How to Season Fish to Fry

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: December 8, 2020 Tested

Fried fish is a perennial favorite comfort food for kids and adults alike. Before you fry the fish in hot oil, season it with herbs and spices to enhance the fish's flavor. There are various ways to season fish before frying it. If you like southern-style catfish, try seasoning it with cornmeal. Or, if you'd prefer a simpler route, try seasoning whitefish with beer and breadcrumbs. Finally, you can try seasoning cod with mustard and cayenne powder.

Ingredients

Seasoning Southern Catfish

4 6 oz (170 g) catfish filets
1 1/2 cups (192 g) of cornmeal
1 tsp (4 g) of granulated garlic
1 tsp (4 g) of onion powder
1 tsp (4 g) of cayenne pepper
1 tsp (4 g) of pepper
2 tsp (8 g) of salt
1 1/2 cups (510 g) of buttermilk

Using Beer and Breadcrumbs

1.5 pounds (680 g) of whitefish or tilapia filets
1/3 cup (43 g) of all-purpose flour
2 tsp (8 g) of seasoned salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup (170 grams) of dark beer
1 1/2 cups (127 g) of breadcrumbs
Plastic resealable food-storage bag

Preparing Cod to Fry

1.5 pounds (680 g) of cod filets
1/2 cup (68 g) of all-purpose flour
2 eggs
2 tablespoons (30 mL) of cold water
2 cups (170 g) of breadcrumbs
1/2 tsp (2 g) of dried mustard powder
1/4 tsp (1 g) of cayenne powder

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Seasoning Southern Catfish

1
Slice your catfish filets into 3–4 1 inch (2.5 cm) wide strips. The catfish filets will be able to pick up more seasoning if you slice them into small strips. This will increase the amount of flavor you'll taste with every bite.^{[1]
X
Research source}
- If you're cooking for kids and they find the strips too large to eat, cut the catfish filets into 2 in (5.1 cm) bite-sized chunks.
2
Mix the spices together in a large kitchen bowl. Combine 1 tsp (4 g) of cayenne pepper, 1 tsp (4 g) of pepper, 2 tsp (8 g) of salt, 1 1/2 cups (192 g) of cornmeal, 1 tsp (4 g) of granulated garlic, and 1 tsp (4 g) of onion powder together in a large bowl. Stir the seasoning ingredients together with a fork until they're fully blended together.^{[2]
X
Research source}
- Avoid mixing the seasonings together with your hands. Cayenne pepper is spicy and will irritate your eyes should you rub them after mixing the seasonings.
Advertisement
3
Pour 1 1/2 cups (510 g) of buttermilk into a wide, flat bowl. Find a kitchen bowl that's at least 8 inches (20 cm) in diameter, and shallow enough that you can dip the fish strips in it. Pour the suggested amount of buttermilk into the bowl.^{[3]
X
Research source}
- If you don't have a wide, flat bowl, a 9 in × 9 in (23 cm × 23 cm) cooking tray would work as a substitute.
4
Dunk the catfish strips into the buttermilk. Pick up each of the 12–16 individual catfish strips that you sliced earlier. Place each one into the buttermilk-filled bowl. It's fine if catfish strips stack on top of one another, as long as each strip is fully dunked in buttermilk at some point.^{[4]
X
Research source}
- The buttermilk coating will help the cornmeal mixture stick to the surfaces of the catfish strips.
5
Rub both sides of the catfish strips in the cornmeal mixture. Remove the fish strips from the buttermilk-filled bowl, and transfer them one at a time into the bowl of cornmeal mixture. Turn the strips over 2-3 times to coat both sides in the mix.^{[5]
X
Research source}
- If you like heavily-seasoned fish to fry, drag the fish strips back and forth through the cornmeal mixture. This will ensure that each strip is coated in savory spices.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Using Beer and Breadcrumbs

1
Combine all-purpose flour and seasoned salt in a mixing bowl. Measure out 2 tsp (8 g) of seasoned salt and 1/3 cup (43 g) of all-purpose flour. Pour both dry ingredients into a mixing bowl. Stir the mixture with a whisk until the flour and salt are fully combined.^{[6]
X
Research source}
- If you don't have a whisk in your kitchen, use a fork.
2
Beat 2 eggs and 1/2 cup (170 grams) of dark beer in a bowl. Use a separate bowl than the one you just combined flour and salt in. Combine the eggs and beer in the bowl, and use either a kitchen whisk or an electronic mixer to blend the ingredients together.^{[7]
X
Research source}
- The type of beer you use depends on your personal taste. Try using a porter or a stout for a rich, almost chocolatey flavor.
3
Pour 1 1/2 cups (127 g) of breadcrumbs in a resealable food-storage bag. A 1 gallon (3.8 L) size bag would work well.^{[8]
X
Research source} If you don't have resealable food-storage bags of this size, purchase some at the nearest grocery store.
- Leave the top of the food-storage bag open for now, but be careful not to bump the bag and send the breadcrumbs flying.
4
Place tilapia or whitefish filets in the flour mixture to coat the sides. Pick up each filet individually and place it in the bowl with the combined flour and salt. Turn each fish filet over 3-4 times and drag it back and forth through the flour until both sides are fully coated.^{[9]
X
Research source}
- Since tilapia and whitefish are both naturally moist and juicy, the flour and salt mix should stick to the fish without any trouble.
5
Dip the coated fish filets into the beer mixture. Remove the flour-covered filets from the first bowl and dip them into the bowl filled with beer and eggs. Submerge each entire filet in the beer mixture for about 5 seconds.^{[10]
X
Research source}
- Lift the fish back out, and hold it above the bowl for another 5 seconds so extra beer drips back into the bowl.
6
Place 1-2 filets at a time into the breadcrumb bag and shake it. Seal the bag once the tilapia or whitefish filets are inside. Then, vigorously shake the bag for 10–20 seconds to coat the filets in breadcrumbs.^{[11]
X
Research source} Avoid putting in more than 2 filets at a time. If you do, each filet won't receive much of a breadcrumb coating.
- Once you've coated the first 2 filets with breadcrumbs, remove them from the bag and shake 1-2 more filets.
- Since the filets will be coated with the thick, viscous beer and egg mixture, the breadcrumbs will adhere to them.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Preparing Cod to Fry

1
Scoop all-purpose flour into a pie tin. Measure out 1/2 cup (68 g) of all-purpose flour using a kitchen measuring cup.^{[12]
X
Research source}
- If you don't have a set of pie tins, any wide, shallow bowl would work. You could even use a 9 by 9 inches (23 cm × 23 cm) baking dish.
2
Stir together 2 eggs with water in a second pie tin. Use a liquid measuring cup to pour 2 tablespoons (30 mL) of cold water into a pie tin. Then crack 2 eggs into the tin as well. Use a whisk or a fork to stir the eggs and water until they're fully mixed.^{[13]
X
Research source}
- Approach this step as if you were making scrambled eggs. Stir until the eggs are mixed and only a few white flecks are visible.
3
Combine your breadcrumbs, mustard, and cayenne powder in a third tin. Measure out 2 cups (170 g) of breadcrumbs, 1/2 tsp (2 g) of dried mustard powder, and 1/4 tsp (1 g) of cayenne powder. Mix the dry ingredients together in a pie tin using a clean whisk or a fork.^{[14]
X
Research source}
- Avoid mixing with your fingers, since the spicy cayenne and mustard powders could irritate your eyes or mouth.
4
Coat both sides of your cod filets in flour. Set the filets into the flour-filled pie tin. Flip each individual filet over 2-3 times until both sides are fully coated with the flour.^{[15]
X
Research source}
5
Set cod filets in the egg and water mixture for 5–10 seconds. Drag the individual filets back and forth a few times until they're fully coated with the scrambled-egg-like mixture.^{[16]
X
Research source} Slide them back and forth slowly in the liquid-filled pie tin so no egg mixture sloshes out.
- The egg and water mixture will add texture and flavor to the cod filets and will also help the dry ingredients adhere to the fish.
6
Rub the wet cod filets in the breadcrumb mixture. Remove the cod filets from the egg mixture and set them into the third pie tin. Gently drag each individual filet through the mixture of breadcrumbs, mustard powder, and cayenne powder until 1 side is covered. Then, flip the filet over and move it through the dry mixture until both sides are coated.^{[17]
X
Research source}
- You can adjust the amount of flavor and spice on each filet by coating it more or less thoroughly with the breadcrumb mixture.