking to save time. It helps lock in the crispy texture and ensures the nuggets are fully cooked when you finish frying. Just make sure to let them cool completely before refrigerating to prevent sogginess. When reheating, fry them again at a high temperature to restore their crispiness.
Grouper nuggets pair well with tartar sauce, mayo-ketchup, mojito sauce, or a simple squeeze of lemon or lime for freshness.
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📖 Recipe
Grouper Bites, Chicharrones de Mero
Equipment
- small deep fryer or large sauce pot
- thermometer chef alarm
Ingredients
- 1 lbs grouper
- 1 cup flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 3 leaves culantro 1 teaspoon sofrito
- 2 cloves garlic
- 6 peppercorns
Instructions
- If the fish is frozen, thaw it out and pat it dry—option to add a light sprinkle of salt and maybe pepper.
- In a small food processor. Chop garlic, peppercorns, and cilantro.
- In a bowl, add flour, salt, cumin, and garlic/cilantro mix.
- Add water. This is a light batter, but you can make it as thick as you desire by adding more or less water.
- Make tartar sauce: This sauce can be made ahead of time. Ingredients, top to bottom: mayonnaise, chopped pickles, and capers, chopped cilantro (option to use parsley), Worcestershire sauce, and lemon juice.
- Mix all ingredients in a small bowl and chill until service.
- Heat the oil. Using the Thermoworks Chefalarm or a probe thermometer, create a heating range of 350℉ (low)-375℉ (high). Or you can use a small fryer to control the temperature of the oil better.
- Dip the fish in the batter. Option to lightly coat the fish with flour, but I do not find it necessary.
- Deep fry the pieces until golden brown and crispy.
Notes
Top Tip: Extra Crunch
If you want your mero bites to have an extra crispy crunch, sprinkle a little bit of cornmeal into your batter. It’ll give the coating more texture and help achieve that perfect crunch.- Consistency is Key: When mixing your batter, make sure it’s thick enough to coat the fish but not too thick to become doughy. A smooth, slightly thick batter is ideal for achieving that crispy, golden texture.
- Don’t Overcrowd the Pan: Fry the mero bites in batches. Overcrowding the pan can cause the temperature of the oil to drop, resulting in greasy, soggy bites rather than crispy ones.
- Low and Slow Frying: To get the perfect crispy texture without burning the pork, fry the chicharrón on medium-low heat. This allows the fat to render slowly, ensuring a crunchy, golden exterior while keeping the inside tender and juicy.
- Rest After Frying: Once the chicharrón is crispy, let it rest on a paper towel-lined plate for a minute or two. This helps absorb excess oil, maintaining its crispy texture and preventing it from becoming greasy.
