Traeger Smoked Sea Bass

Delicious, smoky and flaky-tender, this Traeger smoked sea bass recipe is a winner. A light and refreshing lemon sauce adds a vibrant, freshness that doesn’t overpower the smoky flavor of the sea bass. And for extra zing, you can add the peel of a Meyer lemon to the sauce.

The Traeger adds a yummy, wood-fired flavor to the sea bass that is unlike any other kind of grill. We use a Traeger for this smoked sea bass recipe, but you can use any other pellet grill that’s similar.

To get a really good dose of that smoky flavor infused into the fish, make sure to choose a thick fillet that will take a bit longer to cook and keep the heat turned down low on the pellet grill.

Sea bass will cook fairly quickly, so these two tips will help ensure the fish cooks perfectly with the maximum amount of wood-fired, smoke flavor!

Why this Smoked Sea Bass Recipe Works

Sea bass is a tender yet firm, flaky fish that you can prepare several different ways. Since it’s not a “fishy” tasting fish, it pairs well with a variety of flavor agents. Baked sea bass on a sheet pan and Miso glazed sea bass are just a couple of delicious recipes we love.

But our smoked sea bass recipe opens up a whole new world of flavor when it comes to preparing this delicate fish!

Smoked sea bass is:

• Cooking the fish over a low heat gives extra time for a smoky flavor to infuse into the delicate white meat.
  
• Using the lemon peel and pith gives the sauce a vibrant, bold flavor that goes well with the smoke-infused bass.
  
• Healthy, delicious, and easy to prepare.
  
• A gluten-free recipe that all eaters can enjoy.
  

Ingredients for Smoked Sea Bass

This Traeger smoked sea bass is so simple to make! It’s served with a tasty, Meyer lemon shallot sauce which compliments the smoky flavor of the fish.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• Meyer lemon
• olive oil
• garlic cloves, minced
• shallot, sliced thin
• dill, chopped
• honey
• toasted sesame oil
• sea bass fillet
• salt and pepper
• Spiceology seafood seasoning, optional

Our Traeger Smoked Sea Bass Recipe

The preparation time is quick and the grill does most of the work for you, which means you can sit back and relax while dinner is in the works!

Here’s a brief summary of the process but be sure to scroll to the bottom of the page to view the printable recipe card with all of the details.

1. Make the Meyer lemon shallot sauce: Slice the skin off the Meyer lemon, leaving about 1/4-inch of the fruit attached to the skin. Dice the skin super fine and place the chopped lemon peel in a small dish.
   
   Squeeze the juice from the remaining lemon and add it to the dish along with olive oil, garlic, shallot, oregano, thyme, honey and sesame oil. Whisk to mix and set it aside.
   
2. Prepare the sea bass: Brush both sides of the sea bass fillet with olive oil and coat the grill grates with a non-stick cooking oil. Season the sea bass with salt, pepper and seafood seasoning if using.
   
3. Cook the sea bass: Place the whole sea bass fillet on the preheated pellet grill, skin side down, and close the lid. Let it cook until the internal temperature reaches 135°F to 140°F at the thickest part of the fillet.
   
4. Serve and enjoy: Remove the fillet from the grill and transfer it to a serving platter. Spoon the sauce on top and enjoy.

Using the lemon peel and the pith in the sauce will create a slightly bitter flavor to the sauce unless you use a Meyer lemon. If you use a regular lemon, we don’t recommend using the white pith.

Some alternatives to the lemon shallot sauce are our lemon garlic butter sauce, tarragon sauce, or our chimichurri sauce.

More Grilling Recipes

• Crispy Skin Grilled Sea Bass
• Sake Marinated Grilled Ribeye Steak
• Cedar Planked Salmon with Thai Sweet Chili Sauce
• Grilled Peaches
• 35 Grill Master Traeger Recipes

Recipe Tips

• Meyer lemons have a thin skin without too much pith. Adding the chopped skin and pith gives the sauce a punchy, vibrant flavor. If you can’t find Meyer lemons, use a regular lemon but only add the yellow lemon zest since too much pith can make the sauce taste bitter.
  
• For this smoked sea bass recipe, we like to use apple or pecan pellets.
  
• Make sure to coat the fish and the grill grates with a generous amount of oil to prevent the fish from sticking to the grill grates.
  
• If you don’t have seafood seasoning, use a liberal amount of salt and black pepper sprinkled on top of the fish.

This Traeger smoked sea bass recipe makes a fantastic main course, whether you’re cooking for the family or for guests. Pair it with roasted asparagus and a side of wild rice to complete a stunner of a meal!

We got inspiration from Bon Appetit for the whole lemon sauce.

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• basting brush
• lemon squeezer

Some Other Recipes We Are Sure You Will Love:

Smoked Salmon Crostini: This elegant and effortless party starter is a delectable combination of goat cheese/cream cheese spread, toasted sourdough bites and thin slices of smoked salmon. It’s so easy to prepare and the tasty crostinis are sure to be a party hit!

Crispy Skin Grilled Chilean Sea Bass: This grilled Chilean sea bass is extra tender and flaky, with beautiful grill marks and a crispy skin! It’s easy to prepare and results in Chilean sea bass cooked to perfection.

Cedar Planked Salmon with Thai Sweet Sauce: A cedar plank gives this salmon a delicious, smoky flavor and it’s extra good served with a Thai sweet chili sauce. Use the grill or bake it in the oven for a healthy and flavorful salmon dinner any night of the week.

Traeger smoked chicken: We smothered this chicken in garlic butter and then slow-cooked it on the smoky pellet grill. The drippings make a fantastic gravy.

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