Long John Silver’s Batter

            When you eat out at a seafood place, you want the batter for fried fish to be tasty and crispy. The batter on the fish served at Long John Silvers is my ultimate favorite. I have finally been able to replicate it and can now make my own Long John Silver Fish at home. I think you will absolutely love this one!

            Deep fried fish is usually very heavy, but it does not need to be. Most places have their own secret recipe for certain foods. Battered fish is no different. The secret for this recipe is three simple ingredients, and none of those are beer!

I say that because so many seem to think that beer is what makes fish batter so good.

This time it is going to be baking soda, baking powder and club soda!

Frequently Asked Questions

            Which fish should I use in this recipe?

Any type of fish will work. Catfish to tilapia, but Cod is the favorite and what is used at most restaurants. Your fish pieces should be no larger than 3 ounces to prevent sinking and soaking up to much oil.

            Should I use vegetable oil?

The restaurant that we are replicating uses Canola oil. Stick with that if possible. Of course you can use any type you want as long as it has a higher smoke point than 400*

            Does the size of the fish matter?

You do not want to use pieces of fish more than 3 ounces. When they are heavier than 3 ounces, they will sink to the bottom and then soak more oil up.

            Can I make the batter ahead of time?

No, when batter like this is made ahead of time, it becomes heavy. You want your batter to be light and fluffy with crispiness on the outside.

            Does Club Soda change the flavor?

No, this is what is used at the big restaurant processing plant. However, you could try seltzer or beer instead.

Helpful Notes

            Do not over stir the batter. When it is stirred too much, the bubbles begin to dissipate and that is what you need to make the batter taste so good.

            Try something different with the fish. Do not stick with just french fries. You can use the same batter to make onion rings, fried pickles or even fried green beans.

            Do not make the batter until you are ready to fry the fish. It must be done as quickly as possible, to avoid negative results with the batter becoming heavy after bubbles all pop.

What do you need to make Long John Silver’s Batter

            1 ½ cups club soda

            ½ tsp salt

            ½ tsp baking soda

            ½ tsp baking powder

            1 ½ to 1 ¾ cup all purpose flour

            4 tbsp cornstarch

How to make Long John Silver’s Batter

FIRST STEP:

Heat the oil in a skillet

Begin by combining the dry ingredients, salt, baking powder, flour, cornstarch and baking soda

a)

b)

c)

d)

e)

SECOND STEP:

Gently stir in the club soda. You do not want to over stir because the bubbles will pop and dissipate.

a)

b)

c)

THIRD STEP:

Fry the fish as soon as you have coated it with batter.

Enjoy!

YUM!