For years, I simply fried walleye fillets in a frying pan with a little butter and some salt and pepper. I've also experimented with some poaching recipes. Now, I'd like to learn how to properly deep fry battered walleye pieces.

One problem I've experienced so far is the temperature of the cooking oil. The batter mix I use (Rocky Madsen's Fish Crisp) recommends preheating the oil to 375 degrees F. Although my thermometer may be way off, deep frying battered fillets anywhere above 340 degrees F seems to turn the battered fillet a very dark brown (unappealing to me). Consequently, I've been experimenting with the cooking oil (Canola) temperature around 280 to 300 degrees F and I've been happier with the light brown colour of the cooked pieces. What cooking oil temperature works best for you? Is there a cooking oil that is better to use than all others?

The second problem I've had is determining the proper cooking time. No one likes over cooked walleye. A couple of weeks ago I was trying to deep fry pieces of walleye fillets from one four pound walleye and one two pound walleye. I separated each fillet into two pieces along the lateral line and then cut into chunky pieces. Is there a secret to knowing how long you cook pieces of differing thicknesses without breaking the pieces apart to see.

Comments/recommendations appreciated.

Oil temps below abou 350 let your batter soak up the oil so your fish are greasy. 375 is my favorite temp. If they are dark brown it is either the color of you batter or they are overcooked. Drop the chunks in 375 degree oil; fish them out when they float. Should be a nice brown with a nice moist texture inside....

Bob's right on the money.

Depending on the method used to cook the chunks, they may not float. Depending on the size, perhaps 4 to 5 minutes...for the uppers. When you have various sizes, I tried to segregate to maintain cooking consistency and when I place them into the basket, put the larger ones in first. Open a cold one... or so and you'll get it down.

Teaser's right, I make my chunks as close to same size as possible and put like sized chunks in the oil. experiment and they'll work out.

I use peanut oil. I was told it burns at higher temperature.

it won't burn at 375 = 400, I sometimes use and sometimes canola. Low heat gives you greasy fish and causes a lot of breadings to wash off. I am not a cook but I play like I am LOL

I think Peanut oil "holds heat" better than canola oil. Canola oil might start to smoke close to 400 degrees. With either, to get the fish nice and crisp you need to get to 375 or more, put in your fish, and be prepared to "manage" the heat as when you dump in the fish you can start to loose heat......sometimes fast.....this is where having an open beer is useful.....gives you something to do while you watch the fish.
Four to five minutes........or until they float......personal preference on more moist meat or more cooked meat. Experiment a little.
With more than one batch, peanut oil probably won't turn dark as quickly as canola.
You've chosen the right way to fry fish............I remember those days of using the fry pan on the stove........wish I knew better then.

350 degrees for 3 minutes is the ticket! Also make sure to only put enough fillets in the basket to cover the bottom of it.

I use peanut oil. I was told it burns at higher temperature.


I use peanut oil exclusively and try for 375 to 400. depending on size of fillets , it can only take 3 to 5 mins. As far as when to tell if they are done....this pretty much comes with experience....or a timer. I've found that using the "when they float they are done" rule isn't always a good one. Often the fish are overdone. Fish "doneness" is a personal preference though. I like mine so the center is just "opaque" while others like it flaking all the way through.

Thanks for all the comments and recommedations. Sounds like the more times I cook walleye this way, the more confidence I'll probably develop.

If you need someone to help you be a "taste tester". feel free to give me a call.

Peanut oil, 350*-365*, usually cook about 4 minutes. Fillets are typically off 2#-3# fish and cut into 1.5"x4" size pieces. Usually 3-4 pcs per fillet. I do load the thicker (north of the lateral line) pieces in first and then the thinner pcs. Once everyone is in the pool (usually do about 8pcs at a time) I set my timer for 3 minutes. Turn fillets once midway through cook time and check at end of cook time. If they just don't "look right" I'll give them one more minute but thats it. I do this cook method whether doing a dry breading or a batter..
Speaking of walleye, got a package of rib meat pulled from the freezer that will be diced and turned into walleye cakes for tonights dinner... Good luck with your frying..nothing better.

you mean the walleye crab cakes????

man those are THE best

I make them all the time

Thats correct PJ, and they are/were a great dinner. Couple of cakes, nice serving of Uncle Bens Long Grain& Wild Rice side, and a big ol' serving of green beans..Made up a bowl of homemade tartar and enjoyed the evening.
My cakes flavor was just fine but for some reason I had trouble keeping them together? Usually don't but this batch wanted to fall apart when turning. Probably should have used 2 eggs instead of 1. I had about 1.5# of walleye so probably had about 2#'s after the crab and filler's were added. Used a bit more butter than I usually do and this may have kept them loose as well.. Oh well, they tasted great. More of a "family presentation" than a "company presentation"!!

Also to add to all the great posts, below 300 you are not frying and grease absorption goes way up. Almost all restaurants fry at 375+. Dark colored fish when done can be from several sources. 1- cooked to long 2-batter used 3-old/bad oil.

Old/bad oil is one of the worst things that can happen. Each time something is fried a little batter/breading will drop off the item being cooked and will either float or sink to the bottom of the fryer. These particles keep on cooking and destroy the life of the oil and consequently darkens the oil. If you go into a restaurant and see items coming out dark they need to change the oil. Good restaurants never poor product from the bag (french fries) because of all the particles and frost crystals that end up in the oil. When they go though 100's or 1000's lbs of oil in a week or two they really watch how the frying is being done and keep a very close schedule for cleaning/filtering the oil and cleaning the fryer.

One last thing. Over loading your basket is not good. The temp of the oil drops way down and depending on how long it takes to get back up to frying temp (350+) your fish will absorbs oil and more particles will fall into the oil.

I always use a separate digital thermometer in the oil. This insures proper temp during the cooking process.

Sold canola oil, vegetable oil and peanut oil. Most my customers used the first two.

Hope this helps!

Many different ways to cook and any can be right for you, try a few suggested and see what happens, chefs aren't chefs overnight.

fwiw I do not like underdone fish so I'd rather it be done a bit more than less.
I use a heavy cast iron kettle to keep heat as much as possible and a termometer is a must when first starting, you'd be supprised how much heat you lose in a alum frypan as you dump fish in, patence is a virture here, don't over load or you'll libale to have greasy fish.

Try to keep you fillet sizes close till you get good enough to do it by feel, also a good sized burner helps in heat recovery.

I use Vegetible oil and heat to almost smoking, then cook a few at a time.
I also use a mixture of 3/4 Fryin Magic and 1/4 flour, dip the dried fillet pieces in a egg and milk wash then drop in a large sized baggie with the dry mixture in it, shake and your set.

Don't be in a hurry, even a few pieces at a time go pretty fast.

Takes a bit to get it right, just keep trying things till ya get it.

Al

For years, I simply fried walleye fillets in a frying pan with a little butter and some salt and pepper. I've also experimented with some poaching recipes. Now, I'd like to learn how to properly deep fry battered walleye pieces.

One problem I've experienced so far is the temperature of the cooking oil. The batter mix I use (Rocky Madsen's Fish Crisp) recommends preheating the oil to 375 degrees F. Although my thermometer may be way off, deep frying battered fillets anywhere above 340 degrees F seems to turn the battered fillet a very dark brown (unappealing to me). Consequently, I've been experimenting with the cooking oil (Canola) temperature around 280 to 300 degrees F and I've been happier with the light brown colour of the cooked pieces. What cooking oil temperature works best for you? Is there a cooking oil that is better to use than all others?

The second problem I've had is determining the proper cooking time. No one likes over cooked walleye. A couple of weeks ago I was trying to deep fry pieces of walleye fillets from one four pound walleye and one two pound walleye. I separated each fillet into two pieces along the lateral line and then cut into chunky pieces. Is there a secret to knowing how long you cook pieces of differing thicknesses without breaking the pieces apart to see.


Comments/recommendations appreciated.

I would purchase another thermometer. I have three and usually double check the
temp with two thermometers. I had one thermometer that would stick and would
overheat the oil.

Does your oil ever start smoking or the batter crispys get black ? That is an
indication the oil is too hot.

I have a Rival electric deep fryer with the temp settings right on it and a basket to put the fish in

I get perfect temps and perfect fish every time

the thing is foolproof

Thats correct PJ, and they are/were a great dinner. Couple of cakes, nice serving of Uncle Bens Long Grain& Wild Rice side, and a big ol' serving of green beans..Made up a bowl of homemade tartar and enjoyed the evening.
My cakes flavor was just fine but for some reason I had trouble keeping them together? Usually don't but this batch wanted to fall apart when turning. Probably should have used 2 eggs instead of 1. I had about 1.5# of walleye so probably had about 2#'s after the crab and filler's were added. Used a bit more butter than I usually do and this may have kept them loose as well.. Oh well, they tasted great. More of a "family presentation" than a "company presentation"!!

Are you baking them on a cookie sheet? thats how I do it.

Another thing that helps is to put it in the fridge for a few hours before forming the patties, and pack them tight when you do form them

As a "Food Service Professional" for 40 years....yep, what everyone says about oil temps is right on. At the range we are talking about (375) the type of oil is more preference than anything - taste and durabiity for resuse. Some oils will darken/breakdown much faster than others. Use whatever for that single batch of fish for you and the wife, go with peanut for that big fish fry involving the entire neighborhood. Cleaning/filtering the oil (run it through a coffee filter) is critical if you are thinking of using it a day or two later. Never save used oil more than a day or two.
Critical is heat regulation. If you are just doing a pot on the stove, it is guaranteed you are way, way off on the temp. Even if your thermometer looks right when you start, the stove usually can't pump the heat in fast enough to balance the load when you dump in the cold fish. There is a lag between the burner and the oil due to the pan. Far better is a dedicated electric deep fryer - it has a much faster recovery time! In restaurants, the btu of a standard deep fryer is orders of magnitude bigger than your home furnace - just so it can keep that oil within a few degrees of optimum for your frys.
Amount of oil - don't skimp. And don't overload the pot with fish! Use a bigger pot than you may be inclinced so you have a bigger reserve of oil that will resist temp changes when you drop in the fish.
Finally - too dark, and all else seems OK? Change batter! Likely what you are using just has too much sugar and it is darkening before cooking is complete. Try a few other types, or even better work on your own, to find that perfect combination.

Thanks again to everyone who shared their expertise. Much appreciated!!

I cook my fish between 360 to375. Use a thermometer, I use 2 to make sure 1 isnt bad as temperature is critical I use a cast iron pot , no lid, it holds the heat . Use peanut oil. I always cut the fillets into the same size pieces. I never cook big thick pieces. Pull them out when they float. If your grease is hot the fish dont soak up grease. Ive been going to Canada for over 30 years and am always the nominated fish cook. So I dont have to clean fish or do dishes, just cook fish. Good Luck W. W.

I like the peanut oil. I put a match in the oil and when the match ignites I take it out and in go the fish. Cook to golden brown (about three to five minutes) take em out and lay em on a paper towel, pick up my beer and I'm ready for a great meal.

One hint: don't leave them in the oil until they are done or they will be overdone, since they continue to cook for a while after you take them out.

I don't have any problem with the cooking ,catching sometimes yes, ( I also am always the fish cook) :cheers:

I agree with most,peanut oil, @ 400 degrees, same size portions at the same time, don't crowd (too much at once) , don't over/under cook......enjoy

I agree with the idea of buying another or two thermometers.
I might guess that your thermometer is not reading correctly.

Normally 375 is a good temperature.
Normally, the times of 2-6 minutes is right depending on the size and thickness of the fillet.

Light tan is normally the right color to have a correctly cooked fish that is just done.

Most of the fillets will float when they get done. Now and then, the fillets won't float - no matter how much they are cooked.

Take care
REW

Are you baking them on a cookie sheet? thats how I do it.

Another thing that helps is to put it in the fridge for a few hours before forming the patties, and pack them tight when you do form them

No, not baking them. I am partial to pan fried or when I want to take the time I will mold the mixture into balls (golf ball-racquetball size) and deep fry..Yummy..
Obviously we hold personal taste preferences in higher regard than our health around our house...Probably explains why my height to weight ratio is out of balance...
I did rest them in the fridge for about an hour and they appeared to stiffen up nicely but they broke down when frying . I also used the food processer and broke the fish up more than usual..it was more tuna consistency when it went into the mix rather than cubed/diced. This probably made a difference as well. The shredded raw fish made it easy to work with but I will go back to knife cubing as it has always stayed together up til now..

try baking them on a cookie sheet after shaping them into little patties at 375 and flip after they get brown on the bottom if you havent tried baking them

I have fried them but I like them much better this way

I also use a food processor so thats not it


No, not baking them. I am partial to pan fried or when I want to take the time I will mold the mixture into balls (golf ball-racquetball size) and deep fry..Yummy..
Obviously we hold personal taste preferences in higher regard than our health around our house...Probably explains why my height to weight ratio is out of balance...
I did rest them in the fridge for about an hour and they appeared to stiffen up nicely but they broke down when frying . I also used the food processer and broke the fish up more than usual..it was more tuna consistency when it went into the mix rather than cubed/diced. This probably made a difference as well. The shredded raw fish made it easy to work with but I will go back to knife cubing as it has always stayed together up til now..

Bob is spot on. 375*F oil temp and keep pieces consistent in size (large bite size chunks). Don't overload the batch, the larger the volume oil the more you can drop on each batch. You can drop approx 1/2# fish chunks into 1 gal oil without creating too much temp drop. Pick them as soon as they float.

Tim

We have recently started serving deep fried fish and have on occasion found the fish fries up crisp but once in a basket it becomes slightly soggy on the bottom. I paper towel all the fish but it still happens.

How can I fix it?

Putting it on a paper towel is the worst thing to do to it if you want the bottom to stay crisp. Put it on an elevated rack for about thirty seconds before you plate it up. The heat trapped between the fish and the paper towel is what's turning the bottom soggy.

There are racks made just for this. They have 1/2" legs on the corners, and have about a 1/4" 'grid' pattern.

If you want to keep your fish from soaking up too much oil Keep the batter bowl on another bowl of ice (kinda like a double boiler). The cold batter meeting the hot grease will sear it up quickly and avoid letting the oil soak into the batter.

To keep your fish from getting soggy, let it drain above the fryer for a moment and then put it on a brown paper bag. Restaurants use a similar type of paper to put in the bottom of their french fry baskets to keep them from getting soggy.

Ditto GBS!!! Been in the business about 40 myself. You hit the nail on the head with a sugary batter. That's what I was pondering as I read the posts. Or, the fryer is just over-recovering and climbing the temp range to quickly and getting tooo hot. I'll toss in my 2 cents here too.
1. FRESH oil-(I prefer peanut) 2. thermometer 375 degrees 3. do not overload fryer and kill the oil, cook in small batches so your temp can keep up and you will be able to cook faster 3.keep temperature regulated. 4. Filets wil float when done, but I like them crisp and wait on the color I want. 5. Place on absobent towel (Paper) and serve immmediately.
Here's a quick recipe I use that is simple and effective... Drakes crispy mix add a flat beer (pour beer back and forth in glasses until foam starts to disappear) Whisk into Drakes until smooth and slightly runny and then add a SPLASH of squirt or mountain dew pop. Pat your filets ,or, fillets completely dry with paper towel. Dip simular sized pieces into batter and gently put into the hot oil. Note: if your filets aren't dry the batter will blow off in the fryer and use tongs to put the filets into the fryer so you don't dip your fingers in the oil....Finally,,,,Get rid of the basket, the filets will float as you drop them in and you won't have them sticking to the basket and making a royal mess..........Enjoy

I have used one of these fryers (six gallon model with two baskets) for quite a few years and they are excellent. The heat flows through the oil via a tube that is above the bottom of the tank. This means that any particles of breading settle to the bottom and do not burn.....as would be the case in a regular fryer. This is great because you can reuse the oil over and over again without burning it. I would highly recommend this to anyone! Their website... http://www.cajunfryer.com/

I cook mine at 375, but I have found that in order to insure my guests receive the best fish dinner possible it's a good idea to hold back the 1st batch for a taste test while I'm cooking the remaining batches :)

I cook mine at 375, but I have found that in order to insure my guests receive the best fish dinner possible it's a good idea to hold back the 1st batch for a taste test while I'm cooking the remaining batches :)

Ya, at least the first batch and maybe you should test a couple of them Honeywiess's too...just to be a good host..:)

Just checked, and the fryer is set on 375 too.

Al