There is nothing quite as fresh as grilled fish straight from the fishing boat. The tangy, fishy flavor just melts in your mouth. But what if you don’t have a grill handy? Then you’d have to find a different way to prepare your fish. You can ask the fishmonger to do it for you, but that’s expensive. Or, you could deep fry it!
Many varieties of fish are suitable for deep frying, like swordfish, halibut, and shark. But what exactly is deep frying and how long does it take? Let’s find out.
What Is Deep Frying?
In the simplest of terms, deep frying is the process of cooking something in oil. In order to avoid waste, everything from the amount of oil to the temp of the oil is considered. A lot of people think that all you need is oil and heat to make a fish steak juicy and tender. But that’s not true. You need a lot more than that!
During deep frying, the food is submerged in oil, which makes it easier for the heat to penetrate the food and for the oil to reach all of its parts. This process is ideal for some types of fish, like shark, swordfish, and halibut. It results in meat that is juicy and tender, with a flavor that is concentrated and intensified. Plus, the oil that is left behind in the pan after cooking is healthy!
Why Is Deep Frying Important?
If you Google “health benefits of fried foods,” you’ll get a flood of results. Not only does oil from fried foods help prevent heart disease and some cancers, but it also helps digest complex carbohydrates. So, while we’re aware of how much damage can be caused by a lack of exercise and bad diet, sometimes we eat ourselves into trouble without even knowing it.
When you eat something that has been fried in oil, the oil is digested along with the food. So, instead of harmful fat being trapped in your body, you will be releasing it as energy. This, in turn, can help lower your cholesterol and blood pressure.
How Long Does It Take To Deep Fry Fish Filets?
The length of time that it takes to deep fry fish filets depends on several factors, like the thickness of the filets and the size of the pan used. In general, thicker fish filets will take longer to cook than thinner ones. This is because, as the name would suggest, thicker food requires more time to heat up and become tender. For instance, a 3-inch strip of fish on the thinner side will need between 4 and 6 minutes to cook, while the same size piece on the thicker side will need around 7 minutes. The same goes for steaks.
The size of the pan you use also matters. Smaller pans are better for deep frying because they give you better control over the heat. Larger pans make it harder to regulate the temperature of the oil, which, in turn, can cause your food to become greasy or dry. For this reason, a small cast-iron pan will be better for fish frying than a large one.
The best way to tell how long you need to cook something is by looking at how many minutes of cook time the recipe calls for. For example, a common recipe for fried catfish will tell you to soak the fish in buttermilk for 30 minutes before you cook it. Based on this, you will need to set the timer for 30 minutes before you start cooking your fish. When the timer sounds, your fish will be ready!
When Is The Best Time To Deep Fry Fish?
The best time to deep fry fish is right after you catch it. The reason is that, while it is still fresh, the fish will be tender and will absorb the flavors of the oil. However, after a certain amount of time, the texture will start getting a little bit slimy. This is because, again, as the name would suggest, fish begins to deteriorate when it is fried. The deterioration process is known as “oxidation.”
Oxidation is the chemical process where food is destroyed by oxygen. Even though oils are considered anti-oxidants and can help protect food, in the end, all of that oil will end up being destroyed. This means that it will not be healthy for you to eat oil that has been heated up during frying. The best option would be to eat the oil as is, or drink it! But, even then, it is not recommended to drink more than 1 gallon of oil per day because of the high calorie content. This is approximately the same amount of fat that is in a large chicken sandwich! So, if you’re craving a taste of the sea, fish frying is the answer. But, make sure to save the leftovers for later, in case you get hungry again later on.
Now that you’re informed about the advantages of deep frying, you can decide for yourself whether or not to include this skill in your culinary repertoire. You can even start small, with simpler recipes, and gradually add more complex ones as you get more confident in your abilities. In the end, everyone can enjoy the benefits of healthy frying, so it’s a win-win situation!