The Flour Tip For The Crispiest Fried Fish

At its best, fried fish is so crispy that it makes an audible crunching sound when you bite into it. At worst, it is nothing more than a sad oily sponge. To make sure you know how to avoid this pitfall, Food Republic spoke to Joe Gurrera, Owner and Fishmonger of Citarella and author of "Joe Knows Fish." He says, "For a super crispy finish, dredging the fish in Wondra flour or a rice flour right before frying is crucial."

Rice flour might be something you already have in your pantry, especially if you have made some gluten-free cookies recently. This finely-textured powder clings onto fish effectively, and when fried, a rice flour coating soaks up far less oil than wheat flours (such as all-purpose). This yields a lighter and crispier finish. Rice flour also has less protein than wheat, resulting in a batter that doesn't get chewy when cooked. It makes sense that it is also the best flour to use when cooking homemade fried chicken.

On the other hand, Wondra flour may not be in every home cook's arsenal. It is generically known as instant or quick-mixing flour, but Wondra is the most popular brand. This type of wheat flour has been pregelatinized, which means that it is cooked and dried, then very finely ground. It's often used as an instant thickener in gravies and sauces; however, the fine texture and low protein content also make it ideal for dredging fish, for many of the same reasons as rice flour.

Aside from the choice of flour, Joe Gurrera has another tip for crispy fried fish lovers: "You can also enhance the crunch by incorporating ingredients like panko or cornmeal into the batter." Combining roughly equal parts of Wondra or rice flour with panko bread crumbs or cornmeal provides excellent crunch and some really pleasant textural intrigue.

The type of frying oil you choose is also important. Gurrera's recommendation? "Grapeseed or canola oil, both with high smoke points, are excellent options for deep-frying, as they won't burn at higher temperatures," he explained. These choices also have neutral flavors that will allow the subtle taste of the fish to shine. Make sure the oil is sufficiently hot before you drop the fish in — between 350 and 375 degrees Fahrenheit is a good target. 

When your fish is done frying (which should take no more than 5 to 6 minutes), place the pieces on a wire rack instead of paper towels to let the excess oil drip off. Paper towels quickly get saturated and make that delightful crispy coating go soggy. Serve your fried fish with lemon wedges, your favorite type of french fries, and plenty of homemade tartar sauce!