Fried Walleye Recipe - Buttermilk Fried Fish | Hank Shaw (2024)

FAQs

What is the best oil to fry walleye in? ›

The best oil for frying walleye or other fish is one with a high smoke point, so canola, grapeseed, peanut, rice bran, safflower or avocado. These oils can go to 400°F without burning. Keep your oil as close to 350°F as you can. The single most common problem when frying fish is oil that's too cool.

Before frying, you can soak your fish in a buttermilk marinade or an ice water marinade. The buttermilk will make your fish tender and add a tangy taste to it. While the ice water marinade is a great way to add flavor to large fish fries. You will have to over season the water to get maximum flavor.

At-Home Prep. Once you get the fish home, decide if you want to remove the skin or not. Walleye can be eaten either way, but it's generally recommended to remove the skin if you're going to fry it. Next, you should remove the innards from the belly by running a knife through the belly from the anus to the neck.

Avoid olive oil and butter since they'll burn at the high temperatures required for frying. Don't skip the flour coating since it provides a delicious crispy texture, protects the fish from soaking up too much oil, and also keeps the fillet in one piece.

As to how long to fry fish, most fillets take around five minutes per side and are done when the internal temp reaches 145°.

Some cooks, including Fran McCullough, author of The Good Fat Cookbook, swear by deep frying with animal fats like lard (374°F smoke point) and beef tallow (400°F). Fans say this natural, saturated fat imparts great flavor and makes the ingredients crispier.

In a shallow dish, pour Kate's Buttermilk over the fish fillets, making sure they are fully coated. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and let the fish marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, or up to 4 hours.

Online research had recommended letting the fish soak submerged in milk for around 20 minutes, before rinsing and cooking in your preferred fashion.

The key to any good southern fish fry is a perfectly seasoned cornmeal coating that fries up golden with a smart, crisp crunch.

Rinse the walleye under cold running water to remove any debris. Scaling: There are two main approaches to scaling a walleye. If your walleye is fresh, you can simply scrape the scales off against the grain using the back of your knife, under running water.

How long to deep fry walleye at 375 degrees? ›

Heat oil in a deep fryer or large cast iron skillet to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Dip fillets into flour mixture, then dip in beaten egg, and then coat evenly with cracker crumbs; set fillets aside on a plate. Carefully lower 2 fillets into hot oil using tongs; cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side.

It's possible to leave the Y bones in a walleye and pick them out while you're eating; however, I use a simple trick to remove the Y bones before cooking a fillet. It's a quick process and you'll waste almost no meat.

When frying coated fish, using the right temperature is crucial. If the heat is insufficient the protein will release large amounts of water which will make the coating come loose from the fish. If the heat is excessive the coating will burn before the fish is cooked.

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.

Best Oil to Fry Fish. Thanks to its neutral flavor, affordable price, and high smoke point, canola oil is the most popular oil for frying fish. Peanut, cottonseed, and coconut oil are also great fish frying oils.

Frying: The good oil:

Vegetable, canola and rice bran oils can be heated to much higher temperatures without burning (and are the recommended oils if you're using a proper deep fryer).

Lard, tallow, ghee, and drippings

Animal fats, such as lard, tallow, ghee, and fat drippings, can be excellent choices for deep frying. Benefits include: the flavor and crispness they add to food. their ability to resist damage when fried.

"Extra-virgin olive oil is an excellent choice for cooking, even for high-heat methods like frying," she says. "Pan-frying fish in olive oil gives it a wonderfully crispy crust, and it's a divine light choice since you don't have to lather it in batter or leave it in marinades for hours on end."