Long John Silver’s Hush Puppies (Copycat Recipe)

Making the copycat recipe of Long John Silver’s hush puppies was the crowning moment in my efforts to duplicate my childhood memories of eating at the fast food restaurant. I made the fish. I made the fries. And I made the chicken planks. And now, I’ve made the hush puppies. They have the perfect texture and the perfect corn flavor. What fantastic hush puppies they are! Get out the ketchup because it’s time for some hush puppy dunkin’! I grinned from ear-to-ear while I devoured these, each bite reminding me of days gone by, years ago!

Long John Silver's Hush Puppies (Copycat Recipe)

Why Are They Called ‘Hush Puppies’?

People often tell that the origin of the name ‘hush puppies’ can be traced back to hunters and fishermen who would toss the fried cornmeal to their dogs to stop them from barking. I recommend the article The Real History of Hushpuppies by Robert Moss over on Serious Eats.

Ketchup… Or?

As a kid, ketchup was my dunking sauce of choice when it came to hush puppies. I like to mix it up a bit more now and then. And I have to say, one of my favorites now is BBQ sauce. Yep. Spicy. Or smoky. Or both. Maybe a little sweet. There are lots of great BBQ sauce flavors out there, and they’re all great for dunkin’ hush puppies! Try it!

For Two… Or A Crowd

If I’m cooking for a crowd, I’ll break out my big deep fryer. But, if it’s just the two of us, I’ll fire up my Fry Daddy fryer. It’s the perfect size for both of us. It fries everything perfectly. And as an added bonus, it doesn’t use a lot of oil, which saves me money.

I get out my big deep fryer when it’s time to fry a large batch of food. It comes to temperature quickly and it maintains that temperature perfectly. It has a built-in oil filter and storage unit so I can re-use the oil several times.

Amazon Basics 3.2-Qt (3.0L) Electric Deep Fryer…
  • FAST-HEATING & FAMILY-SIZE: This powerful…
  • ADJUSTABLE TEMPERATURE & VERSATILE COOKING: With…

This copycat of Long John Silver’s hush puppies is flat-out fantastic. For something a little different you’ll also love my okra hush puppies!

Copycat Long John Silver's Hush Puppies
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5 from 1 vote

Long John Silver’s Hush Puppies (Copycat Recipe)

 I made the fish. I made the fries. And I made the chicken planks. And now, I’ve made the hush puppies. They have the perfect texture and the perfect corn flavor. 
Course Side
Cuisine American
Keyword copycat, deep-fried, hush puppies
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Calories 88kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • In a small bowl whisk together the milk and egg.
  • In a large bowl combine the remaining ingredients except for the oil.
  • Whisk in the milk and egg mixture. You want the batter to be somewhat thick. If too thin add more cornmeal.
  • Heat a few inches of oil to 375 F in a deep fryer or Dutch oven.
  • Working on batches, drop batter into the hot oil. I used a 1/2 tablespoon measuring spoon. If you want smaller hush puppies use a teaspoon measuring spoon.
  • Fry until golden brown, flipping after the bottom is brown.
  • Remove to a paper towel-lined plate or cooling rack.

Notes

Serve with your favorite dipping sauce (ketchup!).

Nutrition

Calories: 88kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 28mg | Sodium: 474mg | Potassium: 75mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 56IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 58mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Long John Silver’s Chicken Planks (Copycat Recipe)

When I was a kid Long John Silver’s was my favorite place on earth. We didn’t eat out much, but when we did, I begged to go to LJS. I have fond memories of eating there as a kid. That’s why I was dying to make this copycat recipe for Long John Silver’s chicken planks. I always got the Fish N’ More meal (with extra crispies… the little pieces of fried batter left floating around in the deep fryer basket). I loved everything in the meal. And I always wanted more! Going to Long John Silver’s then was an adventure for me. I recall getting a paper pirates hat once or twice. I wish I still had one!

Long John Silver's Chicken Planks (Copycat Recipe)

Malt Vinegar… On Chicken?

The ‘More’ of the meal was a few hush puppies, sides, and oh yes, chicken planks. Fried in the same great crunchy batter as the fish planks, chicken planks were just as addicting as the fish. And oddly (for me as a kid), just as good with malt vinegar sprinkled on them. I would put an amazing amount of malt vinegar on everything in the basket. Or anything I got at Long John Silver’s. Fries, hush puppies, it didn’t matter.

I get out my big deep fryer when it’s time to fry a large batch of food. It comes to temperature quickly and it maintains that temperature perfectly. It has a built-in oil filter and storage unit so I can re-use the oil several times.

Amazon Basics 3.2-Qt (3.0L) Electric Deep Fryer…
  • FAST-HEATING & FAMILY-SIZE: This powerful…
  • ADJUSTABLE TEMPERATURE & VERSATILE COOKING: With…

I don’t get my deep fryer out that often but when I do, a copycat of at least one thing from Long John Silver’s, such as these chicken planks, is on my menu. Everything is easy to make, takes almost no time at all, and always gives me an excuse to get out the malt vinegar. Like hush puppies. Yes, I put malt vinegar on my hush puppies.

Copycat Long John Silver's Chicken Planks
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4.20 from 5 votes

Long John Silver’s Chicken Planks (Copycat Recipe)

Fried in the same great crunchy batter as the fish planks, chicken planks were just as addicting as the fish. And oddly (for me as a kid), just as good with malt vinegar sprinkled on them.
Course Side
Cuisine American
Keyword chicken, copycat, deep-fried
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Calories 235kcal
Author Mike

Ingredients

For the chicken

For the batter

Instructions

For the batter

  • Combine all but the water in a large bowl.
  • Whisk in the water until the batter is smooth. If too runny add a bit more flour.

For the chicken

  • Heat a few inches of oil in a deep fryer or Dutch oven to 375 F.
  • Working in batches, dip chicken pieces into the batter and turn to coat completely.
  • Slowly lower the chicken into the hot oil and fry until golden brown, 3 minutes per side.
  • Remove to a rack to cool slightly before serving.

Notes

You can use this same batter to make copycat Long John Silver’s fish. Just substitute cod for the chicken.

Nutrition

Calories: 235kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 811mg | Potassium: 448mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 34IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 26mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Long John Silver’s Fish-and-Chips (Copycat Recipe)

As a kid, my hands-down favorite fast food place was Long John Silver’s. And although I loved the fish and fries, I have to admit my favorite things were the little crunchies. You know, the little pieces of fried batter that would end up in your food basket. I loved them. I would even ask for ‘extra crunchies’ when I ordered. Fortunately, I can get all the crunchies I want when I make this copycat recipe for Long John Silver’s fish-and-chips.

Long John Silver's Fish-and-Chips (Copycat Recipe)

More Crunchies. More Better!

If I want extra crunchies I just add a few drops of batter to the oil and in seconds… extra crunchies! So, don’t waste that extra batter you might have after you’re done dunkin’ and fryin’ your fish. And don’t forget the hush puppies! No Long John Silver’s copycat meal is complete without them, too! This copycat recipe for Long John Silver’s fish-and-chips dish will bring back memories of the last time you stopped by the restaurant! And for me, it brings back memories of screaming in delight when I heard that mom and dad were taking me to LJS for dinner! I always hoped that I’d get a paper pirates hat while I was there!

Malt Vinegar

You gotta serve the fish with malt vinegar. It might be bordering on criminal if you don’t. Me, I usually use a lot. I don’t know what it is about me and malt vinegar, but I gotta have a lot of it. Not so much that my fish gets soggy though.

I get out my big deep fryer when it’s time to fry a large batch of food. It comes to temperature quickly and it maintains that temperature perfectly. It has a built-in oil filter and storage unit so I can re-use the oil several times.

Amazon Basics 3.2-Qt (3.0L) Electric Deep Fryer…
  • FAST-HEATING & FAMILY-SIZE: This powerful…
  • ADJUSTABLE TEMPERATURE & VERSATILE COOKING: With…

For something a bit different, dip your fries in my malt vinegar aioli instead of good-ole ketchup.

Also try my copycat of Captain D’s batter dipped fish!

Copycat Long John Silver's Fish-and-Chips
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4 from 2 votes

Long John Silver’s Fish-and-Chips (Copycat Recipe)

Now I can make my own copycat Long John Silver’s fish and chips. And if I want extra crunchies I just add a few drops of batter to the oil and in seconds… extra crunchies! 
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword copycat, fish, fries
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 1092kcal

Ingredients

For the batter

For the fish

For the fries

Instructions

For the batter

  • Combine all ingredients. Whisk until smooth and there are no lumps.

For the fish

  • Heat a few inches of oil to 375 F in a Dutch oven or deep fryer.
  • Pat fish dry and coat well in the batter.
  • Working in batches, slowly lower the fish into the oil and fry on both sides until golden brown.
  • Remove to a paper towel-lined plate
  • Serve with tartar sauce and malt vinegar.

For the fries

  • Reduce oil temperature to 325 F.
  • Fry potatoes until starting to turn golden brown. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate and pat dry.
  • Increase oil temperature to 375 F and add the fries back in. Fry until golden brown and crispy. Remove to paper towel-lined plate to drain, sprinkle with salt, then serve immediately.

Notes

Serve with plenty of malt vinegar and tartar sauce!

Nutrition

Calories: 1092kcal | Carbohydrates: 80g | Protein: 170g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 387mg | Sodium: 745mg | Potassium: 5078mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 363IU | Vitamin C: 27mg | Calcium: 206mg | Iron: 7mg

Nutritional values are approximate.