Why Reddit Loves This Frozen Brand For Copycat McDonald's Filet-O-Fish Sandwiches

McDonald's Filet-O-Fish is a menu option that dates all the way back to 1965, and it was actually the first non-hamburger item added to McD's menu. It's simple enough – Alaskan pollock served on a steamed bun with American cheese and tartar sauce. It's one of the more controversial items on the McDonald's menu, perhaps due to being a seafood offering at an eatery otherwise focused on beef and chicken. That said, the Filet-O-Fish has a fanatical following, as around 300 million sandwiches are sold annually.  

If you're one of the many Filet-O-Fish fans, we have good news. You can buy an almost identical version of the fish fillets at your nearest grocery store. Gorton's Beer Battered Fish Fillets are the real deal, according to Reddit. You can find them for around $6 to $7 at your grocery store – and that's for an 18-ounce portion that includes 10 fillets.

Gorton's says its fish fillets are coated in a batter made with draft beer, creating a crispy and flaky exterior. They are also prepared without fillers, artificial colors or flavors, and without hydrogenated oils. All of that creates a tasty frozen fish, and Reddit is here to testify to that.

Reddit has a lot of good things to say about Gorton's Beer Battered Fish Fillets. After one Reddit thread opened with a photo of their McDonald's copycat fish sandwich, a commenter responded, "I keep Gorton's beer battered fillets in the freezer just for this. I use one slice of cheese, store-brand tartar sauce, and plain buns (no steam, grill, or toasting). They are excellent." Another Redditor commented in a different thread, "The Gorton's beer battered fillets are elite and are perfect for sandwiches."

McDonald's execution is so simple that, once you have the frozen patties, it's quite an easy DIY recipe to follow. Gorton's suggests 20 to 22 minutes in a 425-degree Fahrenheit oven or nine to 11 minutes in a 400-degree air fryer. (One Redditor affirms that the air fryer is superior to McDonald's method.) Steam or toast the bun if you like. Then add the slice of American cheese, plus a dollop of sauce (you can go the store-bought tartar sauce route or use Gordon Ramsay's punched-up recipe). Throw some frozen fries in the air fryer if you so choose, and you're good to go with a nearly perfect rendition of a McDonald's Filet-O-Fish combo.

Love it or hate it, the Filet-O-Fish is one of those iconic fast food sandwiches that we imagine will never leave the McDonald's menu. And thanks to Gorton's and some enterprising and creative Redditors, you can now make your own version at home. Even better, though McDonald's might skimp on the American cheese on the sandwich, you can add as much as you want.