Recipe
Fried Spot with Hush Puppies
When spot run in the fall, this is the classic Grand Strand preparation. Whole fried spot with crispy hush puppies and coleslaw is a pier tradition.
Before you fillet anything: South Carolina sets a minimum size, a daily bag limit and in some cases a slot for most of these fish, and several have closed seasons. Measure the fish on the pier and check the SC regulations page — an undersized fish goes back in the water, not in the cooler.
Serves
4
Difficulty
Medium
Ingredients
Quantities serve 4.
- 8-10 whole spot, cleaned and scaled
- 2 cups yellow cornmeal
- 1 cup flour
- Old Bay seasoning
- Vegetable oil for frying
- Lemon wedges
- Tartar sauce
- Coleslaw for serving
Method
Heat oil to 350°F in a deep fryer or heavy pot.
Mix cornmeal, flour, salt, pepper, and Old Bay in a shallow dish.
Score each spot with 2-3 diagonal cuts on each side.
Dredge fish in the cornmeal mixture, shaking off excess.
Fry in batches for 4-5 minutes until golden and crispy.
Drain on paper towels, squeeze lemon, and serve with tartar sauce and slaw.
Cook fish to an internal temperature of 145°F, or until it flakes and turns opaque through the thickest part. Keep your catch on ice from the moment it leaves the water.
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