Dispelling the myth: Is breading always necessary when frying fish?

There are numerous mistakes people tend to make when preparing fish. These errors significantly affect the taste and consistency of the dish. For instance, we often upset the moisture balance of the fish by poking or moving it too much while frying. Moreover, we tend to prioritize promotional prices over product quality when choosing fish. One particularly common blunder is incorrect or unneeded breading. Does this sound familiar? Take a moment and think about it!

The answer to this question isn't definitive - it's both yes and no. The necessity of breading depends heavily on the type of fish and the method of filleting. This concept is well-explained by chef Gienio Mientkiewicz, co-author of the book "Baltic Herring Naturally":

"Small fish, so-called pan-fries, fried whole, are perfectly fine with just a sprinkle of flour. Larger varieties like salmon, particularly when served as a thick fillet with skin, don't require any breading at all. We tend to fry it slightly longer on the skin side and shorter on the other side. Fish with a delicate flavor, like pikeperch or carp, are better off when dusted in flour. As for lean fish, such as cod, it's best to bread in pancake batter to retain as much moisture as possible".

This implies that breading salmon is indeed a grave mistake. It can completely ruin both its taste and texture. Smaller species, like the crucian carp, enjoy a light dusting of flour, but applying the same treatment to cod does not yield as good results. In comparison, a pancake batter breading proves far more effective for such cases. As it turns out, breading fish isn't as straightforward as we might think.