Bonnethead Shark With Pineapple Salsa
February 06, 2025
By Maggie Rosaine
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Sharks are usually an incidental catch, but I know some people that try to target them. Not all sharks are created equal. The better eating ones tend to be mako, thresher and porbeagle, however mako is no longer legal in federal or state waters. Some sharks reputedly give off an odor of ammonia. To remove that odor, I recommend soaking the fillet in milk. Cook as you would swordfish, a popular table fish that yields steaks of similar consistency.
Check www.MyFWC.com or the Fish Rules app for shark regulations in Florida. Bonnethead, blacktip and sharpnose are three common coastal sharks with decent edibility and no minimum size. Other commonly caught sharks legal to take include bull, nurse and spinner with certain restrictions.
I spoke to Omar Collazo, head chef at Omni Amelia Island Resort where they offer a fish to fork service for guest charters. He likes bonnethead shark meat (a small shark in the hammerhead family), calling them the “pork of the sea.”
His tip is to soak them in milk for two hours and then change the milk out for fresh which seems to take care of any residual odors. This recipe follows Collazo’s recommendations.
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Bonnethead Shark with Pineapple Salsa Ingredients: 4 bonnethead shark steaks (½ to ¾ inch thick) 2 cups broccoli slaw Shark Prep: Soak in milk for 2 hours, then drain and place in fresh milk for another hour. Drain and pat dry. Set aside. Marinade Ingredients: ½ cup unsweetened pineapple juice ¼ cup low sodium soy sauce 2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice 1 Tbsp. ginger paste 2 Tbsp. brown sugar 1 clove crush garlic (optional) ½ tsp. cumin ½ tsp. fresh hot pepper deseeded Marinade Prep: Place all marinade ingredients in a processor and pulse until well blended. Place shark steaks in a non-reactive container and pour marinade over. Refrigerate 2 to 4 hours, turning occasionally. Grilled Pineapple Salsa Ingredients: 3 slices of fresh pineapple peeled and cored ½ cup red onion chopped ¼ tsp. sea salt ¼ tsp. ginger paste 1 Tbsp. brown sugar 2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice ½ cup chopped fresh basil Final Prep: Place slices of pineapple over an oiled grill just long enough to get grill marks on each side, this develops a stronger flavor in the fruit. Cool and chop, then add all other salsa ingredients, mix well and refrigerate. Remove from refrigerator 10 minutes prior to serving./li> Remove steaks from marinade. Place marinade in a pot on medium heat. Simmer to reduce by about 25 percent. Place steaks on an oiled grill, turning once. I like mine medium which is when the thermometer registers an internal temperature of 130 F. If you prefer well done, cook until 140 F to 145 F. Meanwhile, immerse broccoli slaw in the hot marinade for about 5 minutes. Serve the steaks on top of slaw, spoon pineapple salsa on top and enjoy!
