Tender, juicy and full of healthy omega 3’s, this Japanese pan fried yellowtail recipe is so simple to make for an easy meal any day of the week.
When making a fish dinner, I know most commonly you hear of salmon, cod, tilapia etc. But my question is how come no one talks about yellowtail?
It’s one of the tastiest fish when cooked—my favorite being pan fried. Learn how I make this easy seared yellowtail dish in under 10 minutes.
What is Japanese Seared Hamachi Yellowtail?
Lightly salted yellowtail filets are seared in a pan then served with a side of ginger ponzu sauce. Goes great with a side salad, pan fried veggies, or cauliflower rice.
What is Japanese yellowtail, as known as hamachi?
Japanese yellowtail has firm white flesh with a mild sweet flavor. It is native to the pacific northwest and one of the most popular fishes in Japan.
Make note that other yellowtails such as Baja Yellowtail, California Yellowtail and Kingfish look very similar, but the meat is much leaner compared to hamachi.
Where can I purchase yellowtail?
Most Asian or Japanese markets will carry yellowtail.
If you don’t have access to an Asian market, you can also get it shipped directly to your door with Catalina Offshore Seafood.
What’s Japanese sake and why do you use it in this Japanese yellowtail recipe?
The use of sake helps neutralize the fishiness that comes with cooking many types of fish. You can also substitute sake with dry sherry or dry white wine such as pinot grigio.
What is Japanese ponzu and yuzu?
Japanese ponzu is a citrusy flavored soy sauce. Yuzu is a very tart juice derived from the yuzu fruit. Both can be found at Japanese markets or online.
Tips for making this Japanese yellowtail recipe?
- Use Japanese yellowtail hamachi, other species of yellowtail will result in a dry lean fish rather than tender and juicy.
- Make sure you ventilate your house because this dish is a smokey one.
- Use only the amount of oil indicated, otherwise you may cause a flame up when adding the Japanese sake.
- Don’t overcook the fish or it can become hard and rubbery.
- Use good quality ponzu such as Mizkan brand.
- Serve with rice of choice or some cauliflower rice for a nice healthy low carb option.
For more Japanese yellowtail recipes, check out the below.
- Broiled Japanese Yellowtail Collar
- Yellowtail Carpaccio in Yuzu Sauce
- Yellowtail Sashimi Carpaccio Tiradito
- Full Collection of Seafood Recipes
Now, let’s get making this Japanese yellowtail recipe!
- Prepping Time 5M
- Cook Time 3M
- Total Time 8M
- Net Carb/Serv ~2g
- Servings 1
Ingredients
- 1/4 lbs Japanese Yellowtail Hamachi Fillet
- 1/8 tsp Salt
- 1/2 inch Ginger
- 2 tbsp Japanese Sake
- 1/2 tsp Neutral Oil (oil with no taste)
- 1 tbsp Ponzu
- 1/2 tsp Yuzu (can sub with lemon juice)
Directions
1) Gather all the ingredients.
2) Pat yellowtail fillets dry with a paper towel, lightly salt both sides and set aside.
3) Slice ginger into matchsticks and combine into a mixing bowl with Japanese sake.
4) In a serving sauce bowl, combine Ponzu and Yuzu.
5) In a frying pan, add neutral oil on high. Once the oil is up to temp, bring the heat down to medium high, add yellowtail fillets, cover and sear for 1 – 1.5 minutes. When searing, don’t move the fish.
6) Once seared, flip the fish and sear the other side for 30 seconds. Next, add ginger mixture from 3) and cover immediately (it will produce A LOT of smoke and may flame up). Cook for an additional 15-20 seconds. Note – you don’t want to overcook fish otherwise it’ll be rubbery and dry.
7) Transfer fish to a serving plate and serve with dipping sauce. Note – you can optional add the cooked ginger into the sauce.
Hope you enjoy this Japanese Seared Hamachi Yellowtail!
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Japanese Seared Hamachi Yellowtail
Ingredients
- 1/4 lbs Japanese Yellowtail Fillet Hamachi
- 1/8 tsp Salt
- 1/2 inch Ginger
- 2 tbsp Japanese Sake
- 1/2 tsp Neutral Oil oil with no taste
- 1 tbsp Pozno
- 1/2 tsp Yuzu can sub with lemon juice
Instructions
- Gather all the ingredients.
- Pat yellowtail fillets dry with a paper towel, lightly salt both sides and set aside.
- Slice ginger into matchsticks and combine into a mixing bowl with Japanese sake.
- In a serving sauce bowl, combine Ponzu and Yuzu.
- In a frying pan, add neutral oil on high. Once the oil is up to temp, bring the heat down to medium high, add yellowtail fillets, cover and sear for 1 - 1.5 minutes. When searing, don't move the fish.
- Once seared, flip the fish and sear the other side for 30 seconds. Next, add ginger mixture from 3) and cover immediately (it will produce A LOT of smoke and may flame up). Cook for an additional 15-20 seconds. Note - don't overcook fish otherwise it'll be rubbery and dry.
- Transfer fish to a serving plate and serve with dipping sauce. Note - you can optional add the cooked ginger into the sauce.
Video
Nutrition
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I have never tasted yellowtail fish because we don’t have it in NC. How can I order yellow tail, hog fish, and trigger fish to try these recipes.
Here are a couple of stores I found online that carries them – https://www.sbfish.com/products/hamachi-japanese-yellowtail or https://www.giovannisfishmarket.com/seafood-online/sushi/hamachi.aspx. I’ve never ordered from them, so can’t comment on the quality or service. Keep in mind though that the yellowtail for this recipe is Japanese yellowtail (aka hamachi), which is different from California Yellowtail, Baja Yellowtail, Kingfish or Yellowtail Snapper.
Wixter Market sell quality fish online.
Hello Jo – thanks for the suggestion! Unfortunately though, it doesn’t seem like they sell hamachi (only AUS yellowtail, aka kingfish).
I purchased from here last time. Excellent!
https://catalinaop.com/product/hamachi-japanese-farmed-sashimi-grade-yellowtail/
Glad you liked their product!
Perfect recipe for hamachi, maguro tuna, and salmon (we received all three as a gift)! So delicious- I wouldn’t change a thing!
So happy to hear you liked this seared yellowtail recipe!