Sichuan Boiled Fish, or shui zhu yu, is all the rage these days. I think it might be THE most popular dish in all of China right now. One dish I still miss from China is Shui zhu yu, even though I’ve learned how to make many of my favorite foods that are hard to find in the US.
Cooking fish in hot oil, also known as deep frying, is a quick and delicious way to get a crispy, golden crust on fish fillets or whole fish. When done right, the fish comes out moist, flaky and full of flavor inside its crispy exterior. However, deep frying can easily go wrong if the oil temperature isn’t right or if the fish is overcooked, leading to dry, tough fish.
So how long exactly should you fry fish to perfection? The cooking time can vary quite a bit depending on a few key factors. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk through everything you need to know to deep fry fish like a pro, including ideal oils for frying, target oil temperatures approximate frying times, and how to tell when the fish is cooked just right.
Why Deep Fry Fish?
Deep frying is a popular cooking method because it works faster than other techniques like baking, grilling or pan frying The hot oil quickly sears the exterior to lock in moisture, while heat transfers very rapidly through the oil into the inside of the fish. This allows the fish to cook through fully without drying out.
Frying also gives you that irresistibly crispy, crunchy crust on foods like fried chicken, french fries, and of course, fried fish. When paired with a flavorful batter or breading, deep frying makes fish even more tasty and texturally interesting.
So while it requires a bit more oil and effort than other cooking methods, deep frying is an excellent way to cook moist, delicious fish with some added crunch.
Tips for Deep Frying Fish
Follow these tips to successfully deep fry fish at home with ideal results:
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Use the right oil: Choose an oil with a high smoke point like peanut, vegetable, canola or rice bran oil so it can withstand high frying temperatures without burning.
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Use a thermometer: Invest in a deep fry or candy thermometer to monitor the oil temperature. This is key for proper cooking.
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Don’t overcrowd: Cook fish in batches to avoid lowering the oil temperature too much.
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Keep oil hot: Maintain the target oil temperature by allowing it to reheat between batches.
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Don’t under or overcook: Follow recipe guidelines for frying times.
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Drain on paper towels: Drain fried fish on paper towels to absorb excess grease.
Best Oils for Deep Frying Fish
Choosing the right type of cooking oil is one of the most important things to get perfect deep fried fish. You want an oil with a high smoke point and neutral flavor that won’t burn or negatively impact the taste of the fish.
Here are some of the best options for deep frying fish:
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Peanut oil: With a smoke point of 450°F, peanut oil is ideal for frying at high heats. It has a neutral flavor that won’t overwhelm the fish.
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Vegetable oil: A versatile, neutral-flavored oil that can withstand frying temperatures around 440°F.
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Canola oil: Another mild oil good for frying with a smoke point of 400°F.
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Rice bran oil: A lesser known oil with a very high smoke point (490°F).
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Sunflower oil: A healthy oil option with a light flavor and 450°F smoke point.
No matter what oil you choose, be sure to heat it slowly over medium heat. Never leave hot oil unattended, as it can quickly overheat and ignite, which could cause serious injury.
Ideal Oil Temperatures for Frying Fish
Heating the oil to the proper temperature is crucial for getting the ideal crispy texture without absorbing too much grease. If the oil is too cool, the coating will be soggy and pale rather than crispy and golden brown. If it’s too hot, the exterior can burn before the interior cooks through.
The ideal oil temperature for deep frying fish is 350-375°F. Use a deep fry thermometer to monitor the temperature and adjust the heat to maintain it in that range.
If battering or breading the fish, aim for the lower end of that range, around 350°F. For plain fish with no coating, you can go up to 375°F. But anything above that risks burning the exterior before the fish cooks through.
![Deep fry thermometer in hot oil][]
Using a thermometer is the only way to truly know if your oil is hot enough for frying fish. Don’t rely on the stove dial or how the oil looks – use a thermometer for precision.
How Long to Fry Fish Based on Thickness
The cooking time for deep fried fish can range quite a bit, from just 1-2 minutes up to 5-7 minutes for thicker fillets. The thickness of the fish is the main factor determining how long to fry.
Here are general deep frying times based on fish thickness:
- 1/4 inch thick: 1-2 minutes
- 1/2 inch thick: 3-4 minutes
- 3/4 inch thick: 4-5 minutes
- 1 inch thick: 5-7 minutes
For best results, fry fish in small batches of similar thickness pieces. Overloading the fryer with too much fish lowers the oil temperature and increases frying times.
These times are just a guide. Always check for visual signs of doneness like golden brown crust and use a thermometer for fish steaks and whole fish. Speaking of which…
How to Tell When Fried Fish is Done
It can be tricky to nail the right frying time, but there are a few easy ways to know your fish is cooked perfectly:
- Color: The fish should be golden brown on the outside when done.
- Texture: The coating or surface should feel crispy when you remove the fish.
- Flakiness: Check thicker fish fillets by flaking the flesh with a fork to see if the center is opaque and flakes apart easily.
- Thermometer: For thick fish steaks or whole fish, check the internal temperature in the thickest part with an instant read thermometer. It should reach 145°F.
- Opacity: The fish should be opaque throughout when fully cooked, not translucent.
Pull the fish from the oil as soon as it is golden brown to avoid overcooking. Then drain on paper towel-lined plates before serving.
Frying Times and Temps for Popular Fish
To take the guesswork out of frying fish, here is a handy frying time and temperature chart for some of the most popular fish to fry:
| Fish Type | Oil Temp | Fry Time | Internal Temp |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cod fillets | 350°F | 3-5 minutes | 145°F |
| Haddock fillets | 350°F | 3-5 minutes | 145°F |
| Catfish nuggets | 365°F | 3-5 minutes | 145°F |
| Tilapia fillets | 350°F | 3-5 minutes | 145°F |
| Salmon fillets | 350°F | 4-6 minutes | 145°F |
| Halibut steaks | 350°F | 6-8 minutes | 145°F |
| Flounder fillets | 375°F | 3-4 minutes | 145°F |
| Sole fillets | 350°F | 3-5 minutes | 145°F |
| Trout fillets | 350°F | 3-4 minutes | 145°F |
| Calamari rings | 375°F | 1-2 minutes | – |
Use thicker cuts or steaks at the higher end of the time range. For example, halibut steaks around 1 inch thick would need 6-8 minutes.
Battering or breading the fish adds a minute or two. And as always, watch carefully and remove the fish as soon as it looks golden brown and crispy. Enjoy your perfectly fried fish!
Tips for Batter and Bread Crumbs
Battering or breading fish before frying adds flavor and crunch. For best results:
- Make sure the fish is dry before coating to help the batter adhere.
- Dip in egg and/or buttermilk then coating for a crisper crust.
- Use a light coating so the batter doesn’t fall off while frying.
- Try seasoned flours or cornmeal for the coating.
- For breadcrumbs, use panko or dried breadcrumbs to maintain a crispy texture after frying.
- Let coated fish sit 5-10 minutes before frying so coating sets.
- Fry coated fish at 350°F to avoid burning the exterior.
Fried Whole Fish
While frying fish fillets is most common, you can
Sichuan Boiled Fish: Recipe Instructions:
Cut the fish into ¼-inch thick slices at a 45-degree angle. The fish should have a lot of surface area because it will shrink when it’s cooked.
Next, marinate the fish. Add 3/4 teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper, and 1/2 tablespoon Shaoxing wine. Mix everything well.
Next, add the egg white and mix, followed by 1½ tablespoons cornstarch. Mix until the marinade starts to feel “slimy,” for lack of a better term.
Finally, drizzle 1 tablespoon of oil over the top. There’s no need to mix it in, just drizzle it over the surface. Put the fish in the refrigerator, and marinate for about 20 minutes.
The cooking time is less than 10 minutes, so get the rest of the ingredients ready while the fish is marinating. Also, be ready to eat right away, because this dish tastes best when it’s served right away.
Put the chicken stock, water, ginger, garlic, scallions, ¼ teaspoon of white pepper, and 1 tablespoon of Shaoxing wine in a wok that is on high heat. Bring it to a boil. Now is a good time to add salt to taste.
Next, add the soybean sprouts, and bring to a boil once more.
Cook for one minute. Now turn down the heat. Scoop out all the solids from the soup using a fine-meshed strainer, a spider, or a large slotted spoon. Then, move the soup to a heat-safe serving bowl.
When you pour the very hot oil into the serving bowl later, it’s very important that it can handle the heat.
Now, in a small pot, slowly heat up ½ – ¾ cup oil. It doesn’t have to be exact, but you should use at least a ½ cup. Dip a wooden or bamboo chopstick into the oil and look for small bubbles forming around it. If there are none, the oil is at the right temperature. If the oil is smoking, it’s too hot!.
As the oil heats up, bring the soup back to a boil. Then, drop the heat to low. Place your fish, one piece at a time, into the soup.
Once all the fish is in the soup, turn up the heat and bring everything to a boil. Once boiling, immediately pour everything (fish and soup) on top of the vegetables in the serving bowl.
Quickly sprinkle the fish with the dried red chili peppers and green Sichuan peppercorns, or ma jiao. Then, pour the hot oil over everything.
There shouldn’t be any burnt spices in the oil. It should be hot enough for the chili and peppercorns to sizzle.
Serve your Sichuan boiled fish immediately! The clean-up can wait. 🙂
To serve this Sichuan boiled fish, use a slotted spoon or a mesh scoop made for hot pot meals. There’s lots of oil and spicy dried peppers to sort through to get to those tender fish fillets!.
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Adapting This Recipe for the Home Cook
In restaurants, Sichuan boiled fish is usually made with a whole fish—often snakehead, carp or catfish. We would usually order the catfish, because it’s tender and has relatively few bones. For a moment, I thought about using a whole fish in this post, but I chose not to make you go through that trouble.
Using fish fillets doesn’t make this dish any less authentic, but it is certainly much easier. I used tilapia fillets, but flounder and catfish fillets are also ideal. Just remember that the fish must be very fresh, and it’s always better if it was never frozen.
When I first thought about how to cook this dish, I thought it would be like Sichuan Boiled Beef, or Shui Zhu Niu. But it’s actually much simpler. You boil everything, and then hot oil sizzles over the dish in a heatproof bowl. The real key is in the marinade. Once you’ve seasoned the fish correctly, you’re home free.
Keep in mind that this Sichuan boiled fish recipe has a lot of chili and Sichuan peppercorns (麿撒), so if your taste buds can’t handle it, cut back on the amounts you use.
Another thing to make it clear is that the green Sichuan peppercorns (麻撒) are not the same color, taste, or smell as the red Sichuan peppercorns (hua jiao). They are much more numbing and a bit more floral/herbal than their red counterparts.
I Don’t Fry Fish IN OIL Anymore! NO Air fryer! NO Stove! Quick Crispy Fish
FAQ
How long does fish take to cook in hot oil?
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Seafood
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Approximate cooking times for deep frying
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Gilled and gutted whole finfish
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300-500 g
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10–12 minutes
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Finfish fillets
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3 cm thick 2 cm thick 1 cm thick
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6 minutes 4 minutes 3 minutes
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How long do you fry fish in oil?
Fry fish in oil 6-8 minutes, turning once, until fish flakes easily and is brown on both sides. Fish cooks very quickly, especially the thinner tail sections, so be careful not to overcook. Remove with slotted spatula; drain on paper towels. Expert tips: Use vegetable oil or shortening for frying fish.
How much fish oil should one take daily?
Fish oil is a supplement that provides vitamin A and essential fatty acids such as omega 3, among other nutrients. Its consumption is recommended when the supply of these nutrients is not sufficient through food. The adequate amount of fish oil varies according to the age and type of diet of the person. It is advisable to consult a nutritionist to know which is the adequate daily recommendation since an excess of it could be detrimental to health.
How long do you cook fish fillets?
Carefully place the fish fillets into the hot oil to prevent splattering. Ensure that the fillets are not overcrowded to allow even cooking. Let the fish cook for about 4-6 minutes per side, depending on the thickness of the fillets. Flip them once the underside turns golden brown.
How long do you cook fish in a frying pan?
Season the fish with your favorite seasoning mix or just salt and pepper. Heat the oil or other fat in a non-stick pan or large skillet over medium heat. Add the fish pieces, skin side up, to the hot oil in the skillet and cook 4 to 5 minutes on the first side. Thin fillets will cook more quickly than thicker fillets or steaks.