Frying Fish

Frying is one of the most popular methods of cooking fish in terms of taste.  Fish can be deep-fried or pan-fried.  In both cases, the fish is first dredged in flour or cornmeal,  then rolled in bread crumbs.  It is also popular to dip fish in a wet batter prior to frying.  Which ever way you choose to coat your fish it is necessary to fry fish.  It creates a layer that protects the fish from the intense heat and prevents moisture in the fish from escaping.

Breading Fish:  First rinse the fish fillets under cold, running water and pat dry with a paper towel.  Dip fish in a beaten eggs or packaged batter mix and coat with flour or cornmeal.  Dip coated fish in egg mixture and coat with bread crumbs.

How to Deep-Fry Fish:  Deep-frying involves submerging the fish in boiling oil.

1)  Fill a saucepan large enough to fit the fish you want to fry with oil.  To prevent splattering, fill the oil no higher than 2/3 of the way up the sides of the saucepan.

2)  Preheat the oil to 375 degrees.  Use a cooking thermometer to monitor the temperature of the oil.  If cooked at lower temperatures, the fish will be soggy and greasy rather than crispy.

3)  Add breaded fish gradually to the oil to avoid a sudden drop in temperature.  Cooking time varies by the type and thickness of fish fillets.  Generally, 3-4 minutes per side should be sufficient. 

4)  After the fish has finished cooking, place it on paper towles to drain excess oil.

How to Pan-Fry Fish:  Pan-frying uses less fat than deep-frying, making it marginally more healthy.