It’s no surprise that the most effective way to serve kids fish is to bread it and turn it golden brown. Honestly, that’s the most effective way to serve nearly anything to nearly anybody! We’re all in support of buying the frozen kind from the store, but if you’re so inclined, making fish sticks yourself (and even freezing them so that you can have them on-hand the way you do the store-bought kind) is not that hard to do. Here’s the deal.
Choose fish that won’t fall apart:
* Use a firm white fish filet; cod is our favorite. More delicate fish, like flounder, will fall apart. Ask us how we know.
Coat your fish without a huge mess:
* This isn’t a make or break tip, but it sure does help: Begin by dipping all of the fish strips in flour. Do not dip any of them in the egg wash or breadcrumbs until every single one has been coated with flour. Then, and only then, move each piece of fish, one by one, through the rest of the breading process. This helps prevent your hands from getting complete matted and clumped in coating.
Get a perfectly golden brown crust:
* Be sure to toss your breadcrumbs with a little bit of oil before you coat your fish sticks to get a crispy, golden brown coating. Even coating the already breaded sticks with a quick spray of oil doesn’t get the job done the same way.
* Bake the sticks on a rack. This allows you to achieve an even golden brown coating all around. It also keeps the fish from sticking to the pan… or parchment paper… or silpat… or aluminum foil. We’ve tried them all and a rack is your best bet, hands down.
It’s no surprise that the most effective way to serve kids fish is to bread it and turn it golden brown. Honestly, that’s the most effective way to serve nearly anything to nearly anybody! We’re all in support of buying the frozen kind from the store, but if you’re so inclined, making fish sticks yourself (and even freezing them so that you can have them on-hand the way you do the store-bought kind) is not that hard to do. Here’s the deal.
Choose fish that won’t fall apart:
* Use a firm white fish filet; cod is our favorite. More delicate fish, like flounder, will fall apart. Ask us how we know.
Coat your fish without a huge mess:
* This isn’t a make or break tip, but it sure does help: Begin by dipping all of the fish strips in flour. Do not dip any of them in the egg wash or breadcrumbs until every single one has been coated with flour. Then, and only then, move each piece of fish, one by one, through the rest of the breading process. This helps prevent your hands from getting complete matted and clumped in coating.
Get a perfectly golden brown crust:
* Be sure to toss your breadcrumbs with a little bit of oil before you coat your fish sticks to get a crispy, golden brown coating. Even coating the already breaded sticks with a quick spray of oil doesn’t get the job done the same way.
* Bake the sticks on a rack. This allows you to achieve an even golden brown coating all around. It also keeps the fish from sticking to the pan… or parchment paper… or silpat… or aluminum foil. We’ve tried them all and a rack is your best bet, hands down.
PrintRecipe: Classic Fish Sticks + Quickie Tartar Sauce
- Yield: 4 1x
Ingredients
1/2 cup flour
Salt & freshly ground pepper
3 eggs
2 cups plain panko breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme (or 1 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano (or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano)
Zest of 1 lemon
Old Bay seasoning, to taste (optional)
1 1/2 lbs firm white fish filet such as cod
QUICKIE TARTAR SAUCE
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon sweet relish
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
Salt
Hearty quirt of sriracha (optional)
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place a baking rack on top of a parchment-lined baking sheet (the parchment is optional, but helps make clean up a snap) and spray the rack with cooking spray; set aside. Add flour, salt, and pepper to a wide shallow bowl or large plate and gently toss with your fingers to combine; set aside. Whisk eggs in a separate wide shallow bowl; set aside. Combine panko, olive oil, thyme, oregano, zest, and Old Bay in a third wide shallow bowl or large plate and toss with your fingers to combine; set aside.
2. Cut the fish into wide strips. Dredge each piece, one by one, in the seasoned flour, tapping to remove excess flour. Set each floured piece of fish on a cutting board or plate while you finish flouring each one. Once every piece has been floured, take each fish stick through the rest of the breading process: dip each one into the egg wash and then immediately into seasoned breadcrumbs, making sure to press the breadcrumbs onto the fish to coat thoroughly. Set each breaded fish stick on the prepped baking rack and repeat until they are all coated.
3. Place coated fish sticks in the oven for 15-20 minutes until golden brown all around. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 2 or 3 minutes before serving.
QUICKIE TARTAR SAUCE
1. Using a fork or whisk, combine all ingredients except sriracha in a bowl until the mayo is smooth. If some eaters want a spicy sauce, set aside a non-spicy portion and then add sriracha to taste. Mix well to combine. Serve immediately or save in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
