Description
Crispy golden Long John Silver’s batter brings ocean-fresh seafood dreams to home kitchens with its legendary crunch. Home cooks can recreate this iconic restaurant-style coating that delivers restaurant-quality fish with simple pantry ingredients and expert technique.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1 cup (240 ml) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (240 ml) water
Leavening Agents:
- 1/4 teaspoon (1.25 ml) baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon (1.25 ml) baking powder
Seasoning:
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) salt
Instructions
- Sift together all dry components in a spacious mixing vessel, ensuring even distribution of flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder.
- Create a well in the center of the dry mixture and slowly introduce cold water, whisking with consistent, smooth strokes to prevent lumps.
- Continue blending until the batter achieves a silky, medium-thick consistency that coats the back of a spoon without dripping too quickly.
- Allow the mixture to rest for 10-15 minutes at room temperature, which helps the gluten relax and improves overall texture.
- Prepare your frying station with oil heated to 375°F, ensuring the temperature remains stable for optimal crispy coating.
- Thoroughly pat seafood or selected protein dry with paper towels to enhance batter adhesion and prevent splattering.
- Dunk each piece of seafood completely into the batter, allowing excess to gently drip off before carefully lowering into hot oil.
- Fry until the exterior turns golden brown and crispy, typically 2-3 minutes per side, maintaining consistent oil temperature.
- Remove fried items using a slotted spoon and drain on wire rack or paper towels to preserve crispness and remove excess oil.
Notes
- Achieve a crispy, golden exterior by ensuring the batter is well-chilled before frying, which helps create a lighter, crunchier coating.
- Adjust the batter’s consistency by adding more water for a thinner texture or more flour for a thicker, more substantial crust.
- Experiment with gluten-free flour alternatives like rice or cornstarch for those with dietary restrictions, maintaining the same mixing technique.
- Rest the batter for 10-15 minutes before use to allow the gluten to relax, resulting in a more tender and less chewy coating.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Appetizer, Snacks, Dinner
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 114 kcal
- Sugar: 0 g
- Sodium: 581 mg
- Fat: 0 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg