Pollock Bites Recipe
Great wings aren’t limited to just chicken, and these Wild Alaska Pollock Wings prove it. Proprietary cuts of premium wild caught Pollock breaded with a blend of old-fashioned southern style herbs and spices. Served with your choice of tartar sauce, cocktail sauce, or both.
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Ingredients
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Pollock and breading
Tartar sauce (choice)
Cocktail sauce (choice)
Finishing
Method
Pollock and breading
Prepare fish
Pat pollock fillets dry with paper towels. Trim and cut into wing-like pieces about 1 to 1.5 inches wide and 3–4 inches long (bite-sized strips). Keep chilled while you prepare breading.
Make breading mix
In a large shallow bowl or rimmed baking sheet combine all-purpose flour, cornstarch, breadcrumbs, cornmeal, kosher salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, dried oregano, dried thyme and cayenne pepper. Whisk to combine and break up any lumps.
Prepare wet dip
In a medium bowl whisk buttermilk and eggs until smooth. This creates a thin batter that helps the breading adhere and produces a crisp crust.
Dredge fish
Set up a three-station breading area: 1) flour/breading mixture, 2) buttermilk-egg mixture, 3) reserved bowl with additional breadcrumbs (optional - use some of the same breading). Working in batches to avoid overcrowding, coat each pollock piece first with the dry mix, then dip into the buttermilk-egg, and finally press firmly into the dry mix again to form a good crust. Place breaded pieces on a wire rack set over a baking sheet; let rest 5–10 minutes to help the coating adhere.
Heat oil
Pour vegetable oil into a large heavy skillet to a depth of about 1/4 to 1/2 inch (about 1 cup for a 10–12 inch skillet). Heat over medium-high until oil reaches 350°F (175°C) or a small cube of bread sizzles and browns in about 30–45 seconds. Maintain oil temperature between 325–350°F while frying.
Fry pollock bites
Working in single layers and not crowding the pan, carefully add breaded pollock pieces to the hot oil. Fry 2–3 minutes per side, flipping once, until golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads 145°F (63°C) or flakes easily. Adjust heat as needed so coating browns evenly without burning. Transfer cooked bites to a wire rack or paper towel-lined sheet to drain. Repeat with remaining pieces, adding more oil if necessary.
Keep warm (optional)
If making in multiple batches, keep finished bites warm in a 200°F (95°C) oven on a wire rack while you finish frying remaining pieces so they stay crisp.
Tartar sauce (choice)
In a small bowl combine mayonnaise, finely chopped dill pickle, chopped capers, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, chopped parsley, salt and pepper. Stir until smooth and taste; adjust salt, lemon or pickle to preference. Chill until ready to serve.
Cocktail sauce (choice)
In a small bowl combine ketchup, prepared horseradish, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice and hot sauce if using. Taste and adjust horseradish or hot sauce for heat. Chill until serving.