Long John Silver's Battered Fish (Copycat) Recipe - Food.com (2024)

• FISH

• 1 ¹⁄₂ - 2 lbs boneless white fish (cod, halibut, or pollock)

• DRY BATTER AND DREDGING (Use 2 cups of this mixture for batter and the remainder for dredging)

• 2 ³⁄₄ cups all-purpose flour
• 6 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon masa harina
• 1 tablespoon fine sea salt
• 2 teaspoons powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ³⁄₄ teaspoon Accent seasoning
• ¹⁄₂ teaspoon white pepper
• ³⁄₈ teaspoon ground fennel
• ³⁄₈ teaspoon ground tarragon
• ³⁄₈ teaspoon ground turmeric
• ¹⁄₄ teaspoon celery salt
• ¹⁄₄ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¹⁄₄ teaspoon onion powder
• ¹⁄₄ teaspoon paprika

• LIQUID BATTER (Mix with 2 cups dry batter)

• 1 ³⁄₄ cups cold water
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• ³⁄₄ teaspoon malt vinegar

• DEEP FRYING OIL

• canola oil

directions

• NOTE: IF USING SELF-RISING FLOUR -- REDUCE SEA SALT TO 1 1/2 TEASPOONS THEN OMIT BAKING POWDER AND BAKING SODA -- AND USE REGULAR WATER INSTEAD OF CLUB SODA. FOR EASY GRINDING OF FENNEL SEED, PULSE A CLEAN SPICE MILL OR COFFEE GRINDER WITH THE CORNSTARCH AND SEA SALT UNTIL FINELY GROUND, THEN ADD TO DRY BATTER.
• THAW fresh boneless white fish if frozen; CUT filets into 3-inch x 4 inch pieces; PREPARE a light sea salt/water bath to brine fish in for 20 minutes (brine should only be "as salty as the ocean").
• POUR enough canola oil in deep-fryer to completely immerse fish in; INSERT the deep-fryer basket; PREHEAT oil slowly in gradual increments to 360°F.
• MEASURE all DRY BATTER AND DREDGING ingredients into a large bowl; WHISK mixture well until thoroughly blended; REMOVE 2 cups of mixture and transfer to another large bowl for the BATTER.
• INTO the large bowl containing the 2 cups reserved DRY BATTER, whisk in the LIQUID BATTER ingredients, without over-mixing.
• REMOVE fish from sea salt bath; BLOT fish lightly; COAT the fish very lightly on all sides with the reserved dry dredging, being careful not to tear or break fish (use a flat metal spatula to turn fish if necessary).
• DIP dredged fish in prepared batter to coat fish evenly, using a flat spatula to lift; ALLOW excess batter to drain; DROP battered fish slowly and carefully into the preheated fryer (MAKE SURE FISH DOESN'T SINK AND STICK TO BOTTOM OF FRYER BASKET; IF THIS HAPPENS, LIFT BASKET AND CAREFULLY LOOSEN FISH WITH A FLAT STAINLESS STEEL SPATULA).
• DEEP-FRY fish in preheated 360°F canola oil without overcrowding until breading is golden, and fish is tender-flaky; PLACE cooked fish on absorbent paper to drain (keep filets warmed if necessary, in a preheated 170 F oven); REPEAT frying process with remaining fish.
• ALLOW hot fried fish to cool slightly before serving; SERVE with fresh lemon slices and desired condiments -- tartar sauce, co*cktail sauce, cream horseradish, hot sauce, malt vinegar.
• SERVE and enjoy!