Best Easy Fried Fish Recipe by SRY Foods
Prep: 5 mints
Cook: 25 mints
Total: 30 mints
Servings: 4 servings
Don't let the simplicity of this tasty fried fish recipe
fool you: The fillets fry up perfectly cooked inside, with a beautiful golden
crust. Haddock and cod are two excellent choices for our fried fish recipe, but
tilapia, Pollock, catfish, bass, trout, or perch will also yield a beautiful
meal. Ready in 30 minutes, this is a perfect meal for a busy weeknight or to
serve as a weekend lunch alongside a salad and a few dipping sauces, like classic
tartar, Louisiana rémoulade, or chipotle mayonnaise.
The trick to perfect fried fish lies in the oil and
temperature used for cooking it and in the coating used on the fish. Use an oil
with a high smoking point, such as canola, corn, safflower, peanut,
avocado, or grapeseed oil—avoid olive oil or butter, since they will burn at
the temperatures required for frying. Don't skip the flour coating, since it
provides a delicious crispy texture, protects the fish from soaking up too much
oil, and also keeps the fillet in one piece. For best results, use a
heavy-bottomed pan, as it distributes the heat evenly.
Since fish happens to be a more tender protein, if your fillets are particularly thin, keep a close eye on the skillet when frying them. If frying in batches, add more oil as needed and bring up to temperature before adding more fillets. Before starting, lightly pat the fish fillets dry with a paper towel.
"Quick and easy pan-frying with few ingredients is the
optimal way to enhance the delicate flavors of white fish fillets. The flour
coating fries up crisp and light golden brown, while the inside stays moist,
tender, and flaky.
A Note from Our Recipe Tester
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup all-purpose
flour
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon salt,
or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground
black pepper, or to taste
- 1
pound fish fillets (such as haddock, tilapia, or cod)
- 2 cups vegetable
oil, for frying
- Lemon
wedges, tartar sauce, or rémoulade, optional
Steps to Make It
- Gather
the ingredients.
- In a
shallow bowl or deep plate, combine the flour, paprika, salt, and pepper
and mix well.
- Dip 1
or 2 fish fillets into the flour mixture. Make sure they are completely
coated on all sides and gently shake off any excess. Repeat the process
with the remaining fillets.
- Pour
oil into a skillet and heat over medium-high heat to 375 F.
- Working
in batches, fry the fish in the hot oil for about 6 minutes on each side,
or until golden brown, crispy, and cooked through. Remove and set on a
cooling rack to let drain.
- Serve
hot with lemon wedges, tartar sauce, or homemade rémoulade
sauce, if desired. Enjoy.
Try these tested tips to get your fish crispy every time:
- Always
pat dry your fish fillets using paper towels to ensure the flour coating
sticks well and there are no soggy parts.
- Once
the fish is in the pan, never cover it, as you'll end up steaming it and
the coating might fall off, leaving behind a greasy fish fillet.
- Keep
the oil temperature steady. A thermometer is a great tool to have at hand,
especially if you're fond of fried food.
- Don't
move the fish in the pan but allow it to fry and release from the pan
naturally.
Additions for a Flavorful Crust
Make a flavorful crust by adding dry herbs and spices:
- Add to
the flour a few dashes of Old Bay, Cajun, or Creole seasoning, or Mrs.
Dash if you're watching your salt intake.
- Add to
the flour 1/4 teaspoon each of dried and ground thyme, rosemary, oregano,
savory, dill, cilantro, and parsley.
How Can I Make Gluten-Free Fish Fillets?
It is possible to make crispy fried fish for people on strict gluten-free diets. Here are a few suggestions:
- Replace
the all-purpose flour with finely ground cornmeal.
- Use
rice or oat flours instead of the all-purpose flour.
- Use a
gluten-free mix, usually made from a base of potato starch, rice flour, or
garbanzo flour.
- Use almond meal to coat the fish but be mindful of tree nut allergies.
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