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 :)

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

  1. I love this batter

    Reply

  2. 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 fish 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.

What kind of oil does Long John Silver's use for their fish? ›

Long John Silver's uses only 100 percent pure canola oil in all U.S. restaurants because we care about your faithful choices. Rest assured, Long John Silver's wild caught Alaskan fish, shrimp, fries and hushpuppies are Lent appropriate.

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.

What is fish batter made of? ›

Fish Batter Ingredients

Flour: This simple fish batter recipe starts with all-purpose flour. 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.

What is batter 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.

How unhealthy is Long John Silver? ›

Many of the options are battered and fried, which makes them high in calories, fat, and sodium. If you are eating here regularly, it's best to choose baked fish options with a high fiber side dish such as a baked potato and broccoli."

What is the best oil for fish batter? ›

You want your fish to taste great with classic tartar sauce and sides for fried fish! So it's best to use a neutral oil, like canola, vegetable and safflower oil to fry fish. Peanut oil has a high smoke point, which is perfect for frying, but it could add a slightly nutty flavor to your fish.

What is the best oil for crispy fish? ›

Thanks to its neutral flavor, affordable price, and high smoke point, canola oil is the most popular oil for frying fish. Peanut, cottonseed, and coconut oil are also great fish frying oils.

Why is Long John Silver's closing? ›

Long John Silver's operated in Malaysia for some time, but shut down due to declining sales and being downplayed by competitors and rivals such as KFC and local seafood restaurants. However, as of the chain's Asian expansion, it is planning on returning.

What company owns Long John Silver's? ›

Is Long John Silver real fish? ›

About our Seafood

Real seafood should be from real sea-places, like, you know, oceans. So that's exactly where we source ours from.

What makes batter more crispy? ›

Use Cornstarch or Rice Flour

Michael says that cornstarch or rice flour in combo with flour will give you the crunchiest batter.

How do you keep batter from falling off fish? ›

If the fish is dropped in the fryer to fast or even just tossed in the fryer the batter will most like disperse or just a little will stick. The secret here is to put in the fish slowly while giving it a little wiggle to get access batter off. This will really give you an amazing coating on the fish!

Should you beat eggs before adding to batter? ›

For chemically-leavened cakes — that is, cakes calling for baking powder or baking soda — it's OK if you don't remember to add the eggs until the end. Martina says, “Late in the mixing stage, eggs will incorporate better if you lightly beat them before adding to the batter.

Is batter on fish healthy? ›

Fish that is steamed, baked or grilled is a healthier choice than fried fish. Frying can increase the fat content of fish and shellfish, especially if they're cooked in batter. Eating a wide variety of fish helps ensure there are enough fish to eat now and in the future.

What is the difference between breaded fish and batter? ›

Batters can range in crisp from tempura (the crunchiest) to beer battered (not so crunchy). Breaded seafood is not the greatest in a deep fat frying capacity. All those small bits of sloughed off breading can cloud up the fryer, burning and adhering to other pieces, especially if you're frying in multiple batches.

What is Zatarain's fish fry made of? ›

Ingredients. Enriched Corn Flour (Corn Flour, Niacin, Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Salt, Spices (Including Red Pepper), Citric Acid, Monosodium Glutamate (Flavor Enhancer), Garlic, Onion & Lemon Juice Concentrate.

Why is fried fish often coated in flour? ›

Let's put it bluntly, breadcrumbs suck at sticking to meat or fish without something it can hold onto. That's what the flour and egg wash coating does, it gives the final breading something to stick firmly to so when you cook it, the end result will be a nice and crispy breading on the fish.

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