Name: Bocachicos rellenos asados al carbón — Mompox charcoal-grilled stuffed fish
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 1 h 20 min
Cuisine: Colombian
Ingredients: 4 whole bocachicos, about 450 g each, gutted and cleaned by the fish seller with scales intact; 6 g fine salt; 2 g ground achiote; 10 g black pepper, divided; 30 ml lime juice, divided; 225 g ripe tomatoes, finely chopped; 225 g red onion, finely chopped; 225 g scallion, finely chopped; 110 g garlic, finely chopped; 30 g mild ají criollo, seeded and finely chopped; 60 ml neutral oil; 4 large plantain leaves, enough to wrap each fish; 2 m cotton cooking twine; Charcoal for a moderate ember bed

Several leaf-wrapped bocachicos beside charcoal, with one opened fish showing its vegetable stuffing.

Region Santa Cruz de Mompox, Bolívar, Colombian Caribbean

Category Whole stuffed freshwater fish grilled in plantain leaf

Yield 4 main-course servings

Preparation time About 35 minutes

Active time About 50 minutes

Ingredients ↓

Overview

Bocachicos rellenos asados al carbón — Mompox charcoal-grilled stuffed fish

Whole bocachicos filled with tomato, onion and garlic, wrapped in plantain leaf and grilled over embers

In Santa Cruz de Mompox, Bolívar, bocachicos rellenos asados al carbón are whole freshwater fish filled with vegetables, wrapped individually in plantain leaves and grilled over charcoal. The Mompox-style filling combines tomato, red onion, scallion and garlic, with mild ají criollo for a gentle pepper note.

The leaf wrapping is part of the cooking method, not just presentation. It protects the delicate flesh over the coals and keeps the vegetable filling with the fish. Turn the wrapped fish often so it cooks evenly. Keep the Mompox filling and leaf-wrapped method distinct from other Colombian bocachico preparations.

Bocachico has many fine bones, so this dish is not boneless. Ask a trusted fish seller to gut and clean each fish while retaining the scales. Do not ask them to score the flesh or cut through the backbone. This measured household version uses four fish of about 450 g each and 60 ml oil. Grill time is a guide; check each fish with a thermometer and keep diners alert to the bones.

Ingredients

Fish and seasoning

4 whole bocachicos, about 450 g each, gutted and cleaned by the fish seller with scales intact
6 g fine salt
2 g ground achiote
10 g black pepper, divided
30 ml lime juice, divided

Vegetable filling

225 g ripe tomatoes, finely chopped
225 g red onion, finely chopped
225 g scallion, finely chopped
110 g garlic, finely chopped
30 g mild ají criollo, seeded and finely chopped
60 ml neutral oil

Wrapping and grilling

4 large plantain leaves, enough to wrap each fish
2 m cotton cooking twine
Charcoal for a moderate ember bed

Method

Buy and chill the fish Choose 4 fresh bocachicos weighing about 450 g each. Ask the fish seller to gut and clean them while leaving the scales intact; do not have them scored or cut through the backbone. Keep the fish at 4°C or colder until you are ready to season. Do not rinse raw fish. Pat it dry with disposable paper towels and discard them, then wash your hands and clean the work surface.
Season the fish Mix 6 g salt, 2 g achiote, 1 g of the black pepper and 15 ml lime juice. Rub a little of this seasoning inside each cavity and over the fish. Place the fish in the refrigerator for 15 minutes while you prepare the filling. Keep the raw fish separate from ready-to-eat foods.
Make the filling Finely chop 225 g tomatoes, 225 g red onion, 225 g scallion, 110 g garlic and 30 g mild ají criollo. Combine the vegetables with 60 ml neutral oil, the remaining 9 g black pepper and 15 ml lime juice. Divide the uncooked filling among the four fish cavities. Fill them evenly without packing the mixture tightly, which can split the fish or make it harder to heat through.
Wrap each fish Briefly warm 4 plantain leaves over a low flame or warm surface until they bend without cracking. Place one stuffed fish on each leaf, fold the leaf around it and secure the packet with cooking twine. Close the ends so the filling stays inside. If a leaf tears, use a second piece to reinforce that packet.
Prepare the charcoal grill Light the charcoal and wait until the coals are glowing and covered with a light ash. Arrange a moderate ember bed with a cooler zone at one side; avoid flames licking the plantain leaves. Clean and lightly oil the grate. Place the packets over the embers and grill for about 25–35 minutes, turning each one every 5–7 minutes. The leaf may char, but the packet should not burn through. Move it to the cooler zone if flames flare.
Check doneness in every fish Use a food thermometer on each fish, inserting the probe through the leaf into the thickest part of the flesh without touching the backbone. The center must reach at least 63°C. The flesh should be opaque and separate easily, but that visual cue does not replace the temperature check. If any fish is below 63°C, return it to the grill and check again. Size and ember heat change the timing.
Rest, serve and store Rest the packets for 5 minutes, then open them carefully to avoid steam. Serve the fish with yuca, ripe plantain or rice if desired. Tell diners that bocachico contains many fine bones; the recipe does not remove them. Refrigerate leftovers in shallow containers within 2 hours and use within 3–4 days. Reheat to 74°C throughout.

Practical guidance

Practical

Nutrition per serving

These rounded estimates use the measured ingredients and an estimated edible yield from four whole fish. Calories, protein and fat vary with fish size, bones and the amount of oil retained in the filling; sodium also depends on the fish and salt applied. The values are approximate, not laboratory analysis.

Practical guidance

Keep the scales and avoid scoring. The scales help protect the delicate flesh over the coals, and leaving the fish uncut helps it hold together as you turn it. Ask the seller to clean the cavity while leaving the outside intact. Control the embers. Plantain leaves protect the filling but can scorch if flames flare. Wait until the charcoal has settled to glowing embers and turn the packets regularly. If a packet begins to char through before the fish is cooked, move it to the cooler side and continue until its center reaches 63°C. Serve with care around bones. Bocachico has abundant fine bones. Do not describe it as boneless or promise that leaf-wrapping removes the bones. Encourage diners to eat slowly and check each bite, especially children and anyone who may have difficulty noticing small bones. Allergens and food safety. This recipe contains fish. Prevent cross-contact for anyone with a fish allergy. Keep raw fish refrigerated at 4°C or colder, separate it from ready-to-eat foods and do not rinse it. Cook each fish to 63°C at its thickest point. Chill leftovers within 2 hours and reheat to 74°C.

Final notes

Remember 1: Keep the scales intact, wrap each fish in a plantain leaf and turn it often over moderate embers. Remember 2: Check every fish to 63°C and make sure diners know bocachico contains fine bones.

Nutrition per serving

Serving basis: One whole fish with one quarter of the vegetable filling and oil
Calories: About 460 kcal
Carbohydrate: About 20 g
Protein: About 46 g
Fat: About 18 g
Fibre: About 4 g
Sodium: About 750 mg

Bocachicos rellenos asados al carbón — Mompox charcoal-grilled stuffed fish

Ingredients

Fish and seasoning

Vegetable filling

Wrapping and grilling

Method

Practical

Nutrition per serving

Practical guidance

Final notes

Nutrition per serving

Colombian National Dishes

Pebre de gallina — Mompox-style hen stew

Viuda de bagre salao — Mompox Salted Catfish with Yuca and Plantain

Gallina ahumada con leche de coco — Bolívar Smoked Hen in Coconut Milk