baked sunfish recipe???

Searched through the files of baked fish methods here on IDO didn’t find anything that would produce the texture I am looking for.

The best sunnies I have ever tasted had a flour salt pepper batter, and I think they were dipped in milk or egg before the batter- When I try to do this they turn out soggy and not so great.

I know they were baked but can’t figure out how this person got the texture so firm, lightly browned and crispy-almost like a chicken nugget-and not a bit of dry on the inside?????

I would ask her but she passed away a few years ago. Thanks for any suggestions! Gonna give it another shot tonight after the chefs hopefully chime in here!

get your oven up to 450, coat your fillets with a light coating of real mayo (use your hands) dredge in crushed saltines, a splash of parm cheese and season with lemon pepper. The best gill fillets have the skin left on, but scaled. You can even preheat your pan, put in the oven till you see the tops getting brown. I know, I know…Mayo? It’s made form oil and eggs and it will melt right in and you won’t notice it a bit.

Pre-heat oven to 500 degrees. Yes 500 degrees.

Cover baking pan (large cookie sheet) with fresh bread crumbs.

Wet fillets in milk, then coat in breading made up of 2 parts crushed potato chips, 1 part parm. cheese and seasonings of your choosing (or no seasonings if you use flavored chips).

Lay the coated fillets on the bread crumbs and bake until they flake with a fork (5-7 minutes depending on size).

They turn out fairly crispy, the bread crumbs are sacrificial – they simply keep the fish from sticking to the pan.

BBQ and Sour Cream & Onion are our favorite flavors of chips. When using plain chips, I’ll add some Thyme.

Enjoy!

Nice!!! Thanks to both of you and happy b-day chomps!

I just made some this weekend. You first whip a few eggs then dip the fillets in there and then cover them in Pankos crumbs. The pankos is made to give you that crisp texture in the oven. I had the oven at 415 degress.

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The best sunnies I have ever tasted had a flour salt pepper batter, and I think they were dipped in milk or egg before the batter- When I try to do this they turn out soggy and not so great.

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Are you certain they were baked?

What you describe sounds like pan fried to get that crispness out of flour, salt and pepper.

My Mom would try baking sunnies…both dad and I said…”why are you trying to fix something that’s not broke.

I know they were baked- I remember waiting for them to get out of the oven so I could destroy them. It was a former coach’s mom that would make them for us. Coach would bring us back to his hometown, we would run the clinics for the high school, come home to their cabin-fish our brains out. I was the lone ranger that would get up and take the paddle boat out on my own-wouldn’t let me take the boat- before camp started to get a couple hours in!!!

Anyway- I think chomps reminded me that he scaled all sunnies-that has got to be why the texture held so firm for easy dunking into tarter. I am going to buy a scaler.

Tonight- I did a half and half batch of the chomps and deerdragger style- Even without scaling- both were incredible!!!!! Wife and kids both loved it! They are used to my fried fish-and this is the first time they have enjoyed the baked variety. Haven’t decided if either of them are healthy-or more healthy than frying- but I do know they were fantastic!

Thanks for all recipes – I’m sure I will try them all!

Shorelunch makes an oven version that we like pretty well too.

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Shorelunch makes an oven version that we like pretty well too.

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