Flour coating The method works well for relatively solid, whole fish fillets where you want to alter the taste and character of the fish as little as possible. Add salt and pepper and dip the fillets in flour. Fry them for a few minutes on each side in a mixture of oil and butter (added to the pan in that order).
For how to fry fish that's just as crispy as what you get at a fish and chips restaurant, dip pieces of fish in a beer batter or several coatings of egg and seasoned flour before you fry it. It will come out a crisp, golden brown.
Dredge meat like chicken or fish in flour first. The flour will help seal in moisture to protect the food from the high cooking heat.
The fish gets nice and crispy in the oven thanks to a double-dredge in dry ingredients — first in flour, then in an egg and mayonnaise mixture, and finally in a breadcrumb and Cornflake coating. This baked fish is tender but firm, doesn't get mushy, and has the most flavorful, crunchy exterior.
It's commonly done as the first step of battering—as in “applying a batter to” not “striking repeatedly”—but it is a great technique all on its own. Dredging a piece of fish (or another protein) encourages browning, but it also forms a protective layer between the food and the pan, preventing it from sticking.
For example, dredging may result in a change in aquatic macrophytes (vegetation) and this may ultimately affect fish populations through a change in food resources (Fig. 1).
Fish fillets dusted with flour and cooked until crispy makes a simple yet satisfying dish. The flour browns nicely and creates just the barest hint of a crust on the fish. For this technique, all-purpose flour is often used, and this is a great way to start.
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. For best results, use a heavy-bottomed pan, as it distributes the heat evenly.
The correct dredging order is flour first, then egg, then crumbs. Season all stages of breading foods. That means season the flour with salt and pepper and season the crumbs with salt and pepper. The only exception is when the crumb mixture includes salty ingredients.
Lightly coat the food in flour. Shake off any excess and set on a pan or plate that's lined with parchment paper. If you're only dredging, then that is all. If breading continue with the next steps.
The standard breading technique involves first dredging the item with flour, dipping it in egg wash, and then finally coating it with breadcrumbs. This works because the flour sticks to the food, the egg sticks to the flour, and the breadcrumbs stick to the egg.
A few things will help keep that golden coating super crispy and crunchy. First, keep the oil at 375°. If frying in batches, bring the oil back up to temperature before adding more fish. 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.
Coating it in cornmeal rather than just regular flour or batter makes it super crispy and a lot nicer too. Jump to: Ingredients needed to make cornmeal fried fish.
The right temp is a must. The range def has to be between 350-375. Lower then that and the batter will disperse, and higher then that the batter might stick but it will look like toast rather then fish.
You could also try milk or yogurt. For heavier coatings (like panko or breadcrumbs), you might dust the fish with flour first. Once the floured fish is dipped in the butter or milk, it will get a little gummy and help the coating adhere better.
Make sure your oil is hot enough, otherwise too much will be absorbed into the chips and batter, resulting in greasy and soggy fish and chips.
The secret to this extra-crispy fish is the mix of flours used in the dredge and the batter. Rice and tapioca flours absorb less moisture when fried, for a crispier result. The dredge is the first step in frying; it helps the batter adhere to the fish.
If you like crumbed fish, this can be ok if you choose to crumb it yourself in wholegrain breadcrumbs and cook using a healthier cooking method and a healthy oil. The Heart Foundation doesn't recommend battered fish, as it is generally deep fried.
Dredging and desilting can have serious and long lasting negative impacts on the environment. For example, it can damage or destroy fish spawning grounds and make river banks unstable. Silt can become suspended in the water, lowering oxygen levels, potentially releasing harmful chemicals that may be present.
But as with anything, the dredging practice also has its drawbacks. The machines scrape away the reefs, leaving a damaged habitat for oysters to grow. They can also tear up vital underwater grass beds, which aquatic species depend on for food and habitat.