Crispy, golden, flaky fried fish is a dish you’ll find in coastal communities all over the world, but for our ultimate, flavor-packed, super-crispy version, we turned to the
American South. That means thin white fish coated in a seasoned cornmeal and flour blend, then shallow-fried in neutral oil in a cast-iron skillet until golden brown and beautiful. Serve it with savory grits and a runny egg for a stunning Southern-style brunch, or simply with lemon wedges and a dash of hot sauce. Keep on reading for a few tips on perfecting your fish-frying technique.
Cut down larger pieces of fish:
Large pieces of fish are hard to flip. They can break mid-flip or cause a bit of splashing when they land in the pan. Save yourself from getting popped with hot oil and cut the fillets in half before dredging and frying. The smaller pieces will also give you a better crispy cornmeal surface area to flaky flesh ratio.
Don’t forget the seasoning:
Seasoning the dredge is the most important step for excellent fried fish. The fish flesh itself is unseasoned, so if you don’t season the cornmeal, your finished product will be upsettingly bland. You can certainly keep it to just salt and pepper, but we like to use a mix of seasonings that mimic seafood seasoning salt (like Old Bay). If you’re in the mood to switch it up, use your favorite store-bought mix, or try our Cajun or adobo seasoning mixes.
Crank up the heat:
Frying fish at a high temperature ensures a crispy coating. Using a cast-iron skillet will help you better maintain the temperature. The oil may be too shallow for a deep-fry thermometer, so your best bet here is to use a probe thermometer.
Did you try making this? Let us know how it went in the comments!