How to Cook Walleye with Lemon Caper Sauce
Learn how to cook walleye with a lemon caper sauce with this incredibly easy recipe that comes together in just 20 minutes making it a perfect dinner when you are short on time.NORTH DAKOTA WALLEYENorth Dakota walleye fishing is some of the best fishing you'll find anywhere in the country. And so far this year, it’s been a remarkable season with tons of opportunity existing in the prairie wetlands located in the central and southeast part of the state. Walleye isn't just a favorite fish to catch here in North Dakota, but the most popular and best-loved for cooking and eating. One of my biggest goals as a recipe developer is to share easy-to-make meals using wild game and fish you can find in North Dakota. This pan seared walleye recipe with lemon caper sauce is both good for you, and one that your family will love. HOW TO COOK WALLEYEThis fresh caught North Dakota walleye is anointed with a pan sauce of butter, garlic, lemon juice, capers, and chives and explodes with its amazing aroma and flavor.For restaurant-quality fish, we want to salt the fillets before cooking them. Why? First, the salt seasons the flesh of the fish. Second, the salt dissolves some of the proteins in the fish and forms a type of gel that can hold on to more moisture so the portions near the outside don't overcook in the pan. The secret is starting the fish in a hot pan, then quickly dropping the heat to maintain an even, steady sear. 1. Pat the walleye fillets dry with paper towels. Combine the salt and sugar in a small bowl and use half of it to sprinkle both sides of the walleye fillets. Let them come to room temperature for 15 minutes.2. Once again, pat fish fillets dry with paper towels. Now use the other half of the salt and sugar mixture to sprinkle both sides of the walleye again. To make the pan seared walleye, heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over high heat until just smoking. Place walleye fillets in the skillet. Immediately reduce heat to medium-low and, using fish spatula, firmly press fillets for 1 minute to ensure even contact between the fish and the skillet. 3. Continue to cook until fish flesh is opaque, about another 2 minutes. Turn the fillets and cook on the other side for 1 minute, basting with the oil in the pan, until just cooked through. Transfer fish to platter.4. Add 4 Tablespoons of butter to the pan with the garlic and cook over medium heat for about 1 minute. Stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice, capers, and chives and remove from the heat.5. Pour the warm sauce over the fish and serve immediately.WHY YOU SHOULD SPRINKLE SUGAR ON FISHUsing sugar in this walleye recipe will not make it taste like candy. Instead, it delivers a fleeting moment of sweetness followed by a rush of amazing fish flavor. The coating is actually a combination of salt and sugar. When cooked, the sugar caramelizes and produces a slightly charred crust and the salt does its job seasoning by seasoning the fish.Salt pulls moisture from the fish, which dissolves the sugar. So apply the rub in two steps: First before a 20-minute rest at room temperature, and again right before the steak hits the pan. The moisture that is drawn out during that rest will help the second coat adhere beautifully to the fish.MORE FISH RECIPESFish is one of my wife's favorite dishes for me to prepare for her when she comes home from work to join me for lunch. If you’re looking for another delicious fish recipe from Wild Game & Fish, check out some of our favorites below:– Smoked Fish Dip– Mediterranean Fish Salad– Coconut Crusted Fish– Lahori Fish– Lemon Butter Baked Fish– Fish Pozole– Pickled Northern Pike– Pan Seared Northern Pike and Radish Greens SaladCOME AND CATCH SOME NORTH DAKOTA WALLEYEIf you would like to visit North Dakota and catch walleye so you can make this walleye recipe, check out details at the North Dakota Game & Fish Department website.CONNECT WITH ME AND JOIN OUR WILD GAME COOKING COMMUNITYSign up here to receive a new recipe in your email inbox every Tuesday morning!If you make this How to Cook Walleye with Lemon Caper Sauce Recipe, I’d love for you to join our community and connect with me so we can all see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! When you post a pic of your finished dish on Instagram, be sure and use the hashtag #wildgameandfish and then tag me @wildgameandfish so I can share it on my Instagram stories. If you have another great smoked fish recipe you'd love to share, I'd love to hear about it. You can email me at: jeffinfargo@gmail.comDid you enjoy this Walleye Recipe? Be sure to leave a 5-star rating RIGHT HERE!
Ingredients
- 4 (4- to 6-ounce) boneless, skinless walleye or other white-fleshed fish fillets
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3/4 teaspoon sugar
- 1 Tablespoon canola or vegetable oil
- 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 Tablespoons jarred capers
- 2 Tablespoons fresh chives, chopped
- 1 Tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- zest from 1 lemon
Instructions
- Catch a walleye.
- Gather your ingredients.
- Pat the walleye fillets dry with paper towels. Combine the salt and sugar in a small bowl and use half of it to sprinkle both sides of the walleye fillets. Let them come to room temperature for 15 minutes.
- Once again, pat fish fillets dry with paper towels. Now use the other half of the salt and sugar mixture to sprinkle both sides of the walleye again.
- Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over high heat until just smoking. Place walleye fillets in the skillet. Immediately reduce heat to medium-low and, using fish spatula, firmly press fillets for 1 minute to ensure even contact between the fish and the skillet.
- Continue to cook until fish flesh is opaque, about another 2 minutes. Turn the fillets and cook on the other side for 1 minute, basting with the oil in the pan, until just cooked through. Transfer cooked fish to platter.
- Add 4 Tablespoons of butter to the same pan with the garlic and cook over medium heat for about 1 minute. Stir in the capers, chives, lemon zest, and lemon juice and remove from the heat.
- Pour the warm lemon caper sauce over the walleye and serve immediately.
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7 Responses
This was delicious and a great use of the walleye my husband just caught this past weekend. He was very happy I made this for him. Thank you!
So glad you and your husband liked it as much as we did.
Loved this recipe!!
Thanks Anna. So glad you loved it as much as we did.
Your Coconut Crusted Fish is our favorite fish recipe on the website, but this one is a close second. My wife and I loved it.
Dave – So glad you like this walleye recipe, as well as the coconut crusted fish. Keep coming back to the website. I’ve got lots more fish recipes coming!