How to Fry Fish

When it comes to deep frying, choosing the right oil is super important and I like to use a safflower oil and the reason I like to use it for frying is because it goes up to a high smoke point. So this oil actually goes up to 266 degrees. For frying fish like I'm doing today, I actually only need it to go up to 180 degrees. So a nice high smoke point. It's also neutral in flavor and that's what you want so you've got a nice clean crisp flavor when you're frying in your oil. You don't want anything that leaves an aftertaste. Now if you don't have a cooking thermometer, the next best thing is a wooden spoon. So we're going to place that wooden spoon into the oil and if you start to see all these little bubbles around it, that's a key indication that it's at the optimum temperature. So about 180 degrees. That'll mean that our batter will stay crisp and golden and we'll also cook the fish through. So I've just got some gorgeous blue grenadine here. I'll place that into some flour and for my batter it's a simple combination of plain flour, baking powder. I've got a little bit of garlic powder in there too and for the liquid you could use some soda water or I like to use beer for fish because it gives it a lovely flavor. So totally up to you. Then we'll coat that all over. Drain the excess off and then when you're deep frying, don't do it from a distance. Always get close to the oil. It's safer and gently lower it in. Just like that. Fantastic. And we just have to wait now patiently for that to cook. It won't take long at all. We'll just wait for it to go that lovely golden color. I'll make another one too. All right, this fish is looking perfect. We'll take it out and whenever I'm deep frying at home, I also like to just drain it not on paper towel but on a rack and by doing this you'll see that you've got a little bit of aeration between the actual fish and the tray so it'll be crispy on all sides. So I'm serving it with some tartare sauce and some lemon. Always as soon as it comes out of the oil, hit it with a bit of beautiful salt onto the plate and that is delicious homemade fish. All we're missing is the chips.