Recipe · Fish
Friday Night Walleye Fish Fry
Walleye or perch in a crunchy golden crust, fried in small batches, with a quick homemade tartar sauce.
- Serves 4-6
- Time About 45 minutes
- Made with Golden Crisp Fish Breading
Friday night fish fry is a Midwest institution, from the supper club to the church basement. Golden Crisp gives walleye, perch, or crappie a crunchy, golden crust with no extra seasoning needed. Fry in small batches and keep the oil hot.
Ingredients
Serves 4-6. Time: about 45 minutes.
- 2 lb walleye, yellow perch, crappie, or bluegill fillets, skin off, pin bones removed
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup milk
- Frisco Golden Crisp Fish Breading (contains wheat), enough to coat. A 16 oz bag is a good start for 2 lb of fish
- Vegetable, canola, or peanut oil for frying, about 2 inches deep in a heavy pot or 1/2 inch in a cast iron skillet
- Lemon wedges
Quick tartar sauce: Stir together 3/4 cup mayonnaise, 3 tablespoons chopped dill pickle or relish, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill (optional). Chill.
Steps
- Pat the fillets dry. Cut large fillets into 3-4 inch pieces so they all cook at the same speed.
- Whisk the eggs and milk together in one shallow dish. Put the breading in another.
- Dip each piece in the egg wash and let the extra drip off, then press it into the breading on both sides. Set the breaded pieces on a rack for 5-10 minutes so the coating sets.
- Heat the oil to 350-375F, and use a thermometer. Oil that's too cool makes greasy fish, and oil that's too hot burns the breading before the fish cooks.
- Fry in small batches without crowding, 2-4 minutes total (turning once in a skillet), until deep golden and the fish flakes easily, 145F inside.
- Drain on a wire rack over a sheet pan, not paper towels, which make the bottom soggy. Hold finished batches in a 200F oven while you fry the rest.
- Serve with tartar sauce, lemon, coleslaw, and rye bread. Never leave hot oil unattended, and let it cool completely before you strain or toss it.
Why it works
Corn meal and cracker crumbs fry up into the crunchy, golden crust you'd get at a supper club fish fry. It's already seasoned, so there's nothing else to add.
Pair it with
Shake a little Lemon Pepper over the fish right out of the fryer, or use it on nights you'd rather bake or broil the fillets.
Lemon Pepper
Bright lemon, cracked black pepper.
Best on: Fish · Chicken · Roasted vegetables
