Pan Fried Trout with Crispy Skin & Lemons
How to pan fry trout with skin for crispy outside and flaky flesh. This simple preparation is common in Germany and the dish is a popular one during the Oktoberfest. Easier to make than you might think pan-fried trout is a decadent way to enjoy whole fried fish with mild flavor, perfectly crispy skin and flaky, lemon scented flesh.
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Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 3-4 whole trout cleaned
- 1 lemon
- 6 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt or to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper or to taste
- 4 tablespoon olive oil or as needed, for frying
- small bunch fresh Italian parsley for granish
Instructions
- Begin by preparing the trout for pan-frying. Remove the heads by cutting just behind the collar bones (on the side towards the body)*. You may clip the gills and tail if desired. Rinse the inside of each fish and pat dry with paper towel, inside and outside.
- Cut the lemon into slices, fine chop the parsley. In a dish sized to accomodate the length of each fish mix the flour, salt and pepper.
- Stuff each trout with lemon slices. Holding it over each side of the belly to keep the lemons in, dredge the fish in flour and set aside.
- Heat a large heavy bottomed frying pan or skillet over medium-high. Add just enough oil to barely cover the surface - about 1 tbsp. Fry each trout (no more than two fish at a time) for about 3-4 minutes on the first side and then 2-3 minutes on the second side** or until deep golden brown. Flip using a fish spatula and another kitchen utensil.
- Serve the fried trout garnished with the parsley and optional lemon wedges for squeezing over the fish.
Notes
* Use sturdy kitchen scissors.
**For larger fish, over 1 pound, you may need to fry for 4-5 minutes per side.
How to Remove the Bones:
Do this for large trout you serve for sharing or allow each individual diner to do so for their own fish.
1. Slightly open up the flesh in the center between the two fillets at the very top where the collar bone was removed. You will notice the thicker backbone that begins to run in the middle down the length of the body.
2. Lift it up with your fingers and while holding the fish slightly open with a fork or a knife gently pull up the bone and move your hand down towards the tail end. The thick middle bone and all small ones emanating from it will easily come off on both sides. Once you discard them inspect the inside of the fish for remaining smaller bones in each fillet and remove any that you notice.
Nutrition
Serving: 1fish
