The Crispiest Fish Ever!

This is the Crispiest Fish recipe ever!  It is triple dipped and the breading sticks to the fish creating the crispiest fish ever with no fishy smell and no fishy taste!

When we lived in the Midwest we would go freshwater fishing for walleye, northern pike, perch, crappy, and bass.  We would clean and eat what we caught.  We would go for weekends or weeklong fishing trips.  At times we did fantastic and came home with a lot of fillets, and lots of stories.

I made it a mission to determine how my family preferred their fish prepared.  The top needs were no bones, no fishy taste, crispy, and corn flake crumbs.  After a few tries I found success!

No Bones

That was my request.  I cannot handle bones in my fish.  So, when we’re cleaning fish, guess who gets to debone the fillets?  Yep, me.  I’m pretty good at it too.  I can get the fillets about 99% bone free.  I can even Y bone a northern pike with minimal waste and no bones.  Here is my Youtube link on how to Y bones a northern pike.

No Fishy Taste

Ok, that one was me too.  I do not like my fish to have a fishy taste or for my house to smell like fish.  Fresh fish does not taste fishy, and it does not make your home smell of fish.

I found that if you soak your fillets in milk there is an enzyme in the milk that pulls the fishy out of the fillets.  So, if I make fillets that have been in the freezer I definitely soak the fillets in milk.  The longer they soak the less fishy they will taste.  The milk does not act as a marinade where it tenderized the fillets.  It will not change the texture of the fillets.

This will also allow you to cook fish and your home will greatly reduce or eliminate the fish smell in your home.

Once you’re done soaking the fillets in the milk, dispose of the milk and pat the fish dry.  Don’t use the leftover milk in this recipe or in anything. 

Crispy

The FEB dipping method really helps with making the fillets the crispiest fish ever and making the batter stay on the fillets.  You may be wondering what FEB is.  F is for flour, E is for egg, B is for breading.  It helps you remember what order to do a triple dip breading process.

It the FEB process and the corn flake crumbs that make this fish recipe crispy.

Corn Flake Crumbs

When my husband was a boy, his family would go fishing in Canada and their guide would use corn flake crumbs to bread the fish fillets.  He loved the flavor of that fish.  That where the corn flake crumbs in the recipe came from.

The corn flake crumbs give the fillets a lightly sweet flavor and again, it helps the fillets to be really crisp.

The Ingredients

There is corn muffin mix in the flour portion of this recipe.  Please note that it is CORN MUFFIN MIX.  It is not cornmeal.  They are not they are the same and they will not work the same in this recipe.

When you make the flour mixture you will get more than you need for this recipe.  You’ll use about a cup or so.  The rest can be stored for the next time you prepare this fish recipe.

I will put what I need for the meal on a plate and add to it if I run low.  Do not dip your fillets in the full container of the flour mixture and keep it to use later.  It will not be safe to eat.

The corn flake crumbs come in a box already crumbled.  They can be found by all the other breading in the grocery store.  Often times they are on an upper shelf.  If you cannot find them, you can make your own crumbs by crumbling corn flakes cereal or put the flakes in a food processor.

Breading the Fillets

We’re going to use the FEB method and have 3 bowls or plates to use to bread the fillets.

Bowl 1  This will be the seasoned flour with the corn muffin mix.  Dip both sides of the fillet in this mixture.  This mix gives it flavor.

Bowl 2  This will be the egg and milk mixture.  Dip the fillet and before both sides get wet.  This makes everything stick.

Bowl 3  This is the corn flake crumbs or the crispy.  Be sure to press both sides of the fillets in the corn flake crumbs.

I will bread all of the fillets and gently stack them on another plate or tray before I cook them.

Cooking the Fillets

DEEP FRYING    In my opinion this is the best cooking method, but I also know it can be messy and not as healthy.  You can fry them until they are crispy and lightly browned.

AIR FRYER    They can be done in an air fryer.  I would suggest misting the top of the fillets with olive oil.  It keeps them a bit more moist and they are closer to a deep-fried taste and look.

BAKED   They can also be baked in the oven.  Misting the top of the fillets with olive oil will keeps them moister and they are closer to a deep-fried taste and look.  I like the convenience of baking the fish.  I can bake a lot of fish at one time and have it all done at the same time.  The perch filets pictured were prepared using this method.

Whichever cooking method you choose, if you need to prepare the fillets in batches use a warm oven to keep them warm until you’re ready to serve the fillets.

Serving the Fillets

They are really good just as they are.  They do not need a sauce, but you can serve them with a tartar sauce if you’d like.

I tend to serve sides that are easy and something that needs minimal attention since am giving a lot of attention to the fillets.  Often, I will go with Boiled Garlic Potatoes and a simple vegetable like, corn or steamed broccoli with butter.

To reheat any leftovers, I suggest using an air fryer or a Pizza Pizzaz.  Pizza Pizzaz’s are good and reheating things that you want to be crispy and not soggy.

This fish can be prepared using store bought fillets too.  A lot of the techniques such as soaking in milk and the FEB breading will apply to those fillets too.   You can use cod, tilapia, catfish, fillets like those would work great to create the Crispiest Fish Ever.

Happy Cooking!