1tablespoonCavender's seasoning,or any other seasoning mix
1teaspoonsalt
1 1/2cupsfull fat buttermilk
2eggs,lightly beaten
A dash of Tabasco(optional)
A dash of Worcestershire sauce(optional)
1cupflour
Oil for frying(see below for types)
Instructions
Cut the fish into large pieces for frying. Salt them and dust with the seasoning mix. Press this into the fish fillets, let them sit on the cutting board while you heat up the oil in a large pan, Dutch oven or fryer. You want enough to almost submerge the fish. Bring the oil to 350°F.
Set a cooling rack over a baking sheet in your oven and set it to 200°F.
Mix the buttermilk, eggs, Tabasco and Worcestershire. Dunk as many pieces of walleye as will fit in your frying pan without them touching each other.
You can either flour your fish in a large, shallow pan, or in a plastic bag. Regardless, flour the fish heavily, pressing it into the pieces. You want a few chunks here and there. If you want your fried fish extra crispy, put them back in the buttermilk and back in the flour a second time -- if you do this, you will need more buttermilk, eggs and flour.
Fry your fish until golden brown on each side, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Move them to the cooling rack in the oven while you do the next batch.
Notes
Leftover walleye is tasty eaten cold, right out of the fridge.
Keys to Success
The best oil for frying walleye or other fish is one with a high smoke point, so canola, grapeseed, peanut, rice bran, safflower or avocado. These oils can go to 400F without burning.
Keep you oil as close to 350°F as you can. The single most common problem when frying fish is oil that's too cool. Cool oil makes for greasy fish.
To that end, don't crowd the pan. Give each piece of fried walleye some room. Fry in batches.
Between each batch, let the oil return to 350°F. This is another very common mistake newcomers make.
Put your fried walleye on a rack set over a baking sheet in a 200°F oven. This will prevent the fish from getting soggy.