Beer Battered Fish

With a crisp coating and a tender, flaky texture, this beer battered fish is a deep-fried masterpiece. Served with an easy homemade tartar sauce, this is one of our favorite 30-minute meals. Beer battered fish is perfect for any day of the week from Meatless Monday to Fish Friday. Enjoy this dish as one of many Lenten recipes in the spring or over a summer weekend fish fry feast with hushpuppies and coleslaw. Serve the fish with a basket of Ree Drummond's perfect French fries for a real "fish 'n chips" experience. You can't go wrong with this fish on the menu!

What kind of fish is used for fish and chips? 

This recipe uses easy-to-find, thick filets of cod cut into 3-inch pieces. Save the rich salmon recipes and delicate sole for another day. One of the best parts of this dish is the flaky interior, so any thick white fish filet will do, such as haddock, halibut, hake, or pollock. 

How do you get a crispy coating for beer battered fish?

There are a few standout ingredients that are essential to the success of this recipe: First, dredging the fish in seasoned cornstarch ensures that the batter will stick and mixing more cornstarch into the batter yields that light, crispy coating. If the goal is a crunchy exterior, why not use all cornstarch? Cornstarch does not brown very well. It needs to be mixed with toasty wheat flour or the result will be pale, sad fish. The combination of uplifting baking powder and cold carbonated beer makes the batter puffy—the fish almost doubles in size!

Why is the batter falling off my fish?

Having your oil at the correct temperature is crucial for frying fish—or almost anything! If the oil isn't hot enough, the batter may fall off the fish. On the contrary, if the oil is too hot, it may brown the exterior of the fish before the center is fully cooked. Use an instant read thermometer to heat the oil to 375 degrees Fahrenheit for the best results. It's also important that the fish be dry when dipped in the beer batter. For extra insurance, this recipe calls for dredging the fish in cornstarch before dunking it in the beer batter. This provides a dry surface so the batter clings to the fish.

What type of beer is best for a beer batter?

A light lager or pale ale is best for this type of batter. The beer should lend a subtle, malty flavor; so avoid bitter IPAs, heavy stouts, and sharp sours. 

Why does the beer have to be cold?

Let the fish enjoy a nice cold one! The introduction of ice-cold batter to super hot cooking oil for frying makes the shell puff up almost instantly. If the beer or the batter is room-temperature, the fish won't be as crisp and puffy. 

How do you keep from splashing hot oil when frying fish?

Here's an idea: Rather than haphazardly tossing large chunks of fish in the hot oil, hold the tip of each piece of fish in the oil for a few seconds before dropping it in. This will reduce dangerous hot oil splashes!