Crispy Fried Fish Sandwich

Nothing beats biting into a Crispy Fried Fish Sandwich. When cooked perfectly, the beautiful crispy crunch of the Beer Battered Fish along with the wonderful taste of a beautiful piece of Fish is a wonderful eating experience. The simplicity in making the perfect piece of Fried Fish is what really is the key to this delicious Sandwich. Nothing fancy, just some good old-fashioned cooking makes for an amazing tasting Fish Sandwich that you can easily make at home yourself

How to make the best Crispy Fried Fish Sandwich

The secret to perfecting this dish lies in the batter. You want a light batter that is super-crispy yet doesn’t weigh down the Fish. In our opinion the best batter is a Beer Batter, using a lighter pilsner-style Beer. The batter shouldn’t be too thick, and almost Tempura-like in its consistency. Just enough viscosity to stick to the Fish and allow for a perfect, even coating during frying

It’s a very simple batter to make, all you need to do is whisk together All-Purpose Flour, some Baking Powder, and Beer. The ratio for Flour to Beer is roughly 1:1, therefore 1 cup of Flour for 1 cup of Beer is needed. You want a batter that is runny, yet will still stick to the Fish

For the Beer, you can use whatever you have handy, but I would highly recommend avoiding anything too heavy. No IPAs or Stouts for our Beer Batter, as our aim is to keep things light. A light and crisp beer such as a Corona or Modelo will work great. For the photos in this recipe we used Corona, and it turned out amazing

Seasoning the Batter is critical to get as much flavor into the sandwich as possible

An important step in making the perfect Crispy Fried Fish Sandwich is loading as much flavor into the Fish as possible. The easiest way to do so is by seasoning the batter. For this recipe we’re keeping things classic, with a generous spoonful of Old Bay!

I don’t know what it is about Old Bay, but it goes so well with Seafood, especially Deep-Fried Fish! You can be generous with the Old Bay too, we recommend about 1 ½ tsp. of Old Bay per 1 cup of Flour. You can also add a touch of Salt and Pepper to the Flour too. Not too much, as the Old Bay already has Salt and Pepper

If you want to add a little heat to the seasoning, try adding some ground Chili or Cayenne Pepper. We’re keeping the spice out of our recipe below, but adding heat is a nice way to add some additional flavor profiles to the dish

Choosing the right Fish

Another critical element of making a Fried Fish Sandwich is choosing the right type or Fish. Generally speaking, for deep frying you want to use a firm white Fish. There are loads of different options here, from Cod, Haddock, Tilapia, Sea Bass, Halibut, Snapper, to name just a few

I recommend speaking to your local Fish Monger and get them to recommend the best fish for your Sandwich. Certain parts of the world will have different types of Fish, but the good news is that finding some good quality White Fish is generally easy enough in most parts of the world these days

Before coating, I recommend patting the Fish dry and then cutting it into large square-ish shapes. As a rule of thumb, try to cut the Fish to be slightly larger than your Burger Buns. This way the Fish will fit snuggly into the Burger once cooked

Frying the Fish

Heat a large pot or saucepan over medium heat with enough Neutral Frying Oil (such as Vegetable or Canola Oil) so that the Fish will be fully submerged. Avoid filling the pot any higher than halfway full, as you want to avoid any risks of the Oil overflowing once at temperature

Using a kitchen thermometer, monitor the temperature of the Oil until it reaches a temperature of 320F. At this point, dip a piece of Fish into the Batter and then immediately transfer it into the Oil, placing it carefully to avoid any Oil splashing up

Try to avoid overcrowding the pot with Fish too, as each piece you add will drop the Oil temperature. I wouldn’t recommend any more than 3 pieces, so you’ll need to batch cook the Fish

After about 4 – 5 minutes the Fish will have turned a wonderful golden-brown color and be completely cooked through. Using a spider strainer, remove the Fish pieces from the Oil and set them onto an elevated wire rack. Season immediately with Salt and they’re ready to go into your Sandwich

Assembling our Crispy Fried Fish Sandwich

The filling in this sandwich is classic, and very simple: Tartare Sauce, shredded Lettuce, and of course, that wonderful piece of crispy Fried Fish. If you have the time, I highly recommend making our amazing homemade Tartar Sauce. Otherwise, some good quality store bought sauce will suffice

Place a bed of lettuce on the bottom of your bun and then top it with the Fish. Spread a generous amount of Tartar Sauce onto the top of the Burger Bun and place it on top of the Fish. It’s now ready to eat! For something so simple the flavors and textures in this Sandwich are truly amazing

Crispy Fried Fish Sandwich Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. White Fish (Cod / Tilapia / Sea Bass etc.)
• 1 cup All Purpose Flour
• 1 tsp. Baking Powder
• 1 ½ tsp. Old Bay Seasoning
• 1 cup of Beer
• Neutral Frying Oil (eg: Canola / Vegetable Oil)
• 4 Burger Buns (Potato or Brioche)
• 2 cups of shredded Romaine Lettuce
• ¾ cup Tartar Sauce (recipe here)
• Salt and Pepper
  
  

Equipment needed: Kitchen Thermometer and Spider Strainer

Instructions

1. Pat your pieces of Fish dry and then cut them into square-ish pieces that are slightly larger than the size of your Burger Buns
2. Combine Flour, Old Bay, ½ tsp. of Salt and a few twists of freshly crackled Pepper into a bowl. Slowly pour in the Beer while whisking until you achieve a light, smooth batter
3. You want the Batter to be thick enough to just barely stick to the Fish. If it’s too thick, simply whisk in some more Beer to achieve this texture
4. Fill a saucepan or pot with enough Neutral Frying Oil so that the Fish will be submerged completely, but avoid filling the pot any higher than halfway up to avoid and risk of overflowing
5. Heat Oil over medium high heat until it reaches 320F. Coat a piece of Fish with Batter and immediately place it into the Oil, lowing it in slowly to avoid any Oil splashing. Cook a maximum of 3 pieces at a time to avoid overcrowding the Pot
6. Fry for 4 – 5 minutes until golden-brown. Once cooked, remove Fish from the Oil using a spider strainer and place on an elevated wire rack. Season immediately with Salt and repeat for remaining pieces of Fish
7. Assemble your Sandwiches by placing a generous amount of shredded Lettuce on the bottom of a Burger Bun. Place a piece of cooked Fish on top then smother the topside of the bun with Tartar Sauce before placing on top of the Fish. Serve immediately
   
   

Recipe Notes

• This recipe will produce 4 Fish Sandwiches
• We recommend using a lighter style of Beer (such as a Pilsner) for the best result
  
  

Our Homemade Crispy Fried Fish Sandwich recipe is so tasty, and we highly recommend giving it a try. The crispiness of the Batter and beautiful flaky flesh of the Fish are so perfect to enjoy in a Sandwich. They make a fun lunch or dinner and taste great all year round

For more delicious fried recipes, check out these amazing dishes of ours:

• Greek Fried Cheese – Saganaki
• Crispy Fried Chicken Bites
• Beer Battered Fish and Chips
• Tempura Onion Rings
  
  

Happy Cooking!