Catfish Fillets & Tater Wedges (Experiment #2 with my New Air Fryer)
My first test with this “Air Fryer 360” was Breaded Fried Chicken Thighs & Drums, and they were the best I ever had.
Link to "Fried Chicken":
https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/first-test-of-new-toy-chicken-parts.287270/
A couple of you guys asked about making fish this way, so I moved that up on my list of testing.
So I thawed out 2 big Catfish Fillets I had gotten from Giant Food Store.
She always does a good job with breading, so I got Mrs Bear to cover these, exactly like she did the Chicken parts.
Then I took two good size Russet Taters & scrubbed them good & cut 8 lengthwise wedges out of each of them, leaving the skins on.
Then after soaking in cold water for an hour, I dried the Tater Wedges & coated them with Olive Oil, CBP, Garlic Powder & Onion Powder.
These Catty Fillets were much bigger & thicker than the wild ones I usually make, and they had a lot of Fat on them.
I followed the instructions that came with my Air Fryer 360, and put the fillets on the Baking Pan, which I didn’t think was a Great idea, but “Emeril” said it, and who am I to question the “King”.
Then I spread out all the Tater Wedges on the wire Basket, which is where I thought the fillets should go too, so the hot air can get to ALL Sides, and not have them laying in their own Fat.
So I put the Baking Pan on #2 position, and the Wire Basket on #3 position. (The instructions said to put the Fillets in the Baking pan on position #1, but that would be kinda stupid, because the fillets would be actually against the broiler elements, up top).
Then I set it @ 380°, without the Fans on, for 20 minutes.
At 20 minutes nothing was near done, so I reset it to 400° for another 20 minutes.
The Taters were mostly done, with a few undone spots in some of them, but the Fish was Great, with the exception of the moist Fatty stuff on the bottom, which tells me they should either be flipped at the halfway point, or better yet, “Done in the Basket” so they aren’t laying on a solid surface & the hot air can get to ALL Sides, like I had figured before I started.
So I only ate one of them, because they were so big, and the next day, I put the leftover Fillet in the Wire Basket, and 4 leftover Tater Wedges, and set it for 380° for 20 minutes. I started the fillet with the Fatty side up this time, and flipped it over at 10 minutes, until done. This Fillet was Fantastic, and so were the Tater Wedges, except Mrs Bear Said there was too much Garlic powder on the Taters.
So After the results from this test, I figure the next time I do this, I will try the Fillets “IN the Basket” @ 400° , with the Fans on, for 20 minutes, and check them then to see if that’s long enough.
I’ll keep working until I get it Perfect, and then I’ll start a new category in my “Step by Step Index”—“Air Fryer 360”, and put the ones I get nailed down on the list.
Thanks for Stopping By,
Bear
I got Mrs Bear to do the coating, so I could take this picture & do other stuff:
The Toy in Question:
Closer look with door open:
Everything after Frying:
Two Catfish Fillets on Baking Pan, according to instructions. (Bad Idea):
Tater Wedges in Basket:
Bear's First night's Supper:
Reheat for second night. Note the Fat on the Fillet---That was the bottom of that fillet the first night.
So I started this one with the Fatted side up to melt it off:
Before flipping:
After flipping & finished:
Plated for Bear's second night's Supper:
My first test with this “Air Fryer 360” was Breaded Fried Chicken Thighs & Drums, and they were the best I ever had.
Link to "Fried Chicken":
https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/first-test-of-new-toy-chicken-parts.287270/
A couple of you guys asked about making fish this way, so I moved that up on my list of testing.
So I thawed out 2 big Catfish Fillets I had gotten from Giant Food Store.
She always does a good job with breading, so I got Mrs Bear to cover these, exactly like she did the Chicken parts.
Then I took two good size Russet Taters & scrubbed them good & cut 8 lengthwise wedges out of each of them, leaving the skins on.
Then after soaking in cold water for an hour, I dried the Tater Wedges & coated them with Olive Oil, CBP, Garlic Powder & Onion Powder.
These Catty Fillets were much bigger & thicker than the wild ones I usually make, and they had a lot of Fat on them.
I followed the instructions that came with my Air Fryer 360, and put the fillets on the Baking Pan, which I didn’t think was a Great idea, but “Emeril” said it, and who am I to question the “King”.
Then I spread out all the Tater Wedges on the wire Basket, which is where I thought the fillets should go too, so the hot air can get to ALL Sides, and not have them laying in their own Fat.
So I put the Baking Pan on #2 position, and the Wire Basket on #3 position. (The instructions said to put the Fillets in the Baking pan on position #1, but that would be kinda stupid, because the fillets would be actually against the broiler elements, up top).
Then I set it @ 380°, without the Fans on, for 20 minutes.
At 20 minutes nothing was near done, so I reset it to 400° for another 20 minutes.
The Taters were mostly done, with a few undone spots in some of them, but the Fish was Great, with the exception of the moist Fatty stuff on the bottom, which tells me they should either be flipped at the halfway point, or better yet, “Done in the Basket” so they aren’t laying on a solid surface & the hot air can get to ALL Sides, like I had figured before I started.
So I only ate one of them, because they were so big, and the next day, I put the leftover Fillet in the Wire Basket, and 4 leftover Tater Wedges, and set it for 380° for 20 minutes. I started the fillet with the Fatty side up this time, and flipped it over at 10 minutes, until done. This Fillet was Fantastic, and so were the Tater Wedges, except Mrs Bear Said there was too much Garlic powder on the Taters.
So After the results from this test, I figure the next time I do this, I will try the Fillets “IN the Basket” @ 400° , with the Fans on, for 20 minutes, and check them then to see if that’s long enough.
I’ll keep working until I get it Perfect, and then I’ll start a new category in my “Step by Step Index”—“Air Fryer 360”, and put the ones I get nailed down on the list.
Thanks for Stopping By,
Bear
I got Mrs Bear to do the coating, so I could take this picture & do other stuff:
The Toy in Question:
Closer look with door open:
Everything after Frying:
Two Catfish Fillets on Baking Pan, according to instructions. (Bad Idea):
Tater Wedges in Basket:
Bear's First night's Supper:
Reheat for second night. Note the Fat on the Fillet---That was the bottom of that fillet the first night.
So I started this one with the Fatted side up to melt it off:
Before flipping:
After flipping & finished:
Plated for Bear's second night's Supper:
