Thread: How do you get fish fillets crispy?

Gonna have to get you out next time we stink up the oil!!!! You know what town I'm in

I do my crappie in beer batter and keep the oil right at 350 - any hotter and the meat and the batter won't cook right - crispy golden brown batter, raw fish or cooked fish, burnt batter. Any lower, everything gets mushy.

I go hotter if I'm just breading my fish, but for batter - it took a lot of experimenting to hit just the right temp for the particular batter I made up - but it works to a T.

By the way... you mentioned you do freelance outdoor writing - any publications I'd recognize?

Joe

Panko Oriental Bread Crumbs. Available at any Oriental grocer and at most chain grocers in the Int'l Foods aisle.

Dip fillets in flour (seasoned if you like) first, then in egg wash, then roll in Panko & drop in oil.

I like to cook fish outside, so i use the ole turkey fryer and peanut oil. 375 is the temp that works for me. I use the peanut oil over and over. I store it in a new, plastic five gallon kerosene jug. I strain it thru cheese cloth. The crumbs and residue are caught in cheese cloth, that's discarded. Just top off the oil every couple of times you fry.

I like to use shortening and butter...Get it so hot its almost smoking.....Let the filets and the egg warm up to room temp or close.....

fish>egg>breadcrumbs>frying pan.....

only about a minute or so on each side.....nice and crispy

Originally Posted by Kaptain K

Hey guy,

I've been cooking fish for over 30 years, including deep-frying.

If you want great results with your deep-fried slabs, check out the timely tips I've written about below.

You're sure to fry up a winning batch 'o calicoes, if you follow these simple rules :

Make sure your oil is practically smokin' hot (but not above 400 degrees).

Try peanut oil -- it has a higher break-down point than most oils, like canola, corn, vegetable, and the like.

Fry your fillets in small batches -- for example ; when using one qt. of oil,
just drop two or three fillets at one time. Don't overcrowd 'em, or you'll cool the oil down too much.

Keep your fillets refrigerated, right up until the moment you drop them into the hot oil. Cold fish -- plus hot oil equals best results. Less soggy, too.

Try some different types of crumbs and coatings. A product called Dixie Fry works really well, if you firsat soak your fillets in half-n-half.
Don't use milk for this -- the water content is too high. The proteins must get between the glutens in the wheat, and the fat content in the half-n-half works best for this.

Also, avoid egg for your coating in any form. It tends to make quick-fried foods mushy. Egg and breadcrumb combo coatings work better when frying foods that need more cooking time, like chicken and pork.

The biggest single factor in obtaining crispness when frying thin fish fillets,
is speed. Fry quickly ! Crappie fillets generally take just seconds to cook in hot oil ... yes -- seconds ! About 20 to 30 seconds is all the time you need.
Any longer and you'll over-cook them.

Once again, hot oil (I use 370 to 375 dgrees) is key, and if you've got a thin coating on your fish, the fillets WILL turn out crispy.

I soak my fillets in half-n-half for 10 minutes, then dredge them in Dixie Fry, (or similar, light coating) and immediately drop them into the hot oil.
They come out perfect every time this way -- no kidding !

Corn meal can work just as well, but you can't use too much as a coating.
A light dusting is all that's needed. Soak fillets in half-n-half first.
And egg wash -- as I said before -- will slow down the frying time, which will only make the fillets overcook, or undercook.

Plain cornstarch is another trick that can give you extra-crispy fillets.
Japanese bread crumbs are yet another product that does the same.

Drain your fish well, on paper towels. Nobody likes extra side of grease with their fish.
However, if you fry your fillets properly, this shouldn't even be an issue.

I've written many articles and a few short books on the subjects of handling, cooking, cleaning, and keeping fresh fish.

I am a freelance outdoor writer by trade, and live in Upstate New York,
north of Syracuse.

Any other questions, feel free to PM me.

Good fishing and good eating -- that's why I love to go slab-seeking !

Kaptain K

This man knows his fish frying!!

eggs cornmeal flour salt pepper and 360 hot lard

Hey all. To get really nice golden fillets, just make sure your oil is hot. Drops of water will dance when you flip in the iron skillet. I never have a thermometer of anykind with me when I go fishing\camping. I love this site and I am a girl!!!!!!

chatty cathy

Are you tring to get White Perch crispy? Forget it, that is whats so good about the sweet light meat of the White Perch, it stays sweet and moist. Try catfish, you can get it crisp without destroying it.