Prevent fillets from curling when deep frying.

Does anyone know how to prevent crappie fillets from curling when deep frying?:confused:

Do you skin your fillets? That's the only time I ever have problems with the fillets curling, when I don't skin my fillets.

If you are skinning them try using more oil in the skillet, that's the only thing I can figure.

I skin them and use a deep fryer and they still curl. Makes it tough to make a crappie samich

Cut 'em in 4-5" chunks. Nothing to curl then. Vertically from where the dorsal to anal fin would be.

I cut mine in strips or pieces and don't have trouble with that. Here is a picture from Spring.

Skip
http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h1...h/DSC04401.jpg

In a deep fryer they'll curl unless you cut 'em into pieces as already suggested. Skip, those look good. I cant wait! I'm be frying some fresh crappie tomorrow nite.:)

There are no skin on my fillets, but they seem to curl up anyway. But cutting them up in smaller chucks will probably solve the problem. Thanks for the tip.:)

Skip, thats some fine lookin cookin.:)

Catch bigger crappie.... The little guys curl up....Thick fillets usually lay flat.

I usually cut my filets down the center or spine line. They don't curl much that I notice and they don't break up cuz they're smaller. Crappie samiches sounds good to me.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by BlackWidow

Catch bigger crappie.... The little guys curl up....Thick fillets usually lay flat.

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winner.




old

Another idea... I always leave the rib cage intact when I fillet fish. It is very simple to remove the rib bones after the fillets are cooked, and it does seem to prevent the curling.

That photo made me hungry.

LOL, it was good guys!

I too cut mine down the spine line and if big enough maybe more cutting to do.

Here's a good recipe if you want a change from deep frying.

CRAPPIE CAKES

1 pound of crappie fillets
1 stick of butter
½ chopped onion
1 chopped red pepper
1 egg mixed up
1 tube or more of Ritz Crackers crushed
1 tsp Cajun spice
EVOO (extra virgin olive oil) enough for frying

Melt the butter on medium heat and saute the onions and red pepper till they are translucent. Toss in the fillets and spice and cook until the fish falls apart and mix well. The fish will flake easy. Turn off the heat and put in the Ritz crackers and egg and mix real good. Add more crackers if it looks as though they won’t hold a patty shape.

Put the mixture in the refrigerator for a couple hours for it to chill well enough to make patties.

In a frying pan, heat EVOO on medium high heat until it’s hot. Put in the patties and brown on both sides. I start with one patty and see if it’s going to fall apart. If it looks like it will fall apart, add more crackers.

Good stuff!

Have a recipe much like this on my site and we either bake them in the oven or if feeling fried then we just pan fry them too. I do have a few more things in mine, but same thought.
http://thumpitjigs.com/files/Skip_Crappie_Cakes.doc

Skip

Quote:

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Originally Posted by darksideofthebass

Here's a good recipe if you want a change from deep frying.

CRAPPIE CAKES

1 pound of crappie fillets
1 stick of butter
½ chopped onion
1 chopped red pepper
1 egg mixed up
1 tube or more of Ritz Crackers crushed
1 tsp Cajun spice
EVOO (extra virgin olive oil) enough for frying

Melt the butter on medium heat and saute the onions and red pepper till they are translucent. Toss in the fillets and spice and cook until the fish falls apart and mix well. The fish will flake easy. Turn off the heat and put in the Ritz crackers and egg and mix real good. Add more crackers if it looks as though they won’t hold a patty shape.

Put the mixture in the refrigerator for a couple hours for it to chill well enough to make patties.

In a frying pan, heat EVOO on medium high heat until it’s hot. Put in the patties and brown on both sides. I start with one patty and see if it’s going to fall apart. If it looks like it will fall apart, add more crackers.

Good stuff!

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lol, I just put em on po-boy bread and squish em flat. tastes good to me :D