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Frozen fish sticks come out way better with a quick flour dusting | Air Fryer Recipes - Librear

Frozen fish sticks come out way better with a quick flour dusting

For two years I just tossed frozen fish sticks straight into the air fryer basket at 400 degrees for 8 minutes. Last month my sister-in-law mentioned she rolls hers in a little flour and paprika before cooking. I tried it that Friday with a batch for my grandkids and the difference was shocking. The coating crisps up like it was battered fresh, no oil needed, and they stay crunchy even after sitting on the plate for a bit. I also started doing the same with frozen chicken tenders and it works just as well. Anyone else found a simple dry ingredient that upgrades frozen stuff in the air fryer? I am curious what else I am missing out on.

2 comments

2 Comments

rodriguez.cora1mo ago

Tried the flour thing and honestly I was not impressed. Maybe it depends on the brand but mine came out with this weird pasty spots where the flour clumped up and didn't cook through. What actually works for me is a light spray of oil right on the frozen sticks before they go in, gives you that crisp without any raw flour taste. Flour on frozen food just steams in places and goes gluey in my experience, especially if you don't pat them dry first. If it works for your grandkids though then keep at it, we all got our own tricks.

robertsmith1mo ago

Check your oil spray, because that's likely where the pasty spots came from, not the flour. Most cooking sprays have lecithin and other stuff in them that gunks up when it hits a hot surface, and on frozen food it can pool in the little cracks and turn into exactly the weird clumps you're describing. Straight oil in a pump bottle or brushed on thin works way better than the aerosol cans for that reason. @rodriguez.cora you're right that flour on frozen food steams, but that's only if you put too much on, a thin dusting and a shake in a bag keeps it light enough to crisp without going gluey. Also patting them dry first does nothing for frozen sticks since they're already rock hard, the ice is the whole problem, so a dry surface isn't happening either way. The real trick is not crowding the pan or basket so the steam can escape instead of sitting there and steaming the coating.