Fish Fry Advice

[CBeck]

Mmmmm. Grits with butter, brown sugar, sorghum molasses or pancake syrup. Taint nothin finer north of Carolina.

That sounds terrible….chicken stock, cream, salt, pepper, butter and smoked Gouda are the only things that belong in grits. lol

 

[Flbt]

Mmmmm. Grits with butter, brown sugar, sorghum molasses or pancake syrup. Taint nothin finer north of Carolina.

God no.
But I bet sorghum would be better than the jelly maple syrup and powder suger that they put on them.

Surprise they looked at my grits mixed with extremely sunny side up eggs ( not all of the white was set)
Salt pepper, red pepper flake, hot sauce about they same as I did there sweet mix from hell

 

[Jeff505]

You have received tremendous good advice, many different ways to approach this. A few things that are consistent . Peanut oil or lard are the recommended oils, most flavorful and hard to burn. Could small batches of all at the same time, fish, fries onion rings, hush puppies. You are continually refreshing all the fried items. Do not cover in foil, this makes fried food soggy. Good luck.
.

 

[skydiver386]

Grits with Chocolate, shredded coconut and raspberries. Y'all just don't know good living.

 

[washington867]

I'm a country boy from Louisiana who now lives in Texas. I do fish fry's all the time. You can't go wrong with Louisiana Fish Fry Products...... it comes in bags, box, or 5 lbs plastic container. You can get it seasoned or not seasoned. I think the seasoned is really good. You can order it on line. You can also use the old reliable (corn meal) just make sure to add season to it.(season salt, garlic powder, black pepper, salt.) You will need a Batter Bowl to shake up and cover your fish before putting it in the fry pan. Just type in Batter Bowl and it will come up on online and order 2. You need two 10 quart fry pans with strainer. You can order them on line at a very inexpensive price. You need a burner set up... either single, or double or triple setup depending on number of people. You need propane tank or tanks and regulator(s). Frying fish is really fun and easy to do. The main thing is to constantly monitor your temperature of your oil. 300-325. Do not burn your oil, if it gets over 325 adjust your flame control.

Once you clean and wash your fish, lightly coat it with mustard. After this you need to season your fish to your taste. (Remember the fish fry may be seasoned depending on which you use. I use the seasoned fish fry, but I also season the fish.

Fish cooks really fast, and in no time you can have lots of fish cooked for your hungry guests. Like others mentioned, do not place it in a hot oven. Just put it on large pans with napkings or paper spread on the pans. It is ok to put the pans in a enclosed oven with no temps on.

Coleslaw feeds lots of people and is easy to make. French Fries, Onion Rings or Hushpuppies is always a favorite. My family and friends love Potato Salad. And garlic bread or toast, or even just plain bread go good. Green salad is quick and real easy to do also. If you need me to send you pics of some of the products I mentioned just let me know.
(281) 217-8877....
Really wish I could be there to show you how its done, and how easy it is.

Try to stay away from really thick pieces of fish. If you have thick pieces you have to make sure you cook the fish all the way through. Down home we strip our filets, that way we always know that every piece of fish will be cooked perfectly.

 

[Rubberhead]

Adluh Seafood Breader - https://adluh-store.myshopify.com/products/adluh-seafood-breader-mix-25-pound-bag

Grits made with cream and chicken broth

Tomato Gravy (the acid helps cut the grease)

Bacon Cole Slaw

To keep the fish warm, I put the pieces on a heavy ceramic plate covered with a couple of layers of paper towels and in the over at 170 degree (or the lowest setting possible). This won't keep the fish for hours but it will keep the first batches hot and crispy while the last batch is being fried.

 

[Siennacoyote]

You don’t keep fired fish warm. You cook it as close to order as you can. What kind of animas are you

 

[steve white]

I’m from the Gulf Coast and have been frying fish since I could stand — everything from whole catfish to grouper and snapper fillets, shrimp, scallops, oysters, and more.

Here’s what I’ve learned about doing it on a larger scale:

Breading & Prep: Coat your fish and have it ready to fry — don’t cook it ahead of time and hold it. My tip: use a small amount of yellow mustard as a binder, then coat in Louisiana brand fish fry or Zaterain’s with Tony Chachere’s added to either mix to taste. Light coating keeps the fish delicate and cooks quickly. In the South, cornmeal-based breading is classic; up North, more of a beer-batter or flour mix.

Cooking: Fillets cook fast — usually 3–5 minutes at 350–375°F depending on thickness. Whole fish takes longer. Fry as needed; don’t try to hold batches, or you’ll end up with soggy fish.

Equipment: Commercial fryers work best — gas or electric is fine, but gas heats and recovers faster for large batches. Use neutral, high-smoke-point oil, keep it clean, and don’t overcrowd the fryer.

Workflow: Prep fillets → coat → fry in small batches → drain → serve immediately. If you have to hold, low oven (~200°F) for a few minutes works, but fresh out of the fryer is always best.

Bottom line: a light mustard binder, Louisiana brand fish fry, and cooking to order keeps your fish crispy, hot, and tasty — no matter the size of your crowd.… At least that’s how we do it in the south!

We do a lot of whole Boston butt BBQ fundraisers too, and the best strategy is to stagger your pickup times. Arrange for a set number of people per hour to pick up — it keeps the food hot and fresh, and it also staggers your cooking so everything comes out at the right temperature.

As for sides, in the south, we do fries, cheese grits, red beans and rice, slaw, new potatoes and of course hush puppies!

Good luck let us know how it goes…

I like everything you said except 200* in the oven.
+1 on the mustard, especially if you have to fry some sand bass.

My wife likes, best of all, for me to cut off ALL fat, especially the dark kind--that's where fishy taste comes from....

 

[washington867]

I like everything you said except 200* in the oven.
+1 on the mustard, especially if you have to fry some sand bass.

My wife likes, best of all, for me to cut off ALL fat, especially the dark kind--that's where fishy taste comes from....

You are right about 200 degrees. I do it all the time. And it keeps the fish nice. We mainlyl fry catfish and redfish. I understand what you are saying about the sand bass, and also some other fish. Yes we do cut off the fat also. Totally agree buddy.

 

[CBeck]

I like everything you said except 200* in the oven.
+1 on the mustard, especially if you have to fry some sand bass.

My wife likes, best of all, for me to cut off ALL fat, especially the dark kind--that's where fishy taste comes from....

Not disagreeing….but as I said that’s an only if you have too. Cooked on demand with staggered pickup is best! Cheers!

 

[washington867]

You don’t keep fired fish warm. You cook it as close to order as you can. What kind of animas are you

You are right. As quick as it comes out, we are eating it. I'm hungry thinking aboutl it.

 

[mdwest]

The type of fish really matters. I think Haddock is the best choice, but it is expensive and scarce in the midwest, yet cheap as dirt in the Northeast. Cod is a standard everywhere. Walleye is very expensive by comparison to the other options but is a northwoods classic. For bulk purchasing and feeding an army, the less-than-delicate nature of Cod will prevent it from falling apart on you if they stay in a warming draw for a longer period of time.

Its funny how much what part of the country you are in influences the fish you fry...

growing up in the deep south a "fish fry" meant catfish (thats just what you assumed you were eating if you got invited to a fish fry).. if you were lucky someone caught a bunch of bream / perch or crappie and those got fried up along with all of the catfish..

but it definitely meant deep frying breaded fish that someone caught in a local lake or river.. we never bought any fish for deep frying (bought fish like haddock, cod, etc were pan fried, or baked, or grilled, etc)..

Here in TX it can mean almost any fish.. down closer to the coast its not uncommon to see speckled trout or other saltwater fish at a fish fry.. up in N TX Ive seen a lot of stripers and hybrid bass served at fish frys, etc..

We only had large and small mount bass in the lakes where I grew up.. while they were fun to catch no one was eating a bass... theyre nasty tasting (and yet an old mud cat was a delicacy ).. so when I moved here and was told "were frying bass" my first thoughts were "you nasty bastards..." lol..

 

[CBeck]

Its funny how much what part of the country you are in influences the fish you fry...

growing up in the deep south a "fish fry" meant catfish (thats just what you assumed you were eating if you got invited to a fish fry).. if you were lucky someone caught a bunch of bream / perch or crappie and those got fried up along with all of the catfish..

but it definitely meant deep frying breaded fish that someone caught in a local lake or river.. we never bought any fish for deep frying (bought fish like haddock, cod, etc were pan fried, or baked, or grilled, etc)..

Here in TX it can mean almost any fish.. down closer to the coast its not uncommon to see speckled trout or other saltwater fish at a fish fry.. up in N TX Ive seen a lot of stripers and hybrid bass served at fish frys, etc..

We only had large and small mount bass in the lakes where I grew up.. while they were fun to catch no one was eating a bass... theyre nasty tasting (and yet an old mud cat was a delicacy ).. so when I moved here and was told "were frying bass" my first thoughts were "you nasty bastards..." lol..

lol….bass taste like lake water! Saltwater fish…Red snapper, grouper are where it’s at!

 

[Flbt]

Its funny how much what part of the country you are in influences the fish you fry...

growing up in the deep south a "fish fry" meant catfish (thats just what you assumed you were eating if you got invited to a fish fry).. if you were lucky someone caught a bunch of bream / perch or crappie and those got fried up along with all of the catfish..

but it definitely meant deep frying breaded fish that someone caught in a local lake or river.. we never bought any fish for deep frying (bought fish like haddock, cod, etc were pan fried, or baked, or grilled, etc)..

Here in TX it can mean almost any fish.. down closer to the coast its not uncommon to see speckled trout or other saltwater fish at a fish fry.. up in N TX Ive seen a lot of stripers and hybrid bass served at fish frys, etc..

We only had large and small mount bass in the lakes where I grew up.. while they were fun to catch no one was eating a bass... theyre nasty tasting (and yet an old mud cat was a delicacy ).. so when I moved here and was told "were frying bass" my first thoughts were "you nasty bastards..." lol..

Fl a big one was mullet but they were called mullet fry
Normally with roe included.
Allso suckers and gar ( gar was mostly gar balls)
But normally if the fish was not in the name cats and bream.
There was a cattle man that had ponds on alot of his places.
Every year he would set traps and catch enough for the cattle sell barn to do a fish fry
And for the local 4h
The kids would do everything but fry and sell plates.
After all that was done. The kids had there own fry for supper.

I miss that old man he was a staple for 4h for nearly 70 years

 

[pilar]

“My wife likes, best of all, for me to cut off ALL fat, especially the dark kind--that's where fishy taste comes from”
Yes the blood lines definitely come off especially on amber jack and any type of snapper , or it’s going to be “ fishy “ tasting,
As a rebuttal to my statement about commercial fish fry mix , the unseasoned batter mix imo is the best and add garlic powder, white pepper, cayenne pepper to taste
The pre seasoned mix has salt as second ingredient ( that’s usually pretty salty) so unseasoned or home made batter would taste better imo

 

[steve white]

Its funny how much what part of the country you are in influences the fish you fry...

growing up in the deep south a "fish fry" meant catfish (thats just what you assumed you were eating if you got invited to a fish fry).. if you were lucky someone caught a bunch of bream / perch or crappie and those got fried up along with all of the catfish..

but it definitely meant deep frying breaded fish that someone caught in a local lake or river.. we never bought any fish for deep frying (bought fish like haddock, cod, etc were pan fried, or baked, or grilled, etc)..

Here in TX it can mean almost any fish.. down closer to the coast its not uncommon to see speckled trout or other saltwater fish at a fish fry.. up in N TX Ive seen a lot of stripers and hybrid bass served at fish frys, etc..

We only had large and small mount bass in the lakes where I grew up.. while they were fun to catch no one was eating a bass... theyre nasty tasting (and yet an old mud cat was a delicacy ).. so when I moved here and was told "were frying bass" my first thoughts were "you nasty bastards..." lol..

I thought a smallmouth I caught outside Branson tasted good.

Good to read all the info in this post, never too old to learn something useful.

 

[rookhawk]

Its funny how much what part of the country you are in influences the fish you fry...

growing up in the deep south a "fish fry" meant catfish (thats just what you assumed you were eating if you got invited to a fish fry).. if you were lucky someone caught a bunch of bream / perch or crappie and those got fried up along with all of the catfish..

but it definitely meant deep frying breaded fish that someone caught in a local lake or river.. we never bought any fish for deep frying (bought fish like haddock, cod, etc were pan fried, or baked, or grilled, etc)..

Here in TX it can mean almost any fish.. down closer to the coast its not uncommon to see speckled trout or other saltwater fish at a fish fry.. up in N TX Ive seen a lot of stripers and hybrid bass served at fish frys, etc..

We only had large and small mount bass in the lakes where I grew up.. while they were fun to catch no one was eating a bass... theyre nasty tasting (and yet an old mud cat was a delicacy ).. so when I moved here and was told "were frying bass" my first thoughts were "you nasty bastards..." lol..

@mdwest the reason Wisconsin buys Cod and Walleye for fish fries is because of their consumption levels. In some counties, 80-90% of all living souls go out for Friday night fish fry, every Friday, 52 weeks a year.

Absolutely, fresh line caught Walleye, Crappie, Bluegill, Burbot, and Whitefish are absolutely classic fish to "Fry up" at deer camp if someone brings some they caught earlier in the year. But "frying up" fish with shore lunch is linguistically a bit different than a "fish fry" or "friday night fish fry". The latter are almost always a light and fluffy beer batter and the fish is 90% of the time Atlantic Cod, 10% of the time commercially harvested Walleye.

If it wasn't for all the world's oceans, Wisconsin would run out of fish every Friday.

My county in WI is one of the most rural and smallest population centers, about 14,000 people and most of those are students at a State university. Nonetheless, in my sleepy county I can think of 20 bars and restaurants that have "Friday night fish fry".

But anyway, if anyone wants a light and fluffy batter for any fish, it is really hard to beat a simple google search for "Alton Brown's Beer Battered Fish". If you want that airy batter that fluffs up, that's the one.

 

[CBeck]

@mdwest

But anyway, if anyone wants a light and fluffy batter for any fish, it is really hard to beat a simple google search for "Alton Brown's Beer Battered Fish". If you want that airy batter that fluffs up, that's the one.

completely off-topic and totally out of season, but Alton Brown’s aged eggnog is my favorite recipe ever.

 

[Altitude sickness]

We like Andy’s and Drakes, chicken breading shown. But the fish version is good also

 

[steve white]

@mdwest the reason Wisconsin buys Cod and Walleye for fish fries is because of their consumption levels. In some counties, 80-90% of all living souls go out for Friday night fish fry, every Friday, 52 weeks a year.

Absolutely, fresh line caught Walleye, Crappie, Bluegill, Burbot, and Whitefish are absolutely classic fish to "Fry up" at deer camp if someone brings some they caught earlier in the year. But "frying up" fish with shore lunch is linguistically a bit different than a "fish fry" or "friday night fish fry". The latter are almost always a light and fluffy beer batter and the fish is 90% of the time Atlantic Cod, 10% of the time commercially harvested Walleye.

If it wasn't for all the world's oceans, Wisconsin would run out of fish every Friday.

My county in WI is one of the most rural and smallest population centers, about 14,000 people and most of those are students at a State university. Nonetheless, in my sleepy county I can think of 20 bars and restaurants that have "Friday night fish fry".

But anyway, if anyone wants a light and fluffy batter for any fish, it is really hard to beat a simple google search for "Alton Brown's Beer Battered Fish". If you want that airy batter that fluffs up, that's the one.

But, DEEP DOWN IN YOUR HEART, you know that crappie beats anything!