Unbelievable Fish Batter (2024)

FAQs

How do you get batter to stick to fish? ›

Milk: The proteins in milk help the batter adhere to the fish and promote browning. Water: Use very cold water for the crispiest results. Baking powder: Baking powder ensures a light and crispy exterior.

Rice flour and cornstarch work particularly well because they fry up crispier than wheat flour. They also absorb less moisture and fat during the frying process, making the products less greasy.

For a rich, crispy crust, you need to make a batter. Panko breadcrumbs make the best batter for deep-fried fish. Beat one egg and 1/2 cup of dark beer or milk together in a shallow dish. Mix 1/3 cup flour and 1 teaspoon seasoning salt together in another shallow dish.

If the wet batter is too thick (in consistency) your cooked batter will be thick (in depth) around the fish and tends to soak up too much oil. Too watery on the other hand and it won't coat the fish properly, and will go soggy quickly. Aim for a batter that runs but fully coats the back of a spoon – see video.

Dip fish fillets in egg mixture; dip in flour to coat. Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add fish; cook 5 to 7 minutes or until golden brown and fish flakes easily with fork, turning once.

If the fish is dropped in the fryer to fast or even just tossed in the fryer the batter will most like disperse or just a little will stick. The secret here is to put in the fish slowly while giving it a little wiggle to get access batter off. This will really give you an amazing coating on the fish!

Use Cornstarch or Rice Flour

Michael says that cornstarch or rice flour in combo with flour will give you the crunchiest batter. Even cake four will cook up crunchier than all-purpose flour because it doesn't have a high gluten level.

Cornstarch in the flour makes the crust crispier.

Cornstarch weakens the all-purpose flour's protein just enough to make the coating tender.

Fried Fish Tips

Don't overcrowd the pan with fillets, resist the urge to move the fish around once it's in the oil, and fry it long enough. Also, don't cover the skillet or fryer when frying the fish. That creates steam which will end up in a soggy and greasy coating.

In a shallow dish, add ½ cup all-purpose flour. In a separate shallow dish, combine 1 beaten egg with 2 tablespoons water or milk. In one more dish or plate, add ⅓ cup panko bread crumbs. Dip fish pieces into the flour, turning to coat all sides, and shake off excess flour.

Is batter better with milk or water? ›

Using milk in this recipe has different functions. As well as acting as an adherent, the milk sugars help the batter to brown while frying. Also, the lactic acid in milk reacts with the bicarbonate of soda in the self-raising flour to produce carbon dioxide.

It must rest for at least an hour before use, by which time it's risen obligingly, like an over-eager bread dough. The batter has a quite astounding billowy texture, and a good crispness, but it seems to have soaked up more of the oil than the others, and we crunch thoughtfully, trying to put our finger on the flavour.

It's important not to overcrowd the pan when frying fish. Cook one or two fillets at a time to ensure that they cook evenly and don't release too much moisture. Overcrowding the pan can cause the temperature to drop and can result in the fish becoming soggy rather than crispy.

Place the plate into the refrigerator and let the food sit for at least 60 minutes. This helps the coating to harden a bit, which will keep it on the food.

Because the fish is wet. Dry the fish with a paper towel or clean dish towel. Then dip the fish in either flour or cornstarch or potato starch. Then dip it in the batter.

First, if the fryer oil temperature isn't at the right level, it won't keep the batter adhered to the food. That's because the batter is at a lower temperature than the oil in the fryer, which causes the batter to ooze off and not stick. When the oil is hot enough, it helps keep everything contained better.