Yellow Jack

Smoked Yellow Jack Backbone

Name: Smoked Yellow Jack Backbone
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: Yellow Jack Frame; Kinder's "The Blend" Seasoning; Avocado Oil (or any kind of neutral oil.)

Zachery Dyke

January 19, 2025

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Spearos Kitchen is an ocean to table education platform focused on helping the recreational spearfishing and fishing communities responsibly utilize their catch through recipes, species guides, fillet tutorials, and educational content.

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What is a Yellow Jack Backbone?

A yellow jack backbone is the skeletal frame that remains after the fillets have been removed, consisting of the spine, rib bones, and any meat left attached to the carcass. While many people discard it, the backbone often holds a surprising amount of flavorful meat between the bones, making it an excellent ingredient for reducing waste and getting the most from your catch. This smoked yellow jack frame recipe is a simple and delicious way to use this underutilized part.

Yellow jack backbones can be grilled, smoked, roasted, or simmered to make rich seafood stock and fish broth. The remaining meat can be picked from the bones for fish cakes, soups, tacos, or fried rice, while the bones themselves add depth of flavor to homemade stocks. Using the backbone is a great way to maximize your harvest and embrace a nose-to-tail approach to preparing fresh seafood.

Why Save Those Yellow Jack Frames?

One of the most overlooked parts of the fish is often the backbone! I’ve been guilty of wasting these pieces on several occasions, especially on smaller fish. Often overwhelmed by the amount of meat that came off the fish, I would just throw this part back into the canal at the fillet table. It wasn’t until I realized how moist and juicy the meat was, since it’s all connected to bone, that I really started utilizing this part of the fish. This method works best for those bigger fish, this one came in just under 20lbs, my biggest YJ to date.

How I Got This Yellow Jack

I was out diving off Long Key after work in about 55ft when I saw this guy cruise in solo. The water was crystal clear, so I could see him from the surface. I made a dive and went down to try and put a head shot on him and when I shot the spear just bounced right off his head! I was able to reload my Rob Allen roller pretty quick. Somehow, he stuck around for me to go back down and get another shot.

I decided to go for a shot I knew would penetrate the second time around, so I aimed right behind the gill plate for a holding shot. He took off like a maniac and after dragging me around for a little bit, I finally secured him. Once I got my hands on him I knew he was my biggest by far! I’ve shot a few over 10lbs, but nothing close to this!

Once I got back to the dock, I let the fish chill in the cooler overnight (as I usually do). I wanted it to be as cold as possible when I went to fillet it, especially because of how hot it was in the Keys. Even though I pride myself on getting almost all the meat off the bones when I break down my fish, there’s really no way to get all the meat between the bones of the backbone.

Normally with fish backbones, I make a broth for ramen or pho, but because of the size of this one, and the amount of meat on it, I decided to smoke it. If you happen to have a big enough pot for the backbone, it will still make an incredible broth!

smoked yellow jack frame — Smoked Yellow Jack Frame

Smoked Yellow Jack Recipe

I’ve included other methods in this smoked yellow jack recipe, for those of you that don’t have a smoker. Keep in mind, the cook time will vary based on the size of your fish. If you have a 40lb black grouper frame it’s going to take a lot longer than a 10lb mutton snapper frame, so keep that in mind. Also, because so much of the meat is exposed, I’d recommend eating this part of the fish a day or two after you shot it.

While you’re cooking it, you’ll probably have to check it a few time to make sure it flakes off the bone and isn’t raw. The first time I did this was with a 32lb African pompano that I shared with a group of people, it took about 45 minutes to smoke at 275 F.

Once it was done I just stuck it on a platter and put it out on the table. Everybody just scraped some meat off the bones and put it on their plate. There were a lot of reactions from people saying how cool it was to use that part of the fish. I was also able to share the story of how I got this yellow jack with everyone! They also said it tasted great!

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, this recipe works well with many other firm, mild-flavored fish, including snapper, grouper, amberjack, mahi-mahi, cobia, and blackfin tuna. You may need to adjust the cooking time depending on the thickness of the fillets, but the same techniques and flavors will produce excellent results across a variety of species.

Yes, fish does take on a smoky flavor during smoking, especially when cooked low and slow over hardwoods like hickory, oak, apple, or cherry. The amount of smokiness depends on the type of wood, smoking time, and the thickness of the fillets, but even a short smoking session can add a rich, savory flavor that complements the fish’s natural sweetness.

Yes, the leftovers from this smoked yellow jack recipe would be great for fish dip, a fish sandwich, or anything else you can think of! Because the consistency of the fish is like pulled pork, tossing the meat in a BBQ-like sauce and putting on a bun is really good!

Yes, this smoked yellow jack recipe can actually be made with multiple small fish at the same time instead of just one large one if you wish!

Other Yellow Jack Recipes You Might Like

We have a full database of recipes that would be suitable for preparing this fish, we also have a few species-specific yellow jack recipes. Every part of the fish is delicious, be sure to check out our recipes for all of the different parts!

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