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

Leave a Comment

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

FAQs

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

Then came the detecting stage: Long John Silver's ingredient statement lists several items in the batter. Some of them were pretty straightforward: wheat flour, corn flour, corn starch, paprika, garlic powder, MSG, and leavening (baking soda and baking powder).

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 put soda water in fish batter? ›

The carbonation will help give the batter an airy texture. Slowly add a bit more club soda and continue to mix. Do this until the batter reaches a nice smooth yet thick consistency.

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.

How do you get batter to stick to fish? ›

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 deep-fried batter made of? ›

Batters are made by combining some sort of flour—usually wheat flour, though cornstarch and rice flour are not uncommon—with a liquid and optional leavening or binding ingredients, like eggs and baking powder. They coat foods in a thick, goopy layer.

Does Long John Silver's use 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 do you coat fish in when frying? ›

Coat fish in flour, then egg, and then bread crumbs. Gently set coated fish into hot oil and fry 5 minutes on each side until medium golden brown in color. When the fish is evenly golden all over, remove and drain on brown paper sacks. Suggested: 3 disposable pie tins .

How healthy is Long John Silvers fish? ›

The battered cod and the wild Alaskan pollock are very close in nutritional value, but the cod edges out the pollock because it is lower in sodium, lower in carbohydrate, and higher in protein. It comes in at 190 calories, 11g fat, 1g saturated fat, 9g carbohydrate, 15g protein, and 560mg sodium per piece.

Is batter better with milk or water? ›

Thin liquids such as water, beer and soda water make the lightest batters, but milk isn't far behind. Milk-based batter should be mixed to a consistency thinner than pancake batter but thicker than heavy cream, and then ideally chilled for an hour before it's used.

Why add cold water to batter? ›

Cold water slows the development of gluten, and that allows the oil to get into and around the batter. That's also why you want the batter to be lumpy - you don't want to work it too much.

Why does batter not stick to fish? ›

The right temp is a must. The range def has to be between 350-375. Lower then that and the batter will disperse, and higher then that the batter might stick but it will look like toast rather then fish.

Do fish and chip shops use milk in their batter? ›

Milk/Dairy: Some fish and chip shops may use dairy products in their recipes, particularly where the batter is concerned. This means that milk or butter may be found in the products. For those with a severe dairy allergy, fish and chip shops that use dairy products should be avoided.

Should you dip fish in flour before frying? ›

Avoid olive oil and butter since they'll burn at the high temperatures required for frying. 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.

What is the best flour for batter? ›

This is why all-purpose flour, with its moderate protein content (10-12%)is commonly used. The developed gluten helps the batter cling to the food without producing an overly chewy or oily crust.

What are the crumbs at Long John Silver's called? ›

Looking for a unique side dish from Long John Silver's secret menu? Ask for some extra 'crumblies' with your next order. These small fried bits of batter are one of the best parts about eating at this seafood franchise and the staff is known to serve you a side of these crumblies if you ask them.

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 is the difference between beer batter and normal batter? ›

First, the bubbles provide lift as they escape from the batter during frying. Second, the carbonation makes the batter slightly more acidic, which limits how much gluten can form when the beer and flour mix, preventing the batter from turning tough.

What is Long Johns made of? ›

In the United States, it is usually made from a cotton or cotton-polyester-blend fabric with a waffle weave texture, although some varieties are also made from flannel, particularly the union suit, while many newer varieties are made from polyester, such as the Capilene trade name.

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