Friday Fish Fry
intro
Crispy golden cornmeal-breaded white fish with a crunchy crust and tender flaky center, the classic beloved end-of-week Midwestern comfort meal.
Ingredients
Steps
Prep fish and breading
Pat cod pieces completely dry with paper towels, season lightly with 3g (0.5 tsp) of the kosher salt. In one shallow dish, add 60g (1/2 cup) of the all-purpose flour. In a second shallow dish, whisk beaten eggs and whole milk until completely smooth. In a third shallow dish, combine the remaining 60g (1/2 cup) flour, cornmeal, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, remaining 6g (1 tsp) salt, black pepper, and baking powder, stirring until fully evenly blended.
Heat frying oil
Pour vegetable oil into a deep, heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or countertop deep fryer, and clip a candy/deep fry thermometer to the side of the pot. Heat oil over medium-high heat until it reaches a steady 180°C (350°F), adjusting burner heat as needed to hold this consistent temperature throughout the cooking process.
Bread fish pieces evenly
Working one piece at a time, dredge cod first in the plain flour, shaking off all excess coating. Next, dip the floured fish fully in the egg-milk wash, letting excess liquid drip off for 2 full seconds. Finally, press the fish firmly into the seasoned cornmeal-flour mix to coat every side, then set coated pieces on a clean wire rack for 5 minutes to let the breading set and adhere.
Fry first fish batch
Carefully lower 3-4 coated fish pieces into the hot oil using long tongs, taking care not to drop pieces and cause oil splatters; do not overcrowd the pot. Fry for 4-5 minutes total, flipping each piece once halfway through at the 2.5 minute mark, until the breading is deep golden brown and crispy, and the fish reaches an internal temperature of 63°C (145°F) measured with a food thermometer.
Drain and finish frying
Use a slotted metal spoon or tongs to remove cooked fish from the oil, transferring pieces to a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet to drain (do not drain cooked fish on paper towels, as this traps steam and makes the crispy breading turn soggy). Wait 1 minute for the oil to return to 180°C (350°F), then repeat the frying process with remaining coated fish pieces, cooking 3-4 pieces per batch.
Serve hot with sides
Transfer all cooked fried fish to a large serving platter, tuck lemon wedges around the fish, and serve hot alongside tartar sauce (and optional sides like creamy coleslaw or crispy french fries, if desired). Serve within 5 minutes of cooking for the best, crispiest texture.
Tips
2.Patting fish completely dry with paper towels before breading is non-negotiable: excess surface moisture causes breading to slide off during frying and creates dangerous splattering hot oil.
3.For the best crunch, avoid draining fried fish on paper towels, which trap steam and soften the crust; use a raised wire rack instead to let air circulate around the cooked fish.
OMG this is exactly the crispy fish fry I grew up eating at church Lenten dinners! The crust stays crunchy even after 10 minutes on the plate, no soggy mess at all. My 3 kids devoured 2 fillets each and asked if we can have this every Friday from now on. Total game changer for our weekly family dinner rotation!
Made this for our neighborhood block party potluck last weekend and people were lined up for seconds! I used catfish fillets instead of cod since that’s what we had in the freezer, and it turned out perfectly crispy. Will absolutely be making this again for our next cookout.
Super easy to throw together on a busy weeknight, which I loved. My only note is that I’d recommend patting the fish really, really dry before breading—my first two fillets had a couple of soggy spots because I rushed that step. Once I slowed down and dried them off properly? Perfect crisp. Tasted great with tartar sauce and coleslaw on the side.
I work 12 hour shifts on Fridays so I was looking for something quick that didn’t taste like a rushed meal. This came together in 35 minutes exactly like the recipe said, and my partner said it’s better than the fish fry we get at our local pub down the street. SO good!
We do a big fish fry every Friday when the grandkids come to visit, and this recipe is now our official go-to. The crust is light, not heavy and greasy like some recipes I’ve tried before. Even my picky 7 year old granddaughter ate every bite and asked for more! We served it with hush puppies and lemon wedges, 10/10.
I was skeptical that crispy fish would hold up for meal prep, but this does! I let the fillets cool completely then stored them in airtight containers, and when I reheated them in the air fryer for 5 minutes at 400 degrees they were almost as crispy as fresh. Saved me so much time on lunches this week, game changer!
Taste was amazing, crunch was on point, but I messed up the oil temp on my first go and burned the breading before the fish was cooked through. Once I turned the heat down to medium and used a candy thermometer to keep it at 350°F it worked perfectly. Definitely don’t skip checking the oil temp if you’re a beginner like me!
Just made this for the first time after catching fresh trout on a camping trip this weekend and HOLY COW. I thought store bought cod was good, but fresh trout with this breading? Next level. We ate it outside on the picnic table with potato salad and it felt like the perfect end to a long week.
Just finished eating this and I’m still licking my fingers. I used panko instead of regular breadcrumbs because that’s what I had in the pantry, and the crunch was insane. Dipped it in homemade tartar sauce and a side of fries, best Friday night dinner I’ve made in months.
Swapped the regular flour for a 1:1 gluten free all purpose flour and used GF panko, and this came out exactly like the classic fish fry I remember from growing up! No weird gritty texture, no falling apart breading, just perfect crispy fish. So happy to have a reliable GF fish fry recipe now for Friday nights.
I’ve tried so many fish fry recipes trying to replicate the ones from the old school taverns around Chicago, and this is the closest I’ve ever gotten. The little bit of cornmeal in the breading is exactly what I was missing this whole time! Absolute home run.
Great base recipe! I added a little cajun seasoning and a pinch of garlic powder to the breading to give it a little more kick, and it was fantastic. Only thing is I wish the recipe noted how long to let the breading set on the fish before frying— I let mine rest 10 minutes and it stayed on way better than when I tried frying right after coating.
Made this with my 10 year old last night for our Friday movie night and it was so easy he was able to help coat the fish in the breading! We had a blast making it together, and he was so proud to tell his mom how good the dinner he helped make was. Served with malt vinegar and oven fries, 10/10.
I don’t even usually like fried fish but my partner begged me to make this, and I’m a total convert. The crust is so light and flavorful, not heavy or greasy at all like I expected. We paired it with homemade coleslaw and a cold beer, and it’s now part of our regular Friday night routine. Who knew!