Why did my fishcakes flop?

[NumberFour]

I made fish cakes today but they are SO sloppy that they did not keep their shape despite being in the fridge for a couple of hours.

Why where they too wet? And any idea how I can prevent it next time?

what recipe did you use?

maybe the fish was too fresh?

sorry crap joke

my own
salmon, mashed potatoes, grated carrot, finely chopped onion, dried parsely, little saltm, glug of tomato sauce (read that somewhere)and egg

I think the potato, fish and carrot were all too wet.

not enough viagra?? i thinki had better go home. i am soooooooooooo sorry

Apparently the secret is to get your mash potato really dry, so the type of potatoes you use are important- go for floury potatoes like King Edwards, then after boiling and draining, leave them to dry out for a bit, you can also keep them on a low heat and mash over that. I use about 50/50 fish/ potato, and let them cool before shaping them by hand (so they don't fall apart)

HTH

Oh, I see!!!! My potatoes were too wet, and too warm and I shaped the cakes while everything was still warm

Report card reads: Can do better.

Thanks, Joolyetc

might've been the tomato sauce too. they do need to be pretty dry

yes, probably that too.
was i right to put an egg in the mix?

suppose I could just look up a recipe rather!

i don't usually, but then we're egg-intolerant here so can't!

No! No egg! I have heard if you want some flavour you can add a bit of tartar sauce instead of butter when you are mashing them

Have always shaped the fishcakes when all the ingredients are cold. Never sure of the ratio's of ingredients but it always seems to work and taste good!

Reduced price smoked fish makes a good variation on the flavour for fishcakes imho.

Tend to use egg as a coating to bind the breadcrumbs to, before frying to get the colour then finishing in the oven. Not sure if you can freeze egg?? as an ingredient? So i can 'store' for later, but us gluttons tend to eat em as soon as they are ready

We use egg, but its easy to use too much as you don't always need a whole one..

So yes, dry potatoes, everything cooled then beat an egg and add it a bit at a time until the mixture seems about the right consistency.

Faffy but it works..