Deep Fried Smelts
Headless smelts (one bag, usually a pound from the Freezer Section of Store)
Lemon juice
1 egg
1/2 C. milk
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 C. flour
1 small bowl of breadcrumbs (about 1 1/2 C)
1 tsp. vegetable oil
Defrost fish. Soak in lemon juice 10 to 15 minutes.
Beat until foamy 1 egg. Add milk, salt, flour, and vegetable oil. Continue beating until smooth.
Dip fish into batter, roll in breadcrumbs.
Make sure kitchen is well-ventilated. That oil smell gets everywhere.
Drop into hot grease (370 degrees)
Brown on one side, turn, brown on other side. Lift out of hot fat and drain on paper towels.
Serve to those who like them and plan to have pizza or a peanut butter sandwich for yourself.
Author Notes:
I really don’t like fish. I still won’t eat it to this day. Not even tuna fish sandwiches or shrimp or anything that came out of any body of water.
2 responses to “Fried Smelts”
I can still smell the smelt cooking from my childhood. My dad loved these. We had a sandwich of some sort, probably PB&J while my dad and mom ate them.
Grew up Catholic in Brooklyn. Went to the fish store every Friday for smelts. Mom would cook them just the way you describe. I loved them. I can’t remember what we ate with them. Lived in Virginia for years, now in N.C., never see smelts anywhere!