Fish Fry
Fish Fry is my go to comfort meal for fish! Tasty, moist, crunchy fried fish is unbeatable! Here’s a video with tips on how to fry fish, best oil to fry fish, fish fry seasoning, best temp to fry fish, how to reheat fried fish and more!
Ingredients
Fish
- 3 fillets Orange Roughy defrosted overnight without packaging in the fridge.
Flour Mixture
- 2 cups flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
Egg Mixture
- 1 egg
- 3 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce sriracha or your favorite optional
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1/3 cup garlic mayo or 1/3 cup mayo/yogurt mixed with 2 cloves of garlic minced
Oil:
- 3 cups frying oil
Serving:
- Green salad
- Lemon slices
- French fries
- Tartar Sauce
Instructions
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Start by preparing the fish for frying.
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Pat dry the fish fillets very well on both sides and make sure you’ve removed as much moisture from it as you can.
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Cut each fish fillets into three pieces.
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In a shallow plate or bowl, prepare the four mixture by mixing all ingredients together.
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In another shallow plate or bowl, prepare the sticky egg mixture by mixing all ingredients.
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Start dredging the fish fillets pieces in the flour mixture first. Make sure to shake pff the excess. The first coating is meant to be super thin.
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Place the fish then into the wet bowl and coat it well on both sides.
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Finally, place the coated fish back into the flour mixture for a heavy and thicker coat of flour. This is the crunch coating and you need it to be thick.
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Press any excess flour into the fish as much as you can instead of shaking off the excess as you did with the first coating.
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Arrange the breaded fish fillets over a parchment lined baking sheet as you wait for the oil to be ready.
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Preheat a shallow skillet with the il over medium high heat until it reaches a temperature of 350 degrees F to 375.
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Then drop the fish one at a time into the hot oil. Make sure not to crowd your pan. Fry 3 pieces at a time only.
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Fry the fish for 3-5 minutes until golden brown and crisped up.
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Remove the ready fried fish from the pan and place them into a kitchen paper lined plate to soak up any excess oil.
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Repeat the frying press with the remaining fish fillets.
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When ready to serve, arrange a platter with the sides and serve the fish with a squeeze of lemon juice, tartar sauce, french fries and enjoy!
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Store leftover fish filets in the fridge for up to 3 days and optimally reheat them in an air fryer for 3-5 minutes. Otherwise reheat them in the oven at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes.
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
Expert Tips For Fish Fry
- Defrost the fish you’re using overnight without any packaging on.
- Pat the fish dry well before beginning the coating, this will help the coating stick better on the fish.
- Prepare the flour mixture in a shallow bowl and season it (you can add more or less seasoning).
- In another shallow dish or bowl, prepare the flavored sticky egg mixture.
- If you don’t have garlic mayo, use regular mayo and fresh minced garlic.
- The mayo adds so much moisture and tenderizes the fish. You can substitute yogurt if you’re not a mayo person.
- The first dredge in the flour mixture has to e very thin, so shake off excess flour from the fish.
- The fish then needs to be well coated in the egg mixture, as this will help the second coating of flour to stick well.
- The second dredge in flour has to be thick since this will be the crunch layer. Don’t shake off excess flour here, rather press it down to the fish and make sure it sticks.
- Fry the fish in a neutral tasting oil with a high smoking point. Details above.
- The optional temperature for frying is between 350 degrees F and 375 degrees F.
- Once fish is fried and ready, drain excess oil on a kitchen towel for a few minutes before serving.
- Serve with french fries, tartar sauce, lemon wedges and salad.
- To reheat fried fish, the air fryer is the best appliance to maintain that crunchy exterior on the fish even days later.
- If you don’t have an air fryer, reheat the fried fish on a wire rack over a baking sheet in the oven. It may loose some of it’s crunch but it will still be delicious!
Fish Fry Flavor Variations
- Southern Cornmeal Style: Add cornmeal to breading for extra crunch.
- Spiced Fish Fry: Add paprika, cayenne, garlic powder to coating.
- Lemon Pepper Finish: Sprinkle fresh cracked pepper and squeeze lemon right before serving.
Storage & Reheating
- Fried Fish is best fresh.
- To reheat fried fish, you can place in a375°F oven for 8-10 minutesor air fryer at 350 degrees for 5minutes.
- Never microwave as the texture becomes off.
- To freeze: Always make sure the fish has cooled completely first. Flash freeze on a baking sheet for 1 hour until it hardens, then freeze in a ziploc bag. Air fry at 350 degrees F for 5 minutes after thawing to crisp up.
Why Do I Have Greasy Fish
That's because the oil was too cool. To fix this, heat the oil back to 350–375°F and avoid over crowding the pan.
My Fried Fish has a Pale Crust
Again that's because the oil was not hot enough or the batter was too thin. Always have the oil at at the right temperature for frying.
My Fried fish is Burnt on Outside and Raw Inside
This is due to frying the fish in an oil that's not too hot or you have used fillets that are too thick. To avoid this, always check the oil temperature and use the right type of fish filets.
What if the Coating Falls Off
This happens if the fish is too wet, moisture causes the coating not to stick. Also if the coating was not pressed properly in breading.
What is the best fish for frying?
Mild white fish like cod, haddock, pollock, or catfish.
Why is my fried fish greasy?
Oil temperature was too low. Maintain oil temperature between batches, always. After each batch, wait for oil to return to 350–375°F. Rushing this step guarantees greasy fish.
If you hear a weak sizzle when fish enters oil, the temperature is too low. Strong, steady bubbling indicates the correct heat.
Should fish be room temperature before frying?
Slightly less cold than refrigerator temperature helps maintain oil heat.
Can I pan fry instead of deep fry?
Yes. Use ½ inch oil and cook 3–4 minutes per side.
Is battered or breaded fish better?
Batter is lighter and airy. Breading is crunchier and structured.