Fish Fry Guide
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FISH FRY GUIDE Gordon Food Service® A Fish Fry Destination The popularity of fried fish remains strong, so don’t underestimate the value of featuring it on your menu. Unique fried fish items on your menu can bring you recognition and loyalty. After all, consumers desire dishes that they can’t or don’t want to make at home. Try your hand at the techniques in this guide and satisfy customers searching for delicious fried fish dinners. With the tips, procedures, and products in this guide, Gordon Food Service® is here to equip you with everything you need to make you well-known for fish! 2 Batter Frying Battered coatings yield a more consistent appearance and can be more forgiving than breading during rush periods. The batter itself causes fillets to rise to the surface almost immediately when placed in the fryer, an eventuality that is not a reliable indicator of doneness. Use small portions of four ounces or less to ensure that fish is cooked thoroughly without overcooking the batter. Slice children’s menu portions into strips. Crunchy, battered whitefish is great served with condiments of malt vinegar or tartar sauce and crisp french fries. The standard approach is outlined below: 1 2 3 Dust moist fish with flour or dry Plunge fish into wet batter, taking With baskets removed from the batter mix and tap gently to care to thoroughly coat it. Lift fillet preheated fryer to prevent sticking, remove excess. out to allow excess batter to drip gently lay battered fillets down into off. Batter is made from one part the oil. standard commercial batter mix to one part water, or if desired, beer. 4 5 HELPFUL HINTS s4HESMOOTHERTHEBATTER the crispier the finished fish. Blend batters with an electric mixer for best results. s7ASHOFFTHEICEGLAZEFROM After two to three minutes, use tongs Fry fish for a total of six to seven IQF fillets before battering, to gently turn fillets over for even minutes, depending on portion sizes. cooking on both sides. Check for doneness and remove breading, or dusting. cooked fish from oil and transfer to a pan with a drain grate. Plate as desired and serve immediately. 3 Successful Breading Breading options abound and can be a significant point that distinguishes your fish fry from all others while drawing appreciative crowds. Breaded fish fillets pair well with cole slaw and signature dipping sauces or double as terrific sandwich fillers. Some popular breading choices include seasoned flour, bread crumbs, cornmeal, cornflake crumbs, sesame seeds, and pecans. Here is the basic method and tricks to avoid pitfalls: 1 2 3 Start with properly thawed, thinner Plunge the dusted fillets into egg Place the fillets into your breading portions, such as natural fillets, or cut wash (whipped whole eggs and milk), and coat completely and evenly. a cello horizontally to limit the frying lift, and allow the excess egg wash to Gently shake excess crumbs loose. time. Dust the moist fish portions drop off into the pan. Periodically sift the breading through with flour or seasoned flour, taking a medium wire strainer and into a care to knock off the excess. clean pan to remove clumps. 4 5 6 With the basket lowered into a After two to three minutes, gently Fry fish for a total of 6 to 7 minutes, preheated fryer, gently place fish agitate the basket, then use tongs to depending on portion size. Check completely in oil. turn the fillets over for even cooking for doneness. Lift basket and on both sides. transfer cooked fillets to a pan with a drain grate. Plate as desired and serve immediately. 4 Lightly Dusting Lightly dusted fish is excellent for your entrées and is often preferred when gearing your fish towards a more upscale presentation. The higher fish- to-coating ratio allows the mild fish flavor to come through, making this the fish lover’s choice of preparation methods. Larger portions, from 6–12 ounces are more desirable. The larger portion also creates added value in the eyes of your customers, so price your meal accordingly. 1 2 HELPFUL HINTS sOne five-pound box of breading or batter mix will coat approximately 50 pounds of fish. sSignature seasonings created Dust moist fish portion in a dry batter With baskets removed from the with your secret blend of mix. Coat completely, then gently tap preheated fryer to prevent sticking, to remove excess batter. gently lay dusted fish down into the herbs and spices should be oil. Fry fish in small batches. added to the dusting flour, not the breading or batter mix, for better flavor and longer shortening life. 3 4 s/PPOSITESATTRACT#OATWET fish with dry batter and a dry dusting with a wet batter. Never coat a wet fillet with a wet batter. After two to three minutes, use tongs Fry fish for a total of six to seven to gently turn fillets over for even minutes, depending on portion sizes. cooking on both sides. Check for doneness and remove cooked fish from oil and transfer to a pan with a drain grate. Plate as desired and serve immediately. 5 Frying 101 Flavor, texture, and appearance are the significant attributes of fried foods. Whether frying breaded, battered, fresh, or frozen, fish may be one of the most demanding foods to fry. The high moisture content of fish combined with the breading or batter requires a premium shortening that can handle this demanding fried food. The best fried fish will have the great flavor of the fish itself, have a crisp and light texture (not greasy or heavy), be golden brown in color while being thoroughly cooked, moist, and flaky. Flavor—The foods you fry need to taste great and should never taste like the oil they were fried in. Choosing a premium shortening, combined with proper oil care techniques will ensure great-tasting foods throughout your busiest frying schedule. Texture—The foods you fry need to be crisp and dry. Choosing a premium shortening, combined with the proper oil care techniques Thawing Seafood will reduce oil absorption into the foods—providing a crisper, drier, and more appealing texture to the fried foods you serve. Appearance—The fried foods you serve need to have a golden brown color while being thoroughly cooked. Using a premium Keep frozen seafood at a constant shortening, combined with proper oil care techniques, cooking time, temperature until you’re ready to thaw and temperature will ensure ideal appearance. it, which means moving deliveries Many changes in the shortening category have taken place in the expeditiously into your freezer. Stack past five years, most significantly the elimination of trans fats from cartons away from walls and off of floors many types of shortenings. Your Gordon Food Service Customer to promote circulation. Date each carton Development Specialist can assist you in the decision of choosing a and use on a first-in, first-out basis. shortening to best support the flavor, texture, and appearance of your fried foods. Thaw frozen fish fillets and steaks slowly to preserve overall quality. Overnight and under refrigeration are preferable conditions. Place fish in a sheet or steam Keep It Clean table pan, cover it with plastic wrap, and Prior to adding fresh shortening, it’s a good idea to thoroughly clean put it on a shelf in the cooler. This allows your deep fryer. Start with the basics: the moisture to be reabsorbed into the s$RAINTHESHORTENINGWHILEITSSTILLWARMANDPROPERLYDISPOSEOFIT cell structure of the fish and minimizes Rinse the fryer out with hot water until all the crumbs are flushed out. drip loss. s"OILOUTTHEFRYER BASKETS SKIMMERS ANDOTHERTOOLSORATTACHMENTS Under ideal inventory rotation conditions, with a cleaner designed for commercial deep-fat fryers and follow thaw only what is needed for the next package instructions closely. Polymerized material that has formed day’s demand. However, properly thawed on the equipment surfaces will loosen. fish keeps for four to five days under s7ITHTHEHEATOFF REMOVEALLLOOSENEDDEPOSITSWITHANYLONSCRUB refrigeration. Refreezing thawed product pad—avoid using metal ones that could scratch the finish and leave significantly diminishes its quality. metal shavings in the fryer. To store thawed fillets, place them into s$RAINTHEFRYERWELLANDRINSEITSEVERALTIMESWITHCLEARTAPWATER a deep pan, layering one deep so the edges touch. Do the same with fish s&ILLTHEFRYERWITHASOLUTIONOFONEPARTVINEGARTOPARTSHOTWATER to neutralize any cleaner residues that remain. thawed in cryovac pouches, which help retain moisture and freshness. Fill plastic s$RAIN RINSEANDTHOROUGHLYDRYWITHPAPERTOWELS ORIFPOSSIBLE zippered pouches with ice, layer on top allow fryer to air-dry overnight. Water left in a fryer is a prime cause of the fillets, and pat them down gently. of shortening breakdown. Label and date the pan and place it in the s#HECKDRAINVALVESTOENSURETHATSHORTENINGISNOTCOMINGIN cooler until needed. contact with copper fittings, which can promote oxidation and impart an “off” flavor to your fried food. s2ElLLTHEFRYERWITHFRESHSHORTENINGTOTHEPROPERLEVEL 6 Fryer Filtering Extend the Life Fryer shortening should be filtered at least twice daily. This removes of Fryer Oil fine carbonized particles and crumbs that accumulate in the fryer, giving shortening a bitter taste and causing it to darken faster. As you establish filtering practices, consider the following: Three key factors can extend the life s&ORBESTRESULTS COOLSHORTENINGBEFORElLTERING of your deep fryer oil as well as save s#HOOSEDISPOSABLElLTERSOVERWASHABLEONES4HEYWORKBETTER money, reduce waste, and improve the at removing fine particles from the shortening. Use all filtering aids flavor of fried foods. The following are as directed for best results. methods for monitoring oil temperature, s,IMITAERATIONDURINGTHElLTERINGPROCESS!ERATIONACCELERATES proper deep fryer operation, oxidation and decreases the shortening’s fry life. Limit the and filtering your oil for optimum distance between the drain and the filter and avoid splashing or performance. Performing regular blowing air directly at the shortening.