I bought some rockfish last night to make some healthier fish sticks. They also had Dungeness crab at $5.99 a pound, so I got two small crabs, and well, we had the crab for supper last night.
I was poking around the cabinet looking for the box with fish fry coating. And thankfully, I’m out. So it’s time to go find out how to make a healthier fish stick.
What Kind of Fish
The classic fish stick is made out of cod. You could easily make them out of flounder or halibut. If you can find mahi mahi, it will make a nice firm fish stick. You could also look into haddock, pollack, black cod, striped bass, hake, and grouper.
You want to find fish that is fresh. And it helps if the fish is thicker.
How to Make A Healthier Coating
There are a few types of fish batter. Some are smooth like beer batter and others are crumbly like a cornmeal based fish fry coating.
For crumbly fish fry coatings, most people use panko. You can season it with spices like Old Bay, parsley, salt, paprika, cayenne, or just about anything. Some people like having a kick. You could look into putting in some jalapenos that are finely diced as well.
You can also use normal breadcrumbs if you want a finer crumb. And some people crush potato chips or cereal.
Here’s how to make a Paleo crunchy coating:
For a smooth coating that’s Primal and Whole 30 friendly, check out these
But I saved the best for last. This is what I consider to be a classic beer batter, and it’s Paleo
Happily Unprocessed Paleo Beer Battered Fish
How to Cook the Fish
We want our fish sticks to be crispy on the outside and flakey on the inside, right?
You could fry in a large cast iron pan using vegetable shortening. Keep the temperature higher (around 350F) and cook quickly. Then transfer the fish to a cooling rack. I put mine in a baking pan to keep the draining oil in an easy to clean up space.
Or you could bake the fish. I will use a cooling rack on a baking pan so the fish cooks evenly. You may still want to turn the fish midway in cooking. Cook using a high heat (450F) for about 10-12 minutes depends on how big your fish sticks are.
Finally, you can use your air fryer if you have one. It’s on my birthday wish list!
Side Dishes
I love cole slaw. You could make it healthier and make broccoli slaw.
And I confess to loving french fries. If you have an air fryer, go for the potato! You can also make fries from sweet potatoes that are super delicious.
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