![By James St. John [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AHaemulon_plumieri_(white_grunt)_(San_Salvador_Island%2C_Bahamas)_2_(15996879649).jpg)
By James St. John [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
Grunt
Alternative Names: White grunt, yellow grunt, common grunt
Monterey Bay Recommendation: No recommendation. Rarely sold in US except in the pet trade for aquariums. Available in the Caribbean and not overfished.
Uses in Cooking: Baked, deep fried, grilled whole.
Similar Fish: Yellowtail snapper, atlantic croaker, black seabass
Description: This generally small fish is best either cooked whole or minced and cooked in fish cakes. It is a mild flavored medium firm meat. It is prone to drying out with long cook times.
Fun Facts: The name of this fish comes from its trademark grunting sound when caught. They make this sound by grinding their pharyngeal teeth together in the back of their throat.