How do you fry your fish?

[robertm]

I've got a metric ton of small large mouth bass filets (had to be removed from ovepopulated lake) and I'm looking for suggestions.

Half I'm going to do up the way I really enjoy on the flat top griddle with butter, AP rub, capers, lemon juice, minced garlic and a little olive oil.

Other half I am thinking I'll fry up. I don't want to do them up catfish style with cornmeal better. Thinking maybe dredged in flour/egg/flower plus seasoning would be good. Or maybe even corn starch since if fries up so crisp.

What do you guys like to do with walleye or similar when you want to fry but don't want cornmeal?

 

[mjpmap]

I fry fish a lot. Not sure where you’re at, but check around for “Drake’s Fry Mix”. Its Michigan made & one of its retailers is Gordon’s Food Service. My go to is a deep fryer with peanut oil. Soak the filet for an hour in salt water to draw out any remaining blood from the fish. Rinse and soak for another hour in fresh water. Put the Drake’s in a gallon bag with Old Bay to taste. Take the filet directly from the water to the bag. Shake it up and fry til it floats. Its not even remotely oily or greasy. Just a good, clean piece of fish. Works with saltwater or freshwater fish the same. An added tip, cook the French fries in the oil first. After the fish, drop the fries in for a second bath. Crisp on the outside and hot on the inside!

 

[Whumpa]

Flour, egg& milk, flour. Salt and pepper your flour to taste. I personally like fish, any fish except tilapia, and like to keep my seasoning real simple. To easy to cover up the taste of the fish. IMHO

 

[Hamdrew]

Rice flour, potato starch, corn starch. If you want it crispy like chinese carryout's sweet&sour pork/chicken, you hydate cornstarch a certain way that I can explain or you can find a video of. Let me try to find a pic..

 

[Hoss]

Google Kent Rollins .Stellar.It Will be under fish and chips.Beer battered,not cornmeal dredge.

 

[Hamdrew]

https://ibb.co/fHWTK0S
https://ibb.co/vDG8j0L


Cant resize the pics, those are all a mix of flour/corn starch/rice flour/ potato starch. I never make too much breading, so I keep adding more of different stuff for each batch to keep things interesting.

 

[Big Andy]

Dry the fish well with paper towels. Use corn meal mix which already has flour added. Season cornmeal with some Cajun seasoning or salt and pepper. Place meal in zip bag, drop some fish in and shake around, shake off excess, and drop in oil. Season liberally with salt as soon as you take it out. The cornmeal mix adds a nice coating that isn't too thick so you can taste the dish, and making sure they are dry helps it stick well and saves your oil from being overrun with excess breading.

 

[Garyclaw]

Milk/eggs wash then in to a bread crumb/corn flake crumb mix. Press the breading in with your fingertips..

 

[Sopchoppy]

Corn meal flour mix for coating, peanut oil 350-375, deep fry in cast iron. The peanut oil makes a big difference.

 

[Cat797]

A lot of people around me fry up bluegill and bass quite often. A popular one that is available at some grocery stores and BassPro is Andy's seasoning. Personally, I like Fry Crisp doctored up with a little pepper and garlic salt.

When I fry fresh white fish, I prefer simple......I just dredge the fish straight in the flower and fry till it floats. No need for the egg wash etc. if you like a light breading. If you want more breading, I would dry the fish with paper towels, then dredge in flour or corn starch, egg/milk wash, and into your seasoned breading.

 

[chingador]

If filets: season as you like. Dredge in cornstarch, then in a milk/egg wash (1 cup milk per 1 egg) then dredge in rice flour. Light and crispy. You can season the corn starch and rice flour if you like.

If whole, gutted and scaled, cut a few slits in the body, season then dredge in flour or corn starch and fry whole. Whole fried fish is my favorite way to go.

 

[Hamdrew]

also, rye/pumpernickle (anything dense and caraway-y) bread crumbs.

 

[robertm]

Thanks for all of the fantastic ideas! I may end up making them a few different ways based on all of the recommendations.

Thanks again!

 

[Burnt at Both Endz]

Yep, I do a lot of crappie. Peanut oil @ 350-360* and Louisiana Fish Fry. I buy it at Academy Sport by the gallon, very cheap and dang good! Never have made homemade mixes since a buddy turned me on to this.

https://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/louisiana-fish-fry-products-1-gallon-seasoned-fish-fry

 

[Czarbecue]

I have been disappointed ever since Popeyes took their Cajun fish off the menu. It was a good blend of flour, corn meal, and spices. Most places I find it too corn mealy in texture. But I could eat at least a pound of fried fish a day.

 

[jham0077]

I like very light breading on mine so I skip the milk or egg. Damp fish straight in Louisiana brand Crispy Shrimp Fry and into peanut oil at 375. But I do dredge button mushrooms in the same stuff, they're very good.

 

[Hamdrew]

I have been disappointed ever since Popeyes took their Cajun fish off the menu. It was a good blend of flour, corn meal, and spices. Most places I find it too corn mealy in texture. But I could eat at least a pound of fried fish a day.

you are not alone, there.. the new one don't cut it




popeyes to me was always a cajun seafood+side place. my go to fast-fish-food. Don't get me wrong, the chickens real good, but i'd rather have Church's..

 

[LYU370]

Milk/eggs wash then in to a bread crumb/corn flake crumb mix. Press the breading in with your fingertips..

^^^ Listen to this guy. ^^^ He fried up some walleye if I recall, for the NE Ohio Brethren Bash last year. OFF THE HOOK!!!

 

[Garyclaw]

Awe shucks, Andy. That WAS some good Walleye though.

 

[goidtman]

Yep, I do a lot of crappie. Peanut oil @ 350-360* and Louisiana Fish Fry. I buy it at Academy Sport by the gallon, very cheap and dang good! Never have made homemade mixes since a buddy turned me on to this.

https://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/louisiana-fish-fry-products-1-gallon-seasoned-fish-fry

This is how I fry my crappie also.