My new, “The Cowboy Way Fish Sandwich”, is your answer to no more plain-o-plain-o, drab, boring, dry as sawdust, fish sandwiches!! These Texas-style fish sandwiches shouldn’t even be in the “seafood section” of the menu!!

These rockers need to be right up there in the top-billing BURGER section!!

Who said that fish sandwiches had to be boring with almost no toppings? They sure didn’t ask me when they were making the rules!!

So I’m here to break them!

ALL of them!!

Starting with a more potent sauce than just plain ol’ tartar sauce. (*Don’t misjudge. I LOVE tartar sauce!) But I’ve had it since I was a small child, and it isn’t anything special when you’re craving something more, something over-the-top, something that makes you say, literally out loud, …OMG!!!! This is good!!!

Ya know what I mean?

(*My Copycat Sriracha Big Mac Sauce! A perfect match!!)

So I decided to go all out and just see if I could create something fun that was WAY more delicious than just a plain ol’, joe average, blasé fish sandwich.

Something I’d be proud to serve!

And that I did.

Since I had some leftover homemade Sriracha Big Mac Sauce hanging out in the fridge, that was my starting point and sent me in the right direction!

I also happened to have a couple of jars in the fridge of some primo homemade Jalapeño Cowboy Candy, homemade Bread ‘n Butter Pickles, and homemade Garlic Dill Pickle Slices!

THIS sandwich was about to ROCK.

(*These are my Bread ‘n Butter Pickles!)

(*This year I sliced my homemade Garlic Dill Pickles instead of making spears
so that we could use them on burgers and sandwiches!)

This year’s dill pickles!

And the flavor train doesn’t stop there!

I also added cheese, of course, because I’m a total cheesehead.

Along with some finely shredded lettuce, thinly sliced red, ripe, and juicy tomatoes from my garden….and…

…some thick slices of crisp-cooked and peppered bacon!!!

Yes.

Bacon. Because it’s bacon…

…and bacon makes everything better!!

And “The Cowboy Way Fish Sandwich” was a HUGE hit!!! Omg was it ever! BEST fish sandwich I have ever had! I went with my Jalapeño Cowboy Candy and my Sweet Bread ‘n Butter Pickles, but you can add whichever you like best!

So don’t be afraid to break the rules. Just go for it! Break them all!

I mean, after all, rules were made to be broken, right? Well, sort of.

As far as cooking goes…I don’t think there should be any rules to prohibit and stifle creativity. Just do what makes you happy and don’t worry about it.

Hope you all enjoy as much as we did!!

*Links to my recipes that were used to create this sandwich:

Sriracha Big Mac Sauce
Jalapeño Cowboy Candy
Sweet Bread ‘n Butter Pickles
Garlic Dill Pickles

4 - 5 sandwiches

The Cowboy Way Fish Sandwich

Ingredients

1 lb. fresh cod, sliced into 4 - 5 pieces
flour (enough to lightly coat)
oil for frying, (I use vegetable oil for this)
4 - 5 buns, toasted on the insides
1 1/2 - 2 cups finely shredded lettuce
8 - 10 thin slices fresh tomato
8 - 10 slices crisp cooked and peppered bacon strips
my homemade pickle slices (sweet or dill)
my homemade Jalapeño Cowboy Candy, as many rings as desired
my homemade Sriracha Big Mac Sauce

For Batter:

1 cup flour
2 tsp. powdered sugar
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. each: regular black pepper, garlic powder, Old Bay Seasoning, and cajun seasoning such as Slap Ya Mama
1 cup beer
1/4 tsp. sriracha sauce

Instructions

In medium bowl, whisk together dry ingredients for batter, stir in beer then sriracha until well mixed and almost no lumps remain.

Pour oil into a large, deep frying pan about 2 inches deep. (*No more than halfway up the pan, though.) Heat over medium heat for 10 minutes until hot.

Cut fish into pieces, pat dry, and lightly dust all sides with a little flour. Place one piece of fish at a time into batter, coating all sides well, and carefully place into hot oil. (Only fry a few pieces at a time to not crowd the pan or overflow the oil!) Fry until deep golden and done through, turning several times. (Thin small pieces will take about 5 minutes total. Large thick pieces will take about 8 minutes total.) Remove to rack placed over a baking sheet. Top with cheese slices to melt.

Heat oven to broil, spray insides of buns with butter-flavored no-stick spray, and broil until nicely toasted. Assemble sandwiches

To Assemble:

toasted bottom bun

beer battered cod with american cheese

shredded lettuce

tomato slices

bacon strips

my homemade pickles (sweet Bread 'n Butter or Garlic Dill) &/or my Jalapeño Cowboy Candy

my Sriracha Big Mac Sauce on toasted top bun

Serve and enjoy with an ice cold beer!