Grouper and Huachinango are different fish, but they're close enough in the kitchen to stand in for one another.
Serranidae
Grouper
Grouper is one of the most prized fish in Florida, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Caribbean. Multiple species — red grouper, black grouper, and gag grouper — appear under the same market name. All share firm, white, mildly sweet flesh that holds up well to grilling, frying, and baking. The grouper sandwich is an iconic Florida coastal staple. In Mexico it is called mero and is fundamental to Yucatecan cuisine — mero frito and mero a la plancha are found on coastal menus from Veracruz to Quintana Roo. In Portugal and Brazil it is garoupa; in France, mérou.
Full guide →Lutjanidae
Huachinango
Red snapper is a prized firm-fleshed fish from the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean, with distinctive red skin and sweet, nutty white flesh. In Mexico it is called huachinango and is one of the most iconic fish in the cuisine — most famously prepared a la veracruzana with tomatoes, olives, and chiles. It is also popular grilled whole, deep-fried, and in ceviches across Latin America.
Full guide →Both are firm, white, mild-flavored fish from the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean — grouper is meatier and thicker-fleshed, red snapper is sweeter with more character.
| Country | Grouper | Huachinango |
|---|
| 🇺🇸United States | Grouper | Red snapper |
| 🇬🇧United Kingdom | Grouper | Red snapper |
| 🇫🇷France | Mérou | Vivaneau rouge |
| 🇪🇸Spain | Mero | Pargo rojo |
| 🇦🇷Argentina | Mero | Pargo colorado |
| 🇲🇽Mexico | Mero | Huachinango |
| 🇵🇹Portugal | Garoupa | Pargo |
| 🇧🇷Brazil | Garoupa | Vermelho |
| 🇮🇹Italy | Cernia | Lutiano rosso |
| 🇩🇪Germany | Zackenbarsch | Roter Schnapper |
Browse every species in the atlas on the fish index, or identify one from a photo with Identify my cut.