Family Tree: Ambertjack also known as Kingfish are a remarkably high-quality eating fish.

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Appearance: Amberjack are a colourful fish with lavender and golden tints and an amber band from the eye to the tail. The back is bluish-grey or olive and the side and belly are silvery-white. Occasionally Amberjacks have an amber, even pinkish, cast to the body.

They are voracious predators that forage over reefs, deep offshore holes or drop-offs along the length of the Queensland coast and out to the Great Barrier Reef. They are both bottom dwelling and pelagic and it is not uncommon to find Amberjack in depths as extreme as 200 meters plus! Amerjack can weigh more than 40 kilograms, but the smaller Amberjacks, weighing 8 kilograms or less, are considered the best to eat. 

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On the Table: Many people consider Amberjack more of a sport/game fish than a table species, but this is doing the fish a great disservice. The eating qualities of Amberjack are very underrated, and as a relatively low-priced fish they are definitely worth trying.

As a thick steak, Amberjack does not dry out easily, which makes it optimal for grilling. A small amount of salt, pepper, lemon and oil is all that is necessary to make this fish taste great. There are a lot of recipes available that add flavour to the fish, but this is not necessary. When cooked, they have succulent firm white flesh which is juicy with a mild flavour and very low oil content. Amberjack is also the perfect choice for dipping in batter or crumbing before shallow or deep frying. This makes it ideal for home-made fish and chips.