How to Cook the Best Fried Fish

Fish is a very easy dish to work with, there are lots of fish recipes to cook it with, and in some ways, although they can get complicated, there are simple ways of cooking fish, just like frying.

All you need is fish, oil, a pan, some heat, and that’s it. The seasonings vary, and there are a lot of cooking recipes for that. There are lots of fish species to use, like herring, tuna, sole, dory, and tilapia. The easiest ones to start out first are the fillets, because it’s just like cooking meat, with a shorter time frame. To make sure that they are cooked just right, do this trick.

Heat the pan, then heat the oil. When the oil is hot enough (about medium heat), then it’s time to fry. This makes cooking time shorter and since the fish doesn’t soak up too much oil, the results are better.

In cooking fish, whether or not you’re frying or maybe in baked fish recipes, it’s best to select the freshest ones in the market. Avoid those with the skin not firm, the eyes not clear, or those with funny odor. The freshest catch of the day is always the best. For frozen fillets, there’s no problem with cleaning because you have there the meat ready for you to slice and cook to your choice. But for those using the whole fish, it’s best to clean the fish of all entrails, especially the spleen and gallbladder. This may be done at the supermarket upon purchase. 

Deboning takes utmost care as fish is one of the animals in the kingdom with the most bones. Some may be bought already pre-deboned but there are some where care has to be taken to extract them all. Again, that’s the reason why prepared frozen fillets are recommended for easy cooking. Fried whiting fillets for example, is a pretty easy dish that only takes 10 minutes to prepare and 4 minutes of cook time. With only five ingredients to take note of, this is perfect for those who want meals in the flash.

Breaded and deep-fried is an easy way to introduce fried fish to people first. Fish and chips are made this way, served with sauce and so are nuggets. Some may be also pan-fried just to cook before adding in other ingredients for a more savory and flavorful dish. Flavor may be enhanced simply by salt and pepper or adding more spices like rosemary or parsley. To make this dish not too plain, sauce or even melted butter may be drizzled on top after cooking and lemon wedges may be served on the side to be sprinkled before eating.

Want to cook fish yet? Watch this video to give you a good idea of what other ways you can cook your fish with.