I bet you have always wanted to make Long John Silvers fish, and now you can with this copycat recipe. You will enjoy this Long John Silver’s fish batter recipe as it has crispy fish and a nice golden brown color.
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Crispy Fried Fish
Do you love this crispy batter-dipped fish? Crispy on the outside, with the fish cooked perfectly on the inside, it is hard to resist this fish.
Growing up, this was a favorite restaurant of mine. I remember when the Long John Silver’s first opened in Pueblo, Colorado. My family got in the car, and we soon munched on this fish.
This batter is very close to the Fish and Chips served overseas. This recipe is unique because the fish is crispy, but it isn’t done with a beer batter. Club soda is the key ingredient that makes this crispy fish batter special.
The batter has baking soda and baking powder in it, and when combined with the club soda, it gives the batter a unique lift you will love.
What Makes This Recipe The Best Copycat Long John’s Fish Batter Recipe?
Fish sticks are a staple fast food favorite on both sides of the Atlantic. While England may have a stronger tradition of fish and chip shops, a few popular chains exist in the US, including Long John Silver’s.
For over 50 years, the brand’s restaurants have been churning out deliciously crispy fried fish. While you won’t find Long John Silver’s everywhere, once you taste the crispy batter of their fried fish, you’ll want to enjoy it often. With this tried and true copycat recipe, you can make it anytime!
Why This Is One Copycat Long John Silvers Fish Batter Recipe You Must Try?
This version doesn’t attempt to recreate the classic heavier flavor of Britain’s fried fish. Instead, the battered fish recipe below goes with a more pronounced mixture of seasonings and club soda that recreates the taste of the Long John Silvers fish batter recipe.
Ingredients For Long John Silvers Fish Recipe
To make the batter, you’ll need:
- All-purpose flour
- Corn starch
- Sugar
- Salt
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Onion salt
- Paprika
- Ground black pepper
- Club soda
You can use seltzer or soda water if you don’t want to use club soda. Carbonation is the key to this recipe for Long John Silver’s fish batter because it keeps it light.
For the fish, you’ll need:
- Any firm white fish
- Lemon wedges, optional
The chain uses both cod and pollack based on availability. But any firm and relatively mild-tasting white fish will do. See the section below on choosing the best fish and more information.
For frying, I use vegetable oil or canola oil. I think peanut oil would also work well, but it is more expensive.
How To Make the Long John Silvers Fish Recipe
- Cut the fish into serving pieces no heavier than 3 ounces.
- Heat the oil in a heavy-bottom pot, Dutch oven, or deep-fryer to 350°F. It is critical that the oil is at the right temperature, so use a thermometer.
- Place paper towels on a baking tray and put a wire rack on top.
- Stir or whisk together all the batter’s dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Immediately before you are ready to fry your fish fillets, add the club soda slowly while continuing to stir.
- Coat the fish in the batter. Let the excess batter drip off the fish.
- Carefully drop the battered fish into the oil. Cook in batches to prevent lowering the oil’s temperature.
- Fry the fish for two to three minutes until golden brown. Turn the fish halfway through the cooking time, if necessary.
- Remove the fish using a spider or fryer basket and place the pieces on the wire rack to drain.
- Let the oil come up to temperature and repeat as necessary.
- Serve immediately.
Different Types of Fish You Can Use
When you make this recipe at home, you can use any fish that you like. Long John Silver’s uses Wild-caught Alaskan Cod. I have made my recipe with cod I purchased at Costco.
I think this would work well with catfish, tilapia, barramundi, haddock, hake, halibut, snapper, or any other white fish you may have. One good alternative is Swai fish, an inexpensive firm white fish that is mild and tastes slightly sweet.
You may even want to check out my Long John Silvers Chicken recipe.
I use my T-fal FR8000 Oil Filtration Ultimate EZ Clean Easy to clean 3.5-Liter Fry Basket Stainless Steel Immersion Deep Fryer, 2.6-Pound, Silver. I like it because it regulates the heat very well, and it has a filter so you can reuse the oil.
Recipe Tips
I do have some tips on technique:
Make sure your fish pieces are no more than 3 ounces. When the fish is heavier, it will immediately sink in the oil, and the batter may wrap itself around the heating elements of your fryer. If you use a pot to heat your oil in, this may not be an issue.
I like to raise and lower the battered fish pieces a few times when I lower them into the oil. This way the batter can cook just a little, and the expansion of the batter is less troublesome. It isn’t challenging to do at all, but this batter does expand while cooking. It is one of the characteristics that make fish batter so unique.
Other Ways To Use the Batter
The recipe for Long John Silver’s fish batter is so delicious; why not make a double batch of the batter and use it to fry other ingredients?
Make the lightest onion rings. Coat mushrooms, chicken filets, string beans, zucchini, or sweet potatoes for deliciously crunchy snacks. Heck, you can even fry the batter all by itself!
Different Ways You Could Use the Fried Fish
This recipe is also great for preparing fish for tacos and sandwiches. Feel free to experiment with the seasoning to create other flavor profiles.
What To Serve With Long John Silver’s Fish
French fries, hush puppies, and onion rings are traditional, but there isn’t any reason why you shouldn’t get more creative. Try fried green tomatoes, fried pickles, coleslaw, or cornbread.
Malt vinegar, tartar sauce, and a squeeze of lemon are popular condiments with fried fish.
How To Store the Leftovers
Leftovers will stay fresh for two days in the fridge and up to three months in the freezer.
To store fried fish in the fridge:
- Let the fried fish cool.
- Wrap the fish in individual pieces in a paper towel and put them in an airtight container.
To store fried fish in the freezer:
- Let the fish come down to room temperature.
- Lay out the fish on a baking tray.
- Put the fish in the freezer until frozen, about two to three hours.
- Transfer the frozen fish to freezer bags.
The Best Way to Reheat Long John Silver’s Fish
To reheat thawed fried fish in the air fryer:
- Preheat the air fryer to 350°F.
- Cook for four to five minutes, or until hot.
To reheat thawed fried fish in the oven:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Place the thawed fish on a wire rack over a baking tray.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until hot.
I hope you enjoy one of my childhood favorites. You could use this batter to dip chicken tenders, shrimp, and onion rings.
Love fish? Try these great recipes!
- Air Fryer Salmon
- Baked White Fish
- Batter Fried Shrimp
- Beer Battered Fish and Chips
- Captain D’s Fish
- Maryland Crab Cakes
- Pan Fried Salmon
- Panda Express Shrimp
- Poached Fish
- Salmon Patties
Popular Fried Main Dish Recipes
Check out more of my easy seafood recipes and the best fast food recipes here on CopyKat!
Long John Silvers Fish Batter Copycat Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 cups vegetable oil for frying
- 2 cups flour
- 1/4 cup corn starch
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon onion salt
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 16 ounces club soda
- 2 pounds cod or other white fish sliced into 3 ounce pieces
Instructions
- Heat about 8 cups of vegetable oil to 350°F in a fryer or heavy pot.
- 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.
- Coat the fish pieces with the batter, and drop them into the hot oil.
- Fry for 2 to 3 minutes until the batter is golden and the fish pieces begin to float to the top of the oil.
- Drain the fish on a wire rack.
Video
Notes
Can’t Miss Cooking Tips
- To keep the batter from sticking to the bottom of the basket, gently lower fish and hold it for a few seconds to allow it to form up a crust before dropping it into the basket.
- You can swap the club soda for beer for a great flavor.
- Have a little batter leftover? Slice up some onion rings, and make onion rings.
Denise
Great recipe, taste just like Long John Silver!!!!
RMB
After reading some of the comments about it being bland I added fresh dill in the batter.I also made my own tartar sauce and added fresh dill to that too.
I’ll never go to LJS or CDs again.
Thank you for the recipe.
Stephanie Manley
I am so glad you were able to create a recipe from this that you enjoy!
Sally
I didn’t have club soda so, I used coke and it came out like LJS fish 😋
Sharon
Hi, if I still have a little batter left over, can I refrigerate it and use it the next day?
Stephanie Manley
I would not do this. Simply discard, and start fresh the next day. There is a remote possibility that the fish batter could go bad.
Miss Vickie
Long John’s use to use Icelandic Cod fillets. I knew an owner and would buy a box of fish from him to bake while on diet. It was the best fish! I don’t like the current white fish they use. Probably changed to reduce costs. Also I could taste a little fennel powder in the original Long John’s batter so I always add a little to my batter.
Pat
One of the best fish & chips I’ve ever had!! Let alone I made it myself…lol
So pound of myself!
Betty
Very crispy and sweet batter, YUM!
Mr kippy
Not saying I work there or anything (don’t wanna get sued) but the fish is actually pollock. And it comes in huge flash frozen planks that look like wood the employees break apart by hand. Also the oil we…I mean they…use is just a giant block a lard now. To save money ya know 😉
Judy poole
Can you use beer in place of sofa water
Stephanie Manley
Yes, you can.
Diana
Absolutely delicious! Tastes just like Long John’s Silver’s batter and I used water instead of club soda since I didn’t have any and it was a last minute decision to try it.
Dusty
Very good batter! I used club soda. I also used frozen cod that I thawed in water. This might have been a mistake, as some of the fish was mushy? I tried to squeeze out the filets with paper towels but it may have not been enough. Anyone know if frozen fish freshly thawed will cause mushy flesh? The batter was perfectly golden just like LJS!
Stephanie Manley
Is it possible that the fish had been frozen for a long time? Off the top of my head that is what I can think of that might have made the fish mushy.
Cheryl
You didn’t allow your fish to thaw all the way. The mushy parts were still frozen
Esther Jonas
Can you use an air fryer so you dontnget all that grease?
Stephanie Manley
I haven’t tried it, I think the batter will drip off before it cooks.
Cat
The long john silver in Fl used beer batter.
I have used beer batter and it came out nice and crunchy and fish moist.
I have used beer in other items to, and gives the food or sauce a nice flavor.
Stephanie Manley
I bet everyone loved that beer-battered fish. Do they still do that there?
Cat
I am not sure been a while since i had long john silver. I hope they still do because it was so yummy. I make bbq chicken in pan using bbq sauce and beer. yummy.
Stephanie Manley
Man, I love beer-battered fish.
Claudia
Was delicious and made onion rings. Same batter but different taste.
Rachel
I feel like I had to fry this for a lot longer than the suggested 2-3 minutes. The flavor was nice though.
Stephanie Manley
The cooking time is directly related to the thickness of your fish.
Amanda
Can you use regular water for this?
Stephanie Manley
You can use regular water, I personally think there is a better result with club soda.