Pan Fried Fish is a thing of beauty, with its beautiful crispy golden crust and juicy flesh inside. It’s a super quick dinner because cooking fish fillets on the stove takes less than 5 minutes!.
Want to know how to keep fish from sticking to the pan? It’s easy: use a heavy-based skillet (it doesn’t have to be nonstick), heat the pan before adding oil, and don’t move the fish until it comes off the pan on its own!
Frying fish in flour is a quick, easy and tasty way to prepare fish fillets. The flour coating gives the fish a lovely crispy, golden crust while keeping the flesh inside moist and flaky. But is using regular all-purpose flour okay for frying fish or do you need something special?
As an amateur home cook and seafood enthusiast, I’ve done a good bit of experimenting when it comes to frying fish in flour. Through trial and error, I’ve learned what works and what doesn’t. In this article, I’ll share everything I know about coating fish fillets in flour and frying them up to crispy golden brown perfection.
Why Flour Works So Well for Frying Fish
So why does dredging fish fillets in flour before frying produce such delicious results? There are a few reasons:
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Flour forms a protective crust – The flour coating seals in moisture and provides a crisp outer layer that protects the delicate flesh as it fries This prevents the fish from drying out
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Flour browns beautifully – When flour is exposed to hot oil, it undergoes the Maillard reaction. This causes the sugars and amino acids in the flour to brown, giving the crust color and deeper flavor.
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Flour thickens the frying oil – As the flour cooks, it releases starches that slightly thicken the oil, resulting in a light, crispy coating.
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Flour adheres really well – Compared to breadcrumbs and other coatings, flour forms a thin, even layer that evenly adheres to the fish. This gives you a perfect crispy crust.
So in short, flour is ideal for frying fish because it protects the flesh, browns well, crisps up nicely and sticks to the fillets. Now let’s look at the best practices for coating fish in flour.
Choosing the Right Flour
When it comes to frying fish, you can use regular all-purpose flour, no specialty flour required. However, there are a few other varieties that also work well:
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All-purpose – The most common choice, all-purpose flour contains just the right amounts of protein and starch to fry up crisp and golden. It’s readily available and provides great results.
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Whole wheat – For a nuttier, earthier flavor, use whole wheat flour. It will give your fish a darker, richer crust.
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Cornmeal – Super crispy and crunchy, cornmeal is ideal for frying fish. It also boasts a sweet, cornbread-like flavor.
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Chickpea flour – For a lighter, gluten-free option, chickpea flour makes an excellent coating with a distinct nutty taste.
Any of these flours can be used on their own or even combined to create custom blends. I like a 50/50 mix of all-purpose and cornmeal. Play around to find your own favorite coating.
Prepping the Fish Correctly
To get the best results when frying fish in flour, it’s important to properly prepare the fillets:
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Pat the fillets dry – Remove any excess moisture from the fish with paper towels. The flour will clump and fall off if the fish is wet.
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Season generously – Rub down the fillets with salt, pepper and any other spices you want. This seasons the flour coating.
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Use fresh, firm fillets – The fish should be fresh and the flesh should hold together, not fall apart easily. Soft fillets will disintegrate in the hot oil.
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Cut fillets evenly – Uniform pieces will fry evenly. Aim for around 1 inch thick.
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Chill the fillets – For 30-60 minutes before breading, refrigerate the seasoned fish. This firms up the flesh so the coating adheres better.
Follow these steps, and your fillets will be optimally prepped for a crispy flour coating.
Creating the Flour Coating
Once your fillets are good to go, it’s time to bread them. Here is the easy process:
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Set up a breading station – Get three shallow dishes or pans. One with flour, one with beaten egg and one empty for the breaded fillets.
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Coat fish in egg – Dip fillets in the beaten egg until thoroughly coated on both sides. Allow excess to drip off.
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Press fish into flour – Transfer the eggy fillets to the flour and turn to coat. Press gently so the flour really sticks.
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Shake off excess – Hold each breaded fillet over the flour dish and shake lightly to remove any loose flour.
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Return to egg, then flour again – For an extra thick, crunchy crust, repeat the egg and flour coating steps again.
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Let sit 5-10 minutes – Before frying, allow the breaded fish to sit for a few minutes so the coating firms up.
Double dredging the fish in the flour and egg really seals in moisture and gives you an incredibly crunchy crust that stays put, even in bubbling hot oil.
Frying the Fish to Golden Perfection
Once your fish is breaded, it’s ready to hit the hot oil. Follow these tips for pan-frying fish fillets:
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Use a heavy skillet or dutch oven – Choose cookware that will maintain an even oil temperature. Cast iron worksgreat.
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Pour in 1-2 inches of vegetable oil – You need enough oil to submerge the fillets halfway. Canola, grapeseed or peanut oil are good choices.
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Heat the oil to 350-375°F – Use a kitchen thermometer to monitor the temperature. Properly hot oil prevents sticking.
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Gently add fillets – Carefully slip the fish into the preheated oil one or two pieces at a time. Don’t overcrowd.
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Cook 4-5 minutes per side – Fry until beautifully browned, flipping once halfway through. Adjust the time for thicker/thinner fillets.
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Drain on paper towels – Transfer the cooked fish to a wire rack or paper towel-lined plate to remove excess grease.
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Sprinkle with salt – Season with a pinch of salt while still hot for flavorful, sizzling fillets.
Follow this process, frying the fish in small batches at the ideal temperature, and you’ll achieve picture-perfect, mouthwateringly delicious fried fish every time.
Handy Tips for Frying Fish Like a Pro
Through many finicky fillets, I’ve picked up some useful tips for flawlessly frying fish in flour:
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For ultra-crispy fish, use sparkling water instead of tap water in the egg wash. The carbonation bubbles create little air pockets in the crust.
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Dredge wet fillets in flour first, then egg for a thicker crust that doesn’t wash off the fish.
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For a super crunchy cornmeal crust, use half corn flour and half cornmeal in your breading.
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Undercook the fish slightly since it will continue cooking a bit more once removed from the oil.
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Letting the breaded fish sit for 5-10 minutes helps the coating better adhere to the flesh.
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Dropping the fish gently into the hot oil prevents the coating from sloughing off.
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Err on the lower end of the oil temperature range until you get the timing down.
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Use one hand for dry ingredients and the other for wet to avoid gummy breading.
Mastering these simple tricks will help you achieve the perfect flaky interior and crispy, golden crust every time.
Delicious Seasonings and Sauces for Flour-Fried Fish
A basic flour coating provides a perfect crisp, golden canvas to build flavor on. Consider seasoning your flour or garnishing your fried fish with any of these tasty additions:
Seasonings to add to the flour:
- Old Bay seasoning
- Lemon pepper
- Onion/garlic powder
- Smoked paprika
- Cayenne or chili powder
- Dried oregano or basil
- Cajun seasoning
- Jerk seasoning
- Curry powder
Sauces for serving:
- Lemon wedges
- Tartar sauce
- Cocktail sauce
- Remoulade
- Comeback sauce
- Honey mustard
- Ranch dressing
- Malt vinegar
- Hot sauce
- Tzatziki
Get creative with your own blend of herbs, spices and zesty dipping sauces. The possibilities are endless!
Handling Potential Issues When Frying Fish
As with any cooking technique, there can be some hiccups along the way. Here are some common fish frying troubles and how to avoid them:
Problem: The fish sticks to the bottom of the pan.
Solution: Allow the oil to fully preheat before adding fish. Use a thermometer to confirm it’s hot enough.
**Problem
How to cook fish fillets in a pan – perfectly!
- Don’t worry about whether the pan is nonstick or not; just make sure it has a heavy base.
- Heat the pan before adding oil;
- If it gets stuck, don’t move until it comes loose on its own;
- Pat fish dry before cooking; and
- Shake off excess flour very well.
I go through each of these points in a bit more detail below.
Crispy Pan Fried Fish
I believe that cooking fish on the stove is the BEST way to cook fish, especially if you buy really good fish fillets or catch your own. The outside should be golden and crispy, with or without skin, though I love Crispy Skin Salmon’s incredibly crispy skin. The inside should be juicy and delicious. We often ask ourselves why we don’t make pan-fried fish every night because it’s so easy and tastes so good.
But if you don’t know a few little tricks, you might end up with a fish fillet that is too wet or, even worse, all that golden crispy goodness stuck on the pan. So today I’m sharing my tips to nail pan fried fish perfectly, every single time.
How To Fry Fish With Flour And Egg (Simple Shallow Fry Method)
Can you cook fish with flour?
Cooking with flour is a quick and easy method of preparing fish while enhancing its taste and texture. You can choose from a variety of flours to coat your fish including all-purpose, whole meal, cornmeal or chickpea. Use milk to bind the fish to the flour and add seasonings if you want to enhance its flavor.
Is frying with olive oil ok?
Yes, olive oil and extra virgin olive oil have a smoke point of 190-207 degrees Celsius. This higher smoke point makes olive oil safe for frying without potentially creating harmful smoke and carcinogens.
Why do you coat fish with flour before frying?
Fried fish and chips. Coating fish with flour before cooking enhances its naturally delicate texture by creating a crispy golden-brown outer crust while retaining its inner flakiness. Used most often when pan-frying, the flour coating adds flavor and helps to seal in juices.
Can you fry fish without deep frying?
For a healthier alternative, try oven-fried fish instead of deep-fried. Coat the fillets with a mixture of mayonnaise and herbs, and top with panko. Place on a wire baking rack and bake in a 300° F oven for about 30 minutes. Instead of deep-frying, coat your fish in flour and pan-fry it in a small amount of oil in a skillet.