Description
Crispy Long John Silver’s batter creates a golden, crunchy coating for seafood that mirrors the restaurant’s famous recipe. Seafood enthusiasts can easily replicate this signature batter at home with simple pantry ingredients for a delightful dining experience.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 ½ cups (360 ml) cold water
- 1 ½ cups (180 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (60 g) cornstarch
- 1 ¼ teaspoons (6.25 ml) baking powder
- 1 teaspoon (5 g) salt
- ½ teaspoon (2.5 g) sugar
- ¼ teaspoon (1.25 g) paprika
Instructions
- Dry Mixture Preparation: Whisk flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, sugar, and paprika in a large mixing bowl until uniformly combined, eliminating potential clumps and ensuring even seasoning distribution.
- Liquid Integration: Gradually pour chilled water into the dry ingredients, stirring constantly to create a smooth, consistent batter with a silky pancake-like consistency, eliminating any potential lumps through continuous blending.
- Oil Preheating: Warm cooking oil in a deep fryer or heavy-bottomed pot to 350°F, verifying temperature with a culinary thermometer to guarantee optimal frying conditions that promote crispy, golden exteriors.
- Protein Coating: Fully submerge selected protein (fish or chicken) into the prepared batter, ensuring complete and even coverage that will create a delectable, crisp exterior when fried.
- Frying Process: Carefully lower batter-coated items into hot oil, maintaining a steady temperature and allowing each piece to cook for 3-4 minutes per side until achieving a rich, golden-brown coloration that signals perfect crispy texture.
- Draining and Finishing: Transfer fried items to a paper towel-lined plate to absorb excess oil, allowing them to rest briefly while maintaining maximum crispness and heat, then serve immediately with preferred dipping sauces for an authentic Long John Silvers experience.
Notes
- Temperature Precision: Use a reliable kitchen thermometer to maintain exact 350°F oil temperature, ensuring consistent golden-brown crispiness without burning.
- Batter Consistency: Whisk ingredients thoroughly to eliminate lumps, aiming for a smooth pancake-like texture that adheres perfectly to proteins.
- Oil Management: Choose neutral oils with high smoke points like canola or vegetable oil to prevent off-flavors and maintain clean, crisp frying results.
- Draining Technique: Allow excess oil to drip completely on paper towels within 30-60 seconds after frying to preserve the batter’s signature crunch and prevent sogginess.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Snacks, Dinner
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 145
- Sugar: 0.2 g
- Sodium: 200 mg
- Fat: 0.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0.4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 31 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg