Fried fish is a favorite food of many, especially fresh varieties filleted and fried shortly after catching. I love fish and seafood and could eat it every day, and I used to bread fish with a basic white flour and egg mixture. Decades ago I discovered another very simple breading that is by far the best batter for breading and frying fish of almost every variety. Try the following easy batter recipe for frying fish, and try adding a few of your favorite spices to the mix. You will never batter fish with an ordinary egg and flour mixture again.
Pancake Flour and Egg Batter for Breading
I was introduced to the best batter for breading fish by my ex mother-in-law. She always used pancake flour and egg for batter and breading instead of regular white flour or cornmeal for store-bought ocean perch fillets. With this particular batter and breading they turned out beautifully browned and incredibly crisp and tasty. When frying fillets in ordinary egg and flour, the fish takes forever to brown, and by the time it does the fish is brown it is dry and has a rubbery consistency that is tasteless and barely edible.
When looking for the best batter for breading, begin by rinsing thawed fish fillets under cool water, and pat them dry with paper towels. Dip the fillets in a scrambled mixture of egg with a small amount of milk, and immediately coat them with pancake mix to create a thick and sticky batter. The pancake mixes I use for batter and fish breading are complete varieties that only require the addition of water when making pancakes or waffles. Any brand works well when making batter for breading fish, and I use this batter and breading for every type from ocean perch to bluegill.
Tips for Perfect Breading Every Time
After coating the fillets with pancake batter, allow them to sit undisturbed for a few minutes before frying. This will allow plenty of time for the oil to heat to the proper temperature and for the batter and breading to thicken on the fillets. Place the fillets in the oil too soon and you will end up with greasy batter and breading that will most likely fall off upon turning.
Test the temperature of the oil with a drop of water before adding the fish to the pan. If the water pops and sizzles, the oil is hot enough for frying. Otherwise, try this simple test again in about thirty seconds. Do not let the oil become too hot or it will begin smoking and burning.
Once the oil is just the right temperature for frying, carefully place the fillets coating in batter in the pan or deep fryer, and make sure they do not touch. Brown each side for just a few minutes to harden the breading or until the breading turns rich golden brown in color. Salt and pepper the fried fish fillets and add other spices of your choice after browning. Salt added before frying will pull the moisture out of the fish and should always be added last. Allow the fish fillets coated in breading to drain on paper towels before serving..
Serving Suggestions for Fillets with Pancake Flour Breading
These golden brown fillets coated in pancake flour breading and fried to perfection can be served with homemade tartar sauce. Simply combine several tablespoons of mayonnaise with one tablespoon of dill relish and a dash of paprika. If the family likes fresh fish, they will love this recipe made with the very best batter I have found for breading fish fillets.
