Frying Fish

[RealityCheck]

Hey guys,

      I am pretty much done for the hard water season.  Now it is time to deplete the supplies of fillets in my freezer.( cuzz it is full ) I have always fried my fish in a frying pan, in bacon grease.  However, I am thinking about buying a fryer that will sit on the counter top in th kitchen.  Do any of you have a fryer that you like???  also what oil is the best to use?  Please be specific with brand name of fryer
  
                                                                                                   Thanks,
                    
                                                                                                           Reality Check

[Scientist]

I had two electric fryers and hated them. Oil splattered everywhere and they were only good for small amounts.  So I switched to the stove and never regretted it. Bought a 12 quart stainless steel stock pot from Linens and things, 20 bucks, and a digital remote thermometer with stainless steel probe, another 20 bucks, and a wire strainer to remove cooked fish; look next to the wok’s they sell good Chinese ones at a cheap price less than 5 bucks. Best part about it is the items are not just for frying fish. I place the stock pot on the stove, pour 1 1/2 gallons of canola oil; (note: do not use more than 2 gallons because it becomes messier), place probe of thermometer and heat until temp reaches between 350- 360. Place fillets in fry for 30 seconds. They should be golden brown, if you used batter or bread crumb coatings. Make sure the temp does not get below 350 if it does you are putting too many fillets in at a time. Easily fried 15 lbs of fish with no problem.  As a reminder, if making French fires along with the meal, fry them up first. You can try different oils but I like the light taste of canola and there is no trans fat.  I found bacon grease to be a little too salty for frying up fish, usually save that for frying up mushrooms 

[Oldbear]

Got my wife this fryer for Christmas and she likes it real well.  Its a Rival cf156 and is somewhat compact but the top lifts up and kinda deep basket.  For a family it works fine.

[lotwfisher]

I have an outdoor burner with a stainless steel pot...Dont go cheap or you will find you get an aluminium taste to you food. I use canola oil cause it is cheaper and I am used to it and like how it cooks my fish. Also if you get the deep pots you can deep fry a turkey!!! Most larger stores like Cabelas, or Bass Pro have these things on sale alot. Sometimes they even have the full kit.   And done for the hard water season??? haha it looks like I will be able to fish almost till April with the 30 inches of ice we still have.

[RealityCheck]

lotfisher I am jealous...I would like to keep ice fishing...I finally got the gills and smelt figured out....and I was just starting to get a good bead on the perch....something I did not mention to IS buddies till now

[dabluz]

There are tons of ways of cooking fish.  Yes, the fish in the frying pan is the most popular but I think it's because it's the easiest and one of the fastest ways to do it.

Flour, bread crumbs, eggs, milk etc are not really necessary.  You can just as easily cook your fish with nothing on it.

You can even cook walleye fillets in the dish washer.  Make sure that it is well wrapped and the package does not leak.  One full cycle is perfect for good sized fillets.

Cooking in the oven is great too.  Either on broil or wrapped in aluminum.  Then there is the old trick of cooking fish on the BBQ.  The same results can be done on an open fire.

However, we do waste a lot of fish.  We should be even more ingenious and use the unwanted parts of the fish (head, tails, skeleton after fillet has been removed) to make a fish broth.  It costs very little to do.  The broth can be frozen and then used to poach fish or make soups.

Then there is smoked fish, canned fish and marinated fish.

For cooking oil, the best is grape seed oil.  Very expensive.  However, the oil can take very high temperatures.

If you want to use butter....try using 1/2 less butter and adding some good cooking oil like grape seed oil or sunflower oil.  These oils are so light, they do not change the taste of the butter.

[deadsmelthead]

I have had an electric fryer for years now and its the only way to go, peanut oil is the best but as said it can be a little pricey, you can't go filling the thing to the top with oil either otherwise you will get spatter all over the place. As far as getting breadcrumbs in the bottom, well that comes with the territory, but you can limit it by mixing a little flour in with the breadcrumbs and and lightly double dipping in egg then freezing the fillet until your gonna fry it. I have noticed if you go straight from breading them to the fryer the crumbs are tough to manage but Letting them freeze with the breading on them reduces the crumbs in the bottom and the dark oil significantly.

[1TIGGER]

Try this to eliminate the crumb issue !

1 egg white
3 Tsp baking powder
1 Tsp oil
3/4 cup water
1Tsp salt
1 cup flour

Whip the egg whit until fluffy and add to the rest of the ingredients
It will give you a pancake batter consistency when it's done .
Pat the fish dry and dredge in mixture .


Best batter that I've found for the fryer and the oil stays clean a lot longer .

[lotwfisher]

add half a beer to that mixture and cut down on the other liquids a bit and it makes a great beer batter fish!!!

[captain54]

A good electric fryer with temp.controls,we have a dome shaped one that cost $100. bucks.We like gill filet's,dipped in egg wash and 4 C seasoned bread crumbs,and fry golden brown(still moist inside)not crispy and dryed out.As for oil ,peanut does not hold the flavor of one food to another so it is best ,but canola,and corn can be used.As for the crumbs at the bottom,we strain are oil before very fry.

[fozsey]

Hey guys,

      I am pretty much done for the hard water season.  Now it is time to deplete the supplies of fillets in my freezer.( cuzz it is full ) I have always fried my fish in a frying pan, in bacon grease.  However, I am thinking about buying a fryer that will sit on the counter top in th kitchen.  Do any of you have a fryer that you like???  also what oil is the best to use?  Please be specific with brand name of fryer
  
                                                                                                   Thanks,
                    
                                                                                                           Reality Check

I have a presto pressure fryer. I use crisco oil and a light flour breading. 5 minutes and done. I don't think they make the fryer anymore but basically it is the same thing as broasted chicken from a restraunt. Perfect every time.

[dabluz]

I saw a program the other day where Dan Gapen was cooking a shore lunch of walleye fried in shortening.  His favourite shortening being Crisco.

When my wife makes pie crust, I prefer it when she uses Crisco but that stuff does not help those with high cholesterol.

[Spindoctor]

I know it's not a deep fryer but everyone I've turned onto the George Forman Grill has loved it!
Lemon pepper, Adobo seasoning and 1 small piece of butter cooks up perch and gills in 60 to 80 seconds once the grill reaches maximum temperature.
2 minutes for walleyes and trout fillets.
The small grill is the fastest.
Incidentally, I make a flour combo called Bubba Bud's Better Breader that a lot of restaurants and anglers love!
Money back satisfaction guarantee!
Bud