Baked Crispy Cod Burgers

There’s no room for mechanically processed fish burgers here! This burger is made with a fresh cod fillet that has been baked to a crispy perfection with a light and airy batter made with buttermilk and panko. Sandwiched between a brioche bun with lettuce and cheese, these Baked Crispy Cod Burgers are the absolute best!

During the early days of the back-to-back lockdowns, McKenna and I were craving McDonalds, but John.e never wanted to go, because he’s a vegetarian. Now, he does eat fish from time to time, so we managed to convince him that he could order the fish sandwich with fries. Through the drive-thru, we go and then off to a parking area that overlooks a river to have a little in-the-car picnic. McKenna and I were thrilled with our double-quarter pounders with cheese. John.e wasn’t as thrilled with his selection.

I promised him that I would make him a fish burger someday, so fast forward about eighteen months later, I finally made good on that promise. Was it worth the wait? I think so! Just take a look at this thing! It’s a huge piece of fresh cod that has been coated in a very light and crispy batter and then baked – not fried! I tucked it into a sesame seed brioche bun with lots of crisp lettuce, a slice of cheese, and a delicious mayo-based spread. Who wouldn’t want to dig into that?

In my opinion, the sauces or condiments used on a burger are just as important as the patty and the toppings. I could talk until I’m blue in the face about how delicious the baked cod fillet is, and I could go on and on about that brioche bun. But, the simple addition of a sauce, like the one I’m using, which is mayonnaise based, can make all the difference. I used this type of sauce, because McDonald’s uses tartar sauce, so I wanted to keep as many similarities as possible while still making a better burger.

THE LAYERS THAT MAKE UP A GREAT BURGER!

If you ask the person sitting next to you what they think is the most important part of a burger, they just might say the patty. Would you agree with them? What if they told you that the most important part was the toppings? Would you agree with them then? What about the bun? What about the cheese? Or, what about the sauce? To me, the answer is simple – all of the above!

The bun has to be fresh, but not too fresh! All of you burger aficionados out there know exactly what I’m talking about. If the bun is too fresh, it feels gummy in the mouth. If it is stale, it breaks and tears rather than almost melting and deflating and becoming a part of the bite. The cheese has to be slightly melted, but not all the way. And, it has to be slightly salty and feel creamy in contrast to the other ingredients.

The toppings need to be fresh as well. And, the desired toppings on burgers vary greatly. For me, it depends on the burger. I pretty much always use lettuce, but tend to only put tomatoes on chicken burgers. What about onions, pickles, mayonnaise, mustard, relish, bbq sauce, etc? The list goes on and on! But, in the case of these Baked Crispy Cod Burgers, we’re sticking with lettuce and cheese only!

Now, what about the patty? The way the patty is cooked, the thickness of the patty, and the type of patty, all vary depending on who is preparing the burger. If I’m eating a beef or chicken burger, I prefer thinner patties. I’m not a huge fan of overly thick patties unless it is fish! A burger made with fresh fish is the ultimate treat. It needs a crunchy coating on the outside, but the fish needs to be perfectly cooked and flaky – not overcooked and dried out! That’s how you do it right.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED FOR THIS RECIPE

The following is a list of the ingredients needed to prepare this recipe. For exact amounts and measurements, refer to the printable recipe card located near the bottom of this post.

TO PREPARE THE COD:

• Cod – You will need one piece of fillet for each burger. I’m using a thicker cut that weighs in at 4 ounces.
• Buttermilk – The creaminess and the low acid level will make a more moist and tender fish.
• Eggs – Used to help create a stickier batter, meaning that the batter will create a thicker, even coating on the fish.
• Seasonings – Dried seasonings make the batter super tasty. You will only need a few – salt, ground black pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder.
• Cornstarch – Cornstarch is the key to a light and crispy batter.
• All Purpose Flour
• Panko – These are Japanese bread crumbs. They’re crispier and lighter than regular Italian bread crumbs.
• Cooking Spray – This will prevent the fish from sticking, but will also help to brown and crisp the panko crumbs.

FOR THE BURGER

• Burger Buns – You can use your favourite burger bun. I’m using a sesame seed-topped brioche bun.
• Lettuce – A nice leafy green lettuce is great, but I have used shredded iceberg lettuce many times too.
• Cheese – This is optional and not always found on a fish burger.
• Sauce – See the section below on sauce options.

THE SAUCE CAN MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE

When it comes to applying a thick and luscious sauce to your Baked Crispy Fish Burgers, you do have a few options. First of all, you can always use whatever you like to eat on your fish burgers, and don’t let me sway you! But, in my opinion, the best way to enjoy a fish burger is to use a mayonnaise-based sauce. The saltiness and the tanginess of mayonnaise work so well with fish.

So, first of all, you can use just plain mayonnaise. Use your favourite brand. Secondly, you can use tartar sauce. McDonald’s uses tartar sauce on their fish fillets. Store-bought tartar sauce is wonderful, but if you’re so inclined, you can make your own at home in minutes. Here’s my homemade tartar sauce recipe. Secondly, you can use big mac sauce. It’s very similar to tartar sauce, but I find mac sauce to be a little sweeter. Try my copycat version of big mac sauce here.

Finally, you can use a sandwich spread! This is a mayo-based spread prepared with pickles, peppers, sugar, mustard, etc. I’ll let you decide if you want to buy the Heinz or Kraft brand. Although, Kraft is a million times better! I was convinced recently to try Duke’s brand, which is called sandwich relish, but Duke’s is not available in Canada. I ended up paying almost $15 to get it shipped to me from the US. Anyway, they were wrong. Sorry Duke’s, but you cannot possibly beat Kraft!

So, there you have it, Dear Reader. In terms of sauce, you have so many options. If you’re wondering what I have on the sandwiches you see in the photographs here, it is the Duke’s Sandwich Relish. I had it on hand, so I used it. Next time, I’ll be sure to have a jar of Kraft in the fridge!

HOW TO MAKE BAKED CRISPY COD BURGERS

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F. Line the baking sheet with parchment paper and coat the surface of the paper well with cooking spray. Set aside. Next, whisk together buttermilk, egg, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, and ground black pepper until combined. Add in the cornstarch and flour. Whisk to form a batter. Transfer the panko crumbs to a wide shallow bowl and set aside.

Next, pat the fish dry with paper towels. Working with one dried fish fillet at a time, dip it into the batter. Transfer to the bowl of panko. Lay the fillet flat and spoon the excess panko onto the top. Once covered, gently press the panko into the fillet with your hand. This will ensure that the panko has adhered to the fish. Lay the fillets onto the prepared baking sheet and continue until all fillets have been battered.

Generously spray the top of each fillet with cooking spray. Place into a preheated oven and bake for 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and use a spatula to turn the fillets over. Return to the oven and bake for 3 more minutes. If you want a crispier, browner batter, place the fish under the broiler for a minute, but watch carefully because it will burn quickly.

Prepare the buns by spreading your sauce of choice onto both the top and bottom half of the bun. Place a fillet of fish onto the bottom bun and immediately top with a slice of cheese, if using. Top with lettuce leaves and the top bun. Serve immediately!

OTTAWA VALLEY MEATS

The cod used in these Baked Crispy Cod Burgers is from Ottawa Valley Meats. I used two of their Atlantic Cod Fillets, which weigh in at four ounces a piece. Cod is just one of the many products they have. I know I’ll be going back there for more cod soon! You can find a complete list at Ottawa Valley Meats.

If you are in Ontario, be sure to take a look at the website. Ottawa Valley Meats offers seafood, beef, poultry, pork, etc. And, they deliver right to your door! I have had other suppliers deliver meat and seafood, but OVM was the best! It comes in a freezer-refrigerated truck, which means the box doesn’t need to be stuffed with ice packs or dry ice. And, the food doesn’t need to be packaged into those silver cooler bags. Do you know what that means for me? Less waste!

In case you are curious, I have used OVM products in other recipes here at Lord Byron’s Kitchen too. Just because today is about these burgers, I will make mention of this Pancake Batter Fried Fish, which I prepared using cod from Ottawa Valley Meats. The jumbo shrimp used in this Crispy Fried Shrimp recipe is from there, as is the salmon used in this Herb Butter Pan Fried Salmon with Aioli.

SPEAKING OF COD…

Codfish was probably the number one source of seafood protein in our family home.  Living in Newfoundland, in a small fishing village, in the 80s, made sure of that.  Cod was in abundance back in those days, and we ate it whenever we were presented with the chance. Correction: most people ate it! I was a picky eater as a child.

Fish dishes from my mother’s kitchen were basic and home-style.  Salted and dried cod was the fish of choice, and unfortunately, it was the only way I would not eat cod.  I hated the texture of it; I hated the saltiness of it; and I hated that in most cases, the bones were still in it.  Fisherman’s Brewis, not to be confused with Fish and Brewis, were often prepared by my mom or dad.  Both dishes are a Newfoundland delicacy and consist of salted cod fish and Newfoundland hard bread.

HARD BREAD IS NOT JUST VERY OLD, STALE BREAD

Hard bread – let me explain: Hard bread, otherwise known as hardtack or hard tack, is a simple type of biscuit or cracker made from flour, water, and sometimes salt or sugar.  Hardtack is inexpensive and long-lasting.  It is used for sustenance in the absence of perishable foods, commonly during long sea voyages, land migrations, and military campaigns.  There is a basic variety, which is much harder and not really consumed in its natural state.  And, there’s a sweet variety, which can be broken and chewed more easily without soaking in water to reconstitute or rehydrate.

Many, many, many times I would see my mom or dad put a few “cakes” of hard bread in a big bowl of cold water just before going to bed.  Then, in another bowl of cold water, they would place a few fillets of salted, dried cod.  I knew immediately what was going to be for lunch or dinner the next day.  And, I knew I wasn’t going to be happy about it.

SOMETIMES THERE WAS FRESH COD TOO!

On the occasion when fresh cod was present, the meal changed from traditional Newfoundland cuisine to what might have been considered modern at that point in time.  Fresh cod was never baked – not that I can remember.  Usually, it was pan-fried in a cast iron skillet with pork fatback.  There was never a need for oil or butter, because fatback was the bomb!  Fried cod with fatback that has been diced and fried until rendered and crunchy, (Newfoundlanders call this scrunchions) was the best way to eat cod.

Other than that, cod was lightly battered and deep fried with homemade fries.  Personally, I think that was my favourite way to eat cod, probably because we got to eat fries with it! So, when I started out to make these Baked Crispy Cod Burgers with fresh fillets, I immediately planned on serving fries with it! It’s in my blood – what can I say!?

This was a very wordy post, and I hope you’ve stuck with me this far! And, moreover, I hope you enjoy these burgers as much as we did. They got two thumbs up from John.e, which is a rarity, Dear Reader! Enjoy!