My dad has been making walleye using this recipe for 25 years. Since it’s such a fantastic Canadian delicacy, there’s no need in hiding the flavor; it’s light and clean-tasting instead. No need for tartar sauce!
| Prep Time: | 20 mins |
| Cook Time: | 15 mins |
| Total Time: | 35 mins |
| Servings: | 4 |
Ingredients
- 4 walleye fillets
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 pinch salt (Optional)
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 2 cups crushed saltine crackers
- vegetable oil for frying
- 1 lemon, cut into wedges
Instructions
- Check walleye fillets to ensure all bones and skin have been removed. Cut fillets into manageable pieces, if necessary.
- Combine flour, garlic powder, pepper, and salt in a shallow bowl. Place beaten eggs in a separate shallow bowl. Place cracker crumbs onto a plate.
- Heat oil in a deep fryer or large cast iron skillet to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
- Dip fillets into flour mixture, then dip in beaten egg, and then coat evenly with cracker crumbs; set fillets aside on a plate. Carefully lower 2 fillets into hot oil using tongs; cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate; repeat with remaining fillets. Serve with lemon wedges.
- To crush saltines, place crackers in a large resealable plastic bag and roll with a rolling pin (or whatever you’ve got) until a fine bread crumb consistency.
- The nutrition data for this recipe includes the full amount of the breading ingredients. The actual amount of the breading consumed will vary. We have determined the nutritional value of oil for frying based on a retention value of 10% after cooking. The exact amount will vary depending on cooking time and temperature, ingredient density, and the specific type of oil used.
Nutrition Facts
| Calories | 592 kcal |
| Carbohydrate | 40 g |
| Cholesterol | 229 mg |
| Dietary Fiber | 3 g |
| Protein | 39 g |
| Saturated Fat | 5 g |
| Sodium | 492 mg |
| Sugars | 1 g |
| Fat | 31 g |
| Unsaturated Fat | 0 g |
Reviews
Excellent! I am a bit more of a seasoning person and added garlic salt and onion powder along with some some Hungarian paprika. It turned out perfect. I wish I knew how to post a picture from my cell phone as it’s a perfect picture of perfect fried fish.
I make this recipe every year when we get walleye. It is the best recipe ever. I have now switched to air frying it in my ninja foodi and I use jalapeño kettle chips instead of crackers. OUT OF THIS WORLD!! Tonight I used cheddar Cheetos, spicy jalapeño chips and jalapeños kettle chips. Delicious!
Another Minnesotan! So I am celiac and really miss fried walleye. I subbed GF Schar crackers for the gluten crackers, 1-+1 GF flour and I am extremely happy with this recipie! Light and crispy. YUM Best one I’ve found. Thanks for sharing.
Per suggestion of another reviewer, I combined flour mixture and cracker crumbs. Dipped fish in egg and then covered with flour/cracker mixture. Otherwise followed recipe exactly. Amazingly delicate and delicious.
Well this was my first time trying walleye and I had heard it was really good and was not disappointed. I made this recipe using club crackers instead of saltines and lard instead of oil. Hands down it was the best fried fish I’ve ever had and one of the best fish period. The wife and I are not even big fish eaters but we couldn’t stop eating this fried walleye until we were stuffed to the gills! I’m saving this recipe and making any fried fish I ever make again this way!
excellent receipt that goes back to the old country
Have used this recipe many times. Really good.
Easy to make
I have used Lays Original Potato chips instead of crackers, works great, tastes great
I didn’t change a thing. This is how pickerel should be cooked and served
Never ate walleye before. This recipe can not be beat for flavor and texture
Very tasty. I did sprinkle more salt onto ti cooked filet.
I made this just as the recipe stated and received RAVE reviews from all my Friday Fish Fry guests. Everyone had seconds!! Best Walleye they’ve ever had was the comment most heard.
Thank you! This was amazing. My husband brought home some walleye and tols me it was the best fish, but when I made it with my regular batter based coating for frying I found the results to be mediocre. This time I googled frying walleye to see if I would have better results and it was so much better! Absolutely delicious. I didn’t have saltines so I used Ritz crackers. Served with homemade dill pickle tartar sauce, potatos and roasted garden veggies smothered in olive oil and cottage cheese.
I have utilized this recipe about a dozen times. It is by far the best way to eat fried walleye!
I love this recipe! The texture, flavor and appearance are all incredible. I have made this several times. Having a good partner, along with good organization and prep are the key to an enjoyable experience from pan to plate. Make sure you have all rimmed plates or shallow bowls ready before you start to fry the fish. We had one plate for each of the following: raw fish, seasoned flour, eggs, cracker crumbs, and fried fish. We made two batches, so we had two plates of raw fillets on the ready, each with just enough to fill the cast iron pan. We also had extra ingredients near the dredging plates to refresh from first to second batch. It was fun and delicious!
Just caught our first walleye and this recipe was perfect! Light but flavorful but didn’t overpower the fish. Think I would try this recipe for other types of fish as well. Even hubby commented on it and that is saying something.
Well I think that the one that submitted this recipe was absolutely correct. I have cooked Walleye (Pickerel) for years and this is one of the best ways to cook such a delicately flavoured fish. Thanks for sharing.
Thoroughly enjoyed this dish served with rice mixed stir-fry vegetables looking to try in as fish burger
Was very good
Both Delicious and succulent fish. We LOVED it!