Long John Silver's Fish Batter Recipe (+ Secret Ingredient) (2024)

HomeCopycat RecipesLong John Silver’s Fish Batter Recipe (+ Secret Ingredient)

Long John Silver's Fish Batter Recipe (+ Secret Ingredient) (1)

Last Updated on: February 20, 2021

Recreate Long John Silver’s Famous Fish Batter in your very own kitchen!

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Since 1969, Long John Silver’s has been serving us with the ultimate seafood experience. Their famous battered fish has been the favorite of many seafood lovers for decades. Apart from their fresh fish, the real secret lies in the batter.

Their batter is so crisp and flavorful that you may be surprised to learn it’s not made with beer! Their secret combination is club soda, baking soda, and baking powder. This trio of ingredients produces air bubbles in the batter, which makes the otherwise heavy dish light and airy.

Long John Silver's Fish Batter Recipe (+ Secret Ingredient) (2)

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Tips & Tricks

  • Long John Silver’s always uses fresh wild-caught Alaskan Cod, but you may use other white fish as well, such as catfish or tilapia.
  • Since you will fry the fish at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, you will want to use an oil with a smoke point higher than 400 degrees. There are many oils to choose from, such as vegetable oil, peanut oil, safflower oil, and corn oil. But, if you want your recipe to be as close as Long John Silver’s’ as possible, then use canola oil.
  • You can use several cooking oils when frying food. Since we are frying our fish at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, you could use any oil with a smoke point above 400 degrees Fahrenheit. That includes options like canola oil, vegetable oil, corn oil, peanut oil, or safflower oil.
  • Use 3-ounce (85 grams) fillets or smaller. Anything bigger than that and it will sink to the bottom of the skillet. If you don’t have a scale, use the palm of your hand as a reference.
  • Do not prepare your batter ahead of time, because it will cause it to become heavy. Make it just when you’re ready to cook the fish.
  • Be sure to coat the fish generously. Turn it over many times until it is well coated.
  • While battered fish usually comes with fries, why not make some onion rings on the side? Use the same batter to coat the onions and fry away.
  • Do not over-mix the batter, because the air bubbles from the club soda, baking powder, and baking soda will dissipate if you do.
  • If you do not want to use club soda, you can also use beer or Seltzer water instead. The key is to use a carbonated drink to produce air bubbles.
  • Sprinkle some salt over your cooked fish to give it more flavor.

How to Make Long John Silver’s Fish Batter

But just because Long John Silver’s serves arguably the best battered fish does not mean you can’t make a great-tasting one at home. Check out this copycat recipe and be amazed at how similar it tastes like the original! Sure, your place may not have the same nautical decorations that LJS has, but your meal will taste like their signature dish!

Long John Silver's Fish Batter Recipe (+ Secret Ingredient) (4)

Long John Silver’s Fish Batter Recipe (+ Secret Ingredient)

Ingredients

  • 1 pound cod filets

  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour

  • 2 tablespoon corn starch

  • 1 teaspoon sugar

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

  • 1/4 teaspoon onion powder

  • 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

  • 1/8 teaspoon paprika

  • 3/4 cup club soda (can also use plain water)

  • Oil for frying

Instructions

  • First, make the batter by combining all of the dry ingredients. Mix together.
  • Add club soda and mix until combined. Batter’s done!
  • Pat dry 1 pound of cod fillet with a paper towel. Removing its excess liquid will reduce splatter as you fry it.
  • Place two pieces of cod fillet into the batter. Let them sit for a few minutes so the batter thoroughly coats the fish.
  • While the fillet’s are sitting in the batter, fill up a small cast-iron skillet with oil until it is 1/2 to 3/4 inches deep. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until it reaches 350 degrees Fahrenheit. This will take about 5-10 minutes. Use a deep-frying thermometer so you know when you’ve hit 350 degrees F.
  • Place two pieces of battered fish into the skillet and fry for 3-4 minutes. Do not over-crowd the skillet as this will lower the oil’s temperature.
  • Flip the fish over and fry for another 3-4 minutes or until golden brown.
  • Transfer the fillets into a plate lined with paper towels. This will help get rid of excess oil.
  • Let the oil reach 350 degrees Fahrenheit before adding the next batch of fish. Repeat until you’ve fried the entire pound of cod fillets.
  • Enjoy!

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Long John Silver's Fish Batter Recipe (+ Secret Ingredient) (11)

INSANELYGOOD

Hey there! I'm Kim. I love running, cooking, and curling up with a good book! I share recipes for people who LOVE good food, but want to keep things simple :)

5 thoughts on “Long John Silver’s Fish Batter Recipe (+ Secret Ingredient)”

  1. I love this batter

    Reply

  2. I’m going to try this the next time I’m craving fish, especially the fish and chips. I will let you knw what we think. It might be several weeks because I have to wait awhile before I go outside to ry it.
    Thank you so much for your recipe.
    borp

    Reply

    • Hi there, I hope you enjoyed the fish! It’s one of my favorite easy seafood recipes.

      Reply

  3. This recipe was amazing!!! My family loved this! They said it was some of the best homade fish they had eaten!!! Thank you!!!
    I didn’t have the club soda so just used water, but think it would’ve even made it BETTER!!!

    Reply

    • Hi Rachel, I’m so happy to hear that you and your family enjoyed it! I love making this recipe as well. 🙂

      Reply

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Long John Silver's Fish Batter Recipe (+ Secret Ingredient) (2024)

FAQs

What is Long John Silver's batter made of? ›

Long John Silvers Fish Batter Copycat Recipe

Make the batter by combining the flour, corn starch, sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda, onion salt, paprika, and ground black pepper. Stir to combine. Add the club soda to the dry ingredients. Continue to stir as the batter foams.

Why add baking powder to fish batter? ›

Fish Batter Ingredients

Milk: The proteins in milk help the batter adhere to the fish and promote browning. Water: Use very cold water for the crispiest results. Baking powder: Baking powder ensures a light and crispy exterior. Salt: A teaspoon of salt enhances the overall flavor of the fish batter.

What does vodka do in fish batter? ›

Vodka adds extra crunch to the classic battered fish and chips. Our beer and vodka battered fish recipe is adapted from Heston Blumenthal's book In Search of Perfection', it seems he has elevated the humble fish and chips to greater heights.

How does Gordon Ramsay make batter for fish? ›

Cooking instructions
  1. In a large bowl, mix both flours, baking powder and sugar.
  2. Add soda water, lager and salt.
  3. Mix together only until the batter binds together and is smooth. ...
  4. Cover your fish with a dusting of plain flour, then drop into the batter and coat completely.
  5. Pre-heat vegetable oil in deep fryer to 180C.

What is batter mix made of? ›

batter, mixture of flour and liquid with other ingredients, such as leavening agents, shortening, sugar, salt, eggs, and various flavourings, used to make baked goods and other food products. Similar mixtures—called doughs—are thick and flexible, allowing them to be shaped and rolled.

What does fish batter contain? ›

Combine the flour, salt, baking powder and turmeric, then make a well in the dry ingredients. Pour in the sparkling water – and beer – if using. Whisk to a pourable, lump-free batter. Heat the oil to 180C, filling the pan to no more than a third full.

What makes batter crispy baking soda or baking powder? ›

Is baking soda or powder best for frying? A pinch of baking soda can help produce crispy fried foods. It reacts with the acid in the batter to create carbon dioxide bubbles. These lead to an airy batter and a crisper, fluffier result.

Is baking soda or baking powder better for batter? ›

Baking soda is a much more powerful leavener than baking powder, about 3-4 times as strong. That is why you will notice that recipes usually call for a small amount of baking soda, typically ¼ teaspoon per 1 cup of flour.

What makes batter fluffy baking soda or baking powder? ›

Baking soda changes the texture of baked goods by causing a batter or dough to spread, while baking powder produces light, fluffy texture. Some recipes may call for baking soda or baking powder on their own, while others may require both ingredients to create the ideal balance for great texture.

Why do you put beer in fish batter? ›

The acidic quality of beer prevents the batter from turning tough while limiting the amount of gluten that can form.

How do you keep batter from falling off fish? ›

Thoroughly dry the fish with paper towels to stop water from accumulating in the batter and help it adhere properly. Excess moisture can make it soggy and lead to it falling off. The batter can also break off if the oil in your pan isn't hot enough.

Why add egg to fish batter? ›

Eggs, dairy ingredients, sugar, turmeric or paprika an all help the batter develop a richer golden-brown color. Batter should be light, crisp and not taste of oil.

How do you make batter stick to fish? ›

There are several ways to make batter stick to fish:
  1. Dry the fish thoroughly: Before battering the fish, make sure it is completely dry. ...
  2. Season the fish: Season the fish with salt and pepper before applying the batter. ...
  3. Use a light coating of flour: Coat the fish lightly with flour before dipping it in the batter.
Mar 30, 2016

Can Muslims eat beer battered fish? ›

What do beer battered fish, Bolognese sauce and tiramisu have in common? The answer is their recipes contain alcohol. Most people know that alcohol is not Halal for Muslims to consume.

Should I coat fish in flour before batter? ›

Don't skip the flour coating since it provides a delicious crispy texture, protects the fish from soaking up too much oil, and also keeps the fillet in one piece. For best results, use a heavy-bottomed pan, as it distributes the heat evenly.

What is fried fish batter made of? ›

To make the beer batter, whisk together the flour, garlic powder, paprika and seasoned salt. Stir in the lightly beaten egg, then gradually whisk in the beer until the batter forms and is no longer lumpy. Quickly dip the fish one piece at a time into the batter, then place in the hot oil.

What is fried ice cream batter made from? ›

The dessert is commonly made by taking a scoop of ice cream frozen well below the temperature at which ice cream is generally kept, possibly coating it in raw egg, rolling it in cornflakes or cookie crumbs, and briefly deep frying it.

What are the crumbs at Long John Silvers called? ›

Crispies are an off-the-menu side item

Whether you call them crispies, cracklins, crunchies, or just crumbs, any order of fried fish at Long John Silver's is going to come with them. They're those extra droppings of the fried batter Long John Silver's uses in all of their fried food dishes.

What is the difference between beer batter and normal batter? ›

The alcohol in the beer also plays an important role in moderating the internal temperature and crisping the crust. Alcohol evaporates faster than water, so a beer batter doesn't have to cook as long as one made only with water or milk. The faster the batter dries, the lower the risk of overcooking the food.

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