Beer-Battered Fish

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Beer-Battered Fish

How to make crispy beer-battered fish at home with simple ingredients! This recipe makes fried, flaky white fish that's perfect for fish and chips dinners, tacos, and more.

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Course: Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine: American

Keyword: beer battered fish

Servings: servings

Author: Katerina Petrovska

Equipment

Ingredients

1 pound white fish fillets I used cod
¾ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking powder
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon smoked or sweet paprika
1 large egg
¾ cup ice cold lager beer or pale ale
extra flour for dusting the fish

Instructions

Heat the oil. Pour 2 to 3 inches of oil into a large, heavy-bottomed skillet or Dutch oven, making sure the oil comes no more than halfway up the sides. Heat the oil over medium-high heat to 375°F.
Prep the fish. Meanwhile, as the oil heats, leave smaller fish fillets whole or cut larger fillets into 3- to 4-inch pieces (see my notes below). Pat the fish completely dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Then, dust the fish with some flour (just a light coating).
Make the batter. In a bowl, combine ¾ cup of all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika. Add the egg and cold beer. Mix just until combined. A few lumps are perfectly fine. The batter should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Batter and fry the fish. Dip each piece of fish into the batter, turning to coat it completely. Lift it out and let the excess batter drip back into the bowl for a few seconds. Carefully lower the fish into the hot oil and fry for 4 to 6 minutes, turning once halfway through, or until the batter is deep golden brown and the fish is cooked through. The internal temperature of the cooked fish should reach 145°F.
Serve. Transfer the cooked fish to a wire rack to drain, then serve immediately.

Notes

Make them any size. Leave the fillets whole for classic beer-battered fish, or cut them into strips for fish sticks and smaller pieces for fish tacos. Just keep the pieces similar in size so they cook evenly.
Use beer straight from the fridge. Warm beer will not give the same effect.
Don't overmix the batter, and make sure to use cornstarch for extra crispiness.
Dust the fish with flour first. This will help the coating to stay on the fish.
Temperature: Fry at 375°F. Use a thermometer, if possible, to check the oil temperature.
Rest before frying. After dipping the fish in the batter, hold it over the bowl for 5 to 10 seconds. This allows the excess batter to drip off while the coating that remains on the fish thickens slightly before frying.

Nutrition