Fish Fry Techniques

[BeastMan]

I use the traditional "country" method when frying fish. Dip the filets in buttermilk and then the batter which is usually zatarans fish fry (slap yo mama is good too). This weekend I used the "cajun" method where instedad of a buttermilk or egg wash, I gave the filets a coating of mustard and then battered. It was pretty good. It didn't make as big a taste difference as I thought it would but it did have an impact. What ways do you guys fry up your fish?

[Johnson85]

I use the traditional "country" method when frying fish. Dip the filets in buttermilk and then the batter which is usually zatarans fish fry (slap yo mama is good too). This weekend I used the "cajun" method where instedad of a buttermilk or egg wash, I gave the filets a coating of mustard and then battered. It was pretty good. It didn't make as big a taste difference as I thought it would but it did have an impact. What ways do you guys fry up your fish?

Milk with fresh specs or crappie although I'm more likely to grill these. Mustard with anything else.

Use zatarains fry and will doctor it up some. The better/fresher the fish, the less doctoring I will do. If I'm doing a big batch, I might do half in zatarains and half in a less spicy fry. I've tried messing around with mixing up my own fry and it doesn't get any better as far as I can tell if you are deep frying.

If you want to pan fry, you can do a lot of different stuff. A traditional batter cooked in olive oil, butter, worsterschire, and lemon juice is good for something different.

[Political Hack]

buttermilk in the fridge for an hour or so and then to the zatarans with a few extra spices thrown in. I like adding a little ground pepper and dry mustard to the batter.

I like the fish to be cold when I put it in the fryer. Makes it a little more crispy.

[Natedogg33]

I love the yellow mustard way on bream and bass filets. The zatarrans crispy southern batter with a little more jazz to my liking. I typically slice the larger filets to make them thinner and like little nuggets. My kids are picky eaters, and they will fight for the bream out of the fryer.

[SpeckleDawg]

Egg wash, Louisiana fish fry w/lemon, spices

[WeWillScrewItUp]

I usually use the mustard approach but it all depends on the day. I use Louisiana fish fry and will add a little to it. I'm like PH in that I like to put them in the fryer cold.

[Interpolation_Dawg_EX]

When using mustard for fish, is it used for it's flavoring or for it's vinegar? I know of several people who rub there beef or pork with mustard before they cook them and they say they used it for the vinegar because of it's ability to tenderize meats.

[BeastMan]

When using mustard for fish, is it used for it's flavoring or for it's vinegar? I know of several people who rub there beef or pork with mustard before they cook them and they say they used it for the vinegar because of it's ability to tenderize meats.

I have no idea

[Johnson85]

I use it for the flavor. Maybe the vinegar helps it penetrate the fish, or helps the flavor stick to the fish after going into the oil, or helps overcome any bad flavor from older or lower quality fish, I have no idea.

If it's doing anything beyond giving batter something to stick to and adding a good flavor when you eat it, I don't know what it is or how it does it.

ETA: If you eat fried fish that was dredged in mustard, you will know it, even if you can't immediately place the flavor. I have used mustard and not used mustard to hold dry rub on barbecue, and it's flavor doesn't show up in the final product the way it does with fried fish.

[Political Hack]

mustard, probably the vinegar, helps remove any fishiness from the taste. I think the milk does that too. I've never used actual mustard... I like using the dry mustard and I think it has pretty much the same effect. I'm going to try the real mustard soon though just to see.