Some History of Cooking Fried Fish and Seafood Texas Style (With Tips and Tech

[Rebecca Gerard]

Not too many years ago, in the first half of the 20th century, cooking
fish and seafood was not that popular in Texas. Before refrigeration,
cooking and eating fresh fish, and especially having a variety of
fish, was rare fare for any Texan living any distance away from the
Gulf of Mexico coast. Ice even had to be brought in by boat to the
coast.
Texans ate a little bit of freshwater fish caught from rivers, but
there were no natural lakes, and man-made lakes were not available
then either. Also, cooking oils were limited to beef fat at the time.
All of these factors led to the fact that fish was just not a big part
of their diets.
Despite these limitations, cooks along the gulf coast developed a very
strong tradition, which was influenced by the proximity to New
Orleans. Not only that, but Texans have always loved to fry just about
anything, and most fish and seafood was perfect for frying.
Through the years, with the improvement of refrigeration and food
processing, along with the development of vegetable oils, the Gulf
style of cooking fish and seafood has spread across the state.
These are some tips and techniques for achieving great results when
frying fish and seafood:
-Coat fish and seafood with a batter to seal in moisture. If fried
right, very little of the oil will find itself in the food.
-Do not use the same breading and coating for every kind of fish or
seafood. Try and add seasoning that matches that particular seafood's
flavor and texture.
-Use a fresh vegetable oil when frying fish. Any oil with a high
smoking point, like canola, peanut, or soybean oil, is a good option
for fish.
-Deep-fry fish and seafood at an oil temperature of 350 degrees
Fahrenheit.
- Do not overcrowd the pan, as the temperature will drop, causing the
oil to soak into the seafood. You want to fry your fish, not boil it
in oil.
-Always check the oil temperature before starting each new batch. as
keeping it as close as possible to that 350 degrees is most important.
Because of those earlier limitations, Texas does not have a long and
grand tradition of fish and seafood greatness, but the state is
rapidly catching up to its neighbors. Fresh fish can now be found
anywhere in the state, and Texans are gradually making it a bigger and
bigger part of their overall diets.