Fried Smelt
Fried Smelt is an easy Spring dinner for any night of the week. It is floured and pan-fried in a few minutes and they are a delicious dinner or appetizer with just a few ingredients.
Servings 6 servings
Calories 264kcal
Ingredients
- 1 pound smelt
- 1 cup flour
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/2 cup fine bread crumbs can substitute corn flake crumbs
- 2 teaspoon celery salt
- 2 teaspoon lemon Pepper, or to taste
- 2 teaspoon Olive Oil or Canola Oil plus more, if needed
- 1 tablespoon Butter
Instructions
- Add flour, cornstarch, bread crumbs, celery salt and lemon pepper to large covered bowl or plastic food storage bag. Mix well.1 cup flour, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, 1/2 cup fine bread crumbs, 2 teaspoon celery salt, 2 teaspoon lemon Pepper, or to taste
- Add smelts to flour mixture and shake until thoroughly covered. See notes below. You can also dredge them in a bowl.1 pound smelt
- Melt butter in olive oil in large cast iron skillet over high heat.2 teaspoon Olive Oil or Canola Oil, 1 tablespoon Butter
- Add smelts, in batches, to hot oil and fry 2-3 minutes per side until they are golden brown and crispy. Drain on a wire rack.
- Serve with your favorite dipping sauce.
Video
Notes
It is important to shake off excess flour.
We find that shaking them in a bag introduces too much flour into the cavity that does not get cooked through and will make them taste like flour. If you choose to flour them in a bag, make sure to shake them off thoroughly.
Garnish with fresh chopped herbs, such as fresh dill or fresh parsley, and serve with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
Good sauces for dipping;
- Cocktail Sauce
- Comeback Sauce
- Horseradish Sauce
- Thousand Island Dressing
- Fermented Hot Sauce (or Tabasco, Sriracha)
- Chipotle aioli
- Tartar Sauce
- Ketchup
Nutrition
Calories: 264kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 33mg | Sodium: 858mg | Potassium: 222mg | Fiber: 1g | Vitamin A: 175IU | Calcium: 234mg | Iron: 2mg