How Gordon Ramsay Keeps Homemade Fish Sticks From Falling Apart

There are some things we never really outgrow, like the comfort foods from our childhood. They might get adult upgrades to suit our grownup palates, but foods we ate regularly growing up still tend to get smiles — even if we don't want to admit it out loud to our friends. One food that Gordon Ramsay grew up eating is one many adults remember fondly — and probably even feed to their own kids: fish sticks. But thanks to his expert cooking techniques, they are a treat that you can easily make at home instead of serving up the bland and boring ones you'll find in your store's freezer section.

His method doesn't just make delicious tasting fish sticks that appeal to palates of all ages. It also addresses a problem that can easily derail a meal of homemade fish sticks: the tender fish falling apart during the cooking process. This can happen for a number of reasons, like the type of fish you use, the freshness, and the way you handle it while preparing and cooking it. This is where Ramsay comes to the rescue.

In a cooking segment shared on Ramsay's Facebook page, the chef reveals shares two secrets that effortlessly solve this problem. He starts with choosing the right fish — pollock, which has a nice firm texture (Trader Joe's is on to this trick, using this white fish in its frozen fish nuggets). He takes things a step further by lightly salting the fish before battering and frying it. By letting the salted fish rest for 20 to 30 minutes before cooking, the salt has plenty of time to firm up the fish so it holds together in the frying pan.

The salt trick turns out to be rooted in science. Osmosis, to be exact. When applied to fish, the salt draws out the moisture, which causes the proteins to denature and aggregate. The moisture that is retained is redistributed more evenly and the end result is fish with a nice, firm texture that is plump, juicy, and full of flavor.

In short, salt works wonders with fish, whether you are making quick and easy fish sticks or a more complicated, sophisticated dish like salt-baked fish. But the salt you use matters. There are plenty of interesting salts you can stock your pantry with, and each one has its own qualities and purpose. But in order to pull off these perfectly cooked fish sticks that don't fall apart, you may want to avoid iodized salt, which can give the fish a bitter, metallic taste. While Gordon Ramsay's video tutorial doesn't specify a type of salt to use, you can always opt for a sea salt that will enhance the flavor and make your fish sticks a dish that everyone will enjoy.