Traditional Friday Fish Fry

The Friday fish fry is a lot more than just good food on a Friday night. In fact, this tradition was started by members of the black community who were enslaved, such as the Gullah people. This celebration was just that, a celebration where people could come together, be with loved ones, and give thanks for the community they did have. They fished for their seafood, and then used the experience to bond with one another over a good meal, laughs, and lots of love. The traditional meal of a fish fry is a very simple grouper or catfish filet.

The traditional method of cooking a fish fry is the following:

Recipe taken from: ADÁN MEDRANO on food & culture

–Cut 6″ filets of very fresh catfish or grouper

–dry filets and then season with salt and pepper
–dunk in wheat flour and shake off any excess
–dip in bowl of beaten eggs (add 1 teaspoon of water per egg) then immediately
–place in bowl of corn meal.  Make sure the corn meal covers all the surfaces of the filet.  You can hold the filets in the cornmeal until you are ready to fry them.
–in a deep-fryer or deep saucepan pour enough peanut oil so that the filets (2 or 3 at a time depending on the size of the pan) can be submerged.
–When the oil is at 350ºF, place the filets in the oil and fry until the fish is a deep golden brown.  Remove with a slotted spoon (or basket) and place in rack for  holding until served.

You can also find pairings such as homemade mayonnaise sauce for the fish, and an iceberg salad with onion and radish. Its highly recommended to pair the fish with these sides.

With time, we forget how important these large get togethers can be for families and friends. Though your group may have separated or went in different directions, its always important to find time to celebrate with one another. The Gullah and black community focuses intently on these traditions, because within their community they relied on each other, supported each other, and they understood the importance of making time for one another. Thats why keeping these traditions and heritages alive and well is crucial to Hilton Head Island, and the rest of South Carolina!