Deep Fried or Pan fry Walleye........

Which way do you eat your walleye


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701FishSlayer

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So there I was last night, it was about 330 in the morning. Got the summer fishing blues, so I decide to pull a bag of eyes out. And then the stupid hit me, I looked over at this self cleaning deep fryer contraption we have and I turned it on. I wrecked a small bag of eyes (my opinion). I can't ever get a good batch to come out of a fryer. I always pan fry em, always. I've only had them come out of a fryer good once and that was at a buddies house using a big turkey fryer. It seems like the fryer just dries em out. I don't think I'll ever deep fry em again, it's borderline abuse. Rant Over.

What's your guys preferred method?
 


nxtgeneration

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I use a fryer quite often. Not those little counter top contraptions you speak of though. I use a turkey fryer with the shallow pot. I've never had any issue with them drying out. Typically use a combination of shore lunch and misc seasonings and it is normally mouth watering good when done. My guess is the fish is getting over cooked in your fryer contraption.
 

guywhofishes

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Well that sucks!

It seems strange though. IF the temp is right I have never wrecked fish deep frying. Make sure oil is same temp as the number of days in year (365) and it's almost fool proof. Buy a good digital quick-read thermometer and USE IT.

I use cheapest veg oil I can buy and swap it out when it gets oxidized. Fry to golden brown makes the interior hot/moist. It doesn't matter if bluegill or hog walleyes. The golden brown color is the indicator. Little fish take maybe 1.5 to 2 minutes - thick filets maybe 3.5 minutes max.

I too sometimes prefer pan frying - depending on the batter/breading. But for big feeds the deep fryer is the way to go.

The only time deep-frying is a drag is when temps aren't right - either too low or too high. Then it's almost IMPOSSIBLE to make decent fish.

HUGE batches are often to blame for low temps - or not waiting foe the oil to recover between batches.

Too high of a temp and your oil smokes and everything takes on burnt oil taste which is a disaster. I've seen that at "drunken" fish-fries a time or two... with no replacement oil in stock. Talk about a bummer.
 

johnr

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In the pan if its for a small group, in a fry daddy if I am feeding a bunch of walleye freeloaders.
The trick is to get the oil hot enough before you put the fish in. 325 to 350 or hotter.
I usually cut them into about bit sized pieces when I deep fry, they tend to not fall apart under their own weight, fry a bit cleaner, and it looks like more fish if I am being stingy.

the oil I use is just canola oil, and after frying 15 or more fish, the oil is beyond its shelf life and needs to be changed. I did have a ton of peanut oil left over from a turkey we fried years ago, but it is quite expensive and really didn't seem to do any better of a job.

Biggest key is hot oil before you fry.
 


martinslanding

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I think batter and preparation are key to frying perfect fish…if it’s shore lunch beer batter then a deep fryer is the method of choice. Any other concoction of batter I like to use a deep walled electric frying pan. However if I had my choice it would be cast iron pan over gas stove….
 

Rowdie

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pan, but I just cook for 2 99% of the time.
 

DirtyMike

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I rarely pan fry unless I want to really feel guilty later. When I do, it's olive oil or coconut oil. A little more expensive but, like I said, I don't pan fry often. Usually it's in a tinfoil contraption with some yogurt butter stuff my wife always buys, random seasonings, and onions on top. If I'm really feeling like work, it's onto the walleye cakes which end up in vegetable oil to finish.
 

guywhofishes

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We have recently been getting tired of frying and started using the classic fish basket with success. We pre-cook asparagus just a bit, spray the filets with a pump bottle of spray-on butter stuff (forget brand), season the filets with seasoning salt and pepper, then lay THINLY sliced lemons on the filets. I get the smoker box on my Weber stoked with Alder and then I "bake" the filets for maybe 10-15 minutes rotating evey 5 min or so. My grill cover closes on the handle on keeps the fish basket just above the grill/smokebox. I check the temp of the filets toward the end and shoot for interior 145F. We will double-layer the belly filets so they are same thickness as the backs for even temps and doneness.

The combination of toasty lemon, barely browned outer filets, perfectly juicy (dripping all over) interior, and slight smoke is really something I've never tasted anywhere else. Sort of a Moroccan Lamb approach using walleyes. It's awesome and a great alternative for wives who get sick of men's desire to greasy fry all the time.

grilleyes003.jpglemon slices on filets - asparagus fills the gaps


grilleyes001.jpg
here is the handle sticking out during "baking".

grilleyes002.jpg
When I close the grill it lays on the basket handle and holds the basket up off the grates and smoke box perfectly... by chance. This is the angle approximately.

grilleyes004.jpgFinished lemony savory lightly smoky filets and toasted asparagus.

I bet a Big Green Egg's real lump charcoal would put this recipe over the top.
 
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Colonel Angus

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I do prefer the cast iron over a deep fryer but temperature is key especially if you are using vegetable oil. I add a spoon full of butter flavored or regular crisco (more if deep frying) to keep the oil from scorching. You wouldn't need to do this with heavier oil. A helpful hint when deep frying is not to add batches of fish at a time but rather 2 or 3 fillets at a time. As the 2 or 3 are getting done, they will float and become nicely colored. Add 2 or 3 more, then pluck out the done ones and repeat. This will keep the oil at a more constant temp and you probably have 6 to 8 in the turkey fryer at all times.
 


MuskyManiac

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Dipped in egg, cover with finely crushed saltines, and pan fry in half veg oil and half butter. Lemon Pepper for additional seasoning. My favorite way.

Put on a soaked cedar plank, rub with dijon mustard, put caramelized onions on top of mustard fillets, top with a little melted butter (or olive oil if you feel guilty like DirtyMike), cook on grill and watch for flare-ups. Second favorite.

Make a foil pack and spread olive oil on fillets. Top with Zatarain's Blackened seasoning, throw in some lemon zest and chopped garlic. Put on grill or in oven. Third favorite.
 

svnmag

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All the above. My pick for the best deep fry advice would be the Colonel. Watched a food deal the other day and saw club soda may actually be superior to beer. Hurts to say. The batter this guy used in an English pub looked to be just seasoned Bisquick and soda. I believe he dipped in egg first, not sure. I DO know it's important to dip in egg or thoroughly dry the fish before applying batter or you'll get a crispy shell containing a mushy fish morsel.

th
 


svnmag

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Dot rules. Holy hell. Could the same quality be maintained with national marketing? Are we going to see a skyscraper in Velva and a Golden Ticket bag in the future?
 

huntorride365

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Do a flour dip, then into egg and milk bath, then into your final breading. Guy hit the temp, that is about right, make sure you are at least 350. When they float, they are done. Hard to say what you are doing wrong but probably not hot enough.

You want really good fried fish. Take a skillet with and cook them over hot coals on shore, in butter. It's been a long time but it is the best. I grill walleye and every other way you can cook them; I've come to the conclusion they are the perfect fish to fry.
 

svnmag

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Why can't you do hot coals and cast iron on the grill or (sorry) an electric stove? I still manage a damn good steak courtesy of Alton Brown.
 

NodakBuckeye

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What Guy said is how a guy could fry up some good fish. I like to grill walleye every now and again. For a special occasion; lay a square of foil and place a fillet on it. Top with some crab meat, diced red, yellow, orange bell pepper, chives, add a second fillet and top with more chives, some paprika for color and some lemon slices. Add a dab of butter, salt and pepper; bring up sides of foil and add a couple shots of white wine, seal and grill or bake for 25-30 minutes. If your grill is hot it might only take 15-20.
 

Mort

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Either way has worked for me, been pan frying lately as my fryer oil is so broken down that it needs to be changed.
 


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