Milwaukee Friday Fish Fry Sandwich

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Large Dutch oven or heavy pot (5-quart minimum)
• •Deep-fry or candy thermometer
• •Wire cooling rack
• •Rimmed sheet pan
• •Long-handled tongs or spider strainer

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the tartar sauce

   Combine the mayonnaise, minced pickles, capers, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, fresh dill, and salt in a bowl. Stir until uniform. The sauce should taste bright and briny with distinct pickle pieces, not smooth like something from a squeeze bottle. Refrigerate for at least thirty minutes to let the flavors marry. This patience rewards you.

   Mince your pickles by hand. The food processor turns them to mush and releases too much liquid. You want texture.
2. 2

   Prepare the coleslaw

   Whisk together the mayonnaise, cider vinegar, sugar, celery seed, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Add the shredded cabbage and toss thoroughly until every strand wears a light coat of dressing. The slaw should be creamy but not drowned. Refrigerate while you prepare everything else. Cold slaw against hot fish is the whole point.

   Shred cabbage thin as paper. Thick chunks create awkward bites and won't absorb dressing properly.
3. 3

   Prepare the fish

   Pat your cod portions completely dry with paper towels. Moisture is the mortal enemy of crisp batter. The surface should feel like dry paper, not damp flesh. Season lightly with salt and pepper on both sides. Let them rest at room temperature while you prepare the batter, no more than fifteen minutes.

4. 4

   Heat the oil

   Pour oil into a large Dutch oven or heavy pot to a depth of three inches. Attach your thermometer to the side and heat over medium-high until it reaches 375 degrees Fahrenheit. This takes longer than you expect, perhaps ten to twelve minutes. Do not rush this step. Properly heated oil is the difference between crisp and greasy.

   Peanut oil fries cleaner than vegetable oil and imparts no flavor. Worth the extra cost if you can find it.
5. 5

   Mix the batter

   Place one cup of flour, the cornstarch, baking powder, salt, black pepper, and cayenne in a large bowl. Whisk to combine. Pour in the cold beer and beaten egg, stirring just until the batter comes together. Some lumps are fine. Overmixing develops gluten and produces a tough, chewy coating instead of a crisp, lacy one. The batter should be the consistency of heavy cream, coating a spoon but dripping off slowly.

   The beer must be cold. Cold batter hitting hot oil creates the violent reaction that produces those beautiful bubbles and craggy texture.
6. 6

   Dredge and batter the fish

   Place the remaining half cup of flour in a shallow dish. Working with one piece at a time, dredge the cod in flour, shaking off excess. This base coat gives the wet batter something to grip. Immediately dip the floured fish into the batter, turning to coat completely, and let the excess drip off for three seconds.

7. 7

   Fry until golden

   Carefully lower the battered fish into the hot oil, laying it away from you to prevent splashing. Fry two pieces at a time to avoid crowding and dropping the oil temperature. Cook for four to five minutes, flipping once halfway through, until the crust turns deep golden brown and sounds hollow when you tap it with your tongs. The internal temperature should read 145 degrees. Transfer to a wire rack set over a sheet pan. Never drain fried food on paper towels; it steams the bottom and kills your crust.

   Listen to your oil. Vigorous bubbling means it's working. If the bubbling slows dramatically, your oil has cooled too much. Let it recover before adding more fish.
8. 8

   Toast the buns

   While the fish rests briefly, split your kaiser rolls and butter the cut sides. Toast them in a dry skillet over medium heat until golden, about one minute per side. A toasted bun provides structural integrity against the tartar sauce and coleslaw. A soft, untoasted bun becomes a soggy disappointment within seconds.

9. 9

   Assemble the sandwiches

   Spread a generous tablespoon of tartar sauce on the bottom bun. Place the hot fried fish directly on top. The fish should overhang the edges slightly; this is not the time for restraint. Top with a mound of cold coleslaw, pressing it gently to adhere. Add another slick of tartar sauce to the top bun and close the sandwich. Serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side. A fish fry sandwich waits for no one.

   The order matters. Sauce on bottom cushions the fish and prevents the bun from getting soggy. Slaw on top adds crunch and cool contrast.

Chef Tips

• •Use a Wisconsin lager if you can find one. Spotted Cow, Point Special, or even Miller High Life honors the regional tradition. The beer flavor is subtle but present in the finished crust.
• •Fresh cod is preferable, but quality frozen cod works well. Thaw it slowly in the refrigerator overnight, never under running water or in the microwave. Pat it aggressively dry.
• •For transporting these sandwiches, wrap the fried fish separately from the assembled bun. Pack tartar sauce and coleslaw in small containers. Assemble just before eating to preserve the crunch.
• •Leftover tartar sauce keeps refrigerated for one week. It improves after a day as the pickle and caper flavors permeate the mayonnaise.
• •If serving a crowd, keep fried fish warm on a wire rack in a 200 degree oven for up to fifteen minutes. Any longer and the crust begins to soften.

Advance Preparation

• •Tartar sauce can be made up to five days ahead and stored refrigerated. The flavor deepens with time.
• •Coleslaw can be prepared up to four hours ahead. Keep refrigerated and toss again before serving.
• •Fish batter must be made immediately before frying. It cannot be prepared ahead.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 575g)