Beer Battered Fish and Chips

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It’s been over a year since we have launched this website, and I can’t believe we still don’t have a Fish and Chips recipe! Well, that’s all going to change right now with this simple and ridiculously tasty Beer Battered Fish and Chips recipe. How it’s taken this long for us to share our recipe for this famous dish is inexcusable, and for that we apologize. As a reward to you all, you can now bask in the beauty of quite possibly the best tasting Fish and Chips you’ll ever eat!

Who doesn’t love Fish and Chips?

A perfectly cooked plate of Fish and Chips is one of the most enjoyable eating experiences we can enjoy. Everything about the experience is so good! The Fish is, of course, the star of the show. Perfectly cooked, flaky White Fish that just melts away with tenderness with every bite. Slightly juicy on the inside, so when you cut into that perfectly cooked, crispy Batter it just slightly oozes out onto the plate!

Now of course the Batter in itself is it’s own amazing experience. The best Batter is perfectly crispy on the outside, with some nice, gnarled bits that give the surface an uneven texture, but super-crispy throughout

A side of delicious Chips (or French Fries for you Americans!) completes the plate and are a mandatory in this dish. Even though the Fish is the star of the show, I bet you that every single one of you grabs a Chip first when that plate gets put in front of you! Well-seasoned, crunchy Chips with a pillowy inside are a joy to eat, and pair perfectly with the Fish

To round out the perfect dish, there’s no better sauce pairing than the combination of Tartare Sauce and Ketchup. Tartare Sauce is a vinegary, creamy Sauce that helps to cut through the richness and fattiness of the Fish. As for Ketchup, well, it’s Fries. You just have to have Ketchup!

What type of Fish is best for Deep Frying?

The creativity of chefs these days have been able to deep fry any kind of fish perfectly. However, for us home cooking looking to replicate the nostalgic flavors of a perfectly cooked Beer Battered Fish and Chips, A firm, flaky White Fish is the best choice

There are loads of Fish types that fit this criteria, and it will depend on where about in the world you are living as to what Fish you should choose. We recommend speaking to your local Fish Monger and asking them for their recommendations, as they will always know best. Just let them know you’re looking to batter and deep fry some Fish, and get their recommendations

There are some common Fish types that we recommend using for deep frying. One of the most common is Cod. It can be found all over the world, is relatively affordable, and tastes great when deep fried. Another good options are Haddock, Rockling, Tilapia, Grouper, Snapper, and even Catfish

How to make the perfect Beer Batter

It’s all about the thickness of the Batter when it comes to Fish and Chips. You want the Batter to be thick enough to generously coat the Fish without it running off and leaving any exposed flesh. But you don’t want the Batter too thick or the Fish won’t cook and the consistency of the Batter will be almost cake-like

The best Fish and Chips have an even coating of perfectly crispy Batter than isn’t too thick and has an even coverage across the Fish. We recommend a little bit of trial and error when you are making the Batter and adjusting it as you go. You can do a test run with some Fish and dip it into the Batter. Then, hold the Fish above the Batter and watch how the Batter runs off it. If it runs off slowly yet smoothly, but keeps a coat intact on the fish then it’s the right consistency

To make the Beer Batter you will need to combine All Purpose Flour, Baking Powder, Milk, Seasoning, and of course Beer together in a large bowl. For the seasoning you can try experimenting with a few different flavors. For this recipe we use a combination of Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, and Salt. The flavor is immense with this combination. The Batter is where you capture all the seasoning in this dish, so be generous with it!

What is the role of Beer in Beer Batter?

Adding Beer to the Batter isn’t to get people drunk. In fact, the alcohol will burn off immediately once the Batter is added to the hot oil, so you don’t need to worry about that. No, the main role for Beer is to add air and carbonation into the Batter

The bubbly, airy consistency of Beer helps to make the Batter lovely and light. You will notice as soon as you add Beer that it will fizz up immensely, and the whole Batter will start to form bubbles in it. We recommend adding the Beer to the batter right before you are ready to dip in the Fish. This will ensure the Batter is filled with as much air as possible when you cook the Fish

You can use any Beer you like; however, we recommend a beer on the lighter side such as a Pilsner. The flavors won’t overpower the dish, and it will produce a lighter, bubblier batter. Using a heavier beer like a Stout or an IPA may overwhelm the batter in both consistency and flavor

Cut the fish into even sized portions that aren’t too large

Like any protein, the Fish will cook at different times if they are uneven sizes. We highly recommend trying to cut the Fish into equal 4 – 5 oz. portions. When purchasing the Fish, try to avoid getting pieces that are too thick. Aim for the tail portion of the Fish if possible

If you do have thicker cuts of Fish, you can simply cut it in half lengthways to get leaner pieces so that they will cook quicker. Always use a sharp knife and cut the Fish carefully on a sturdy surface to avoid any slips. Fish is generally a bit slippery, so just be careful

Finally, try to avoid buying Fish with the skin on. Skin doesn’t fry well and won’t turn crispy. It’ll also warp the shape of the Fish when it’s being fried, which doesn’t yield a great result. We recommend buying Fish without skin, or following our video here on how to properly remove Fish skin

You can make homemade Chips (Fries) or just buy some good Frozen ones from the store

We’re not being too fussy when it comes to the Fries for this dish. You will have your hands full preparing and frying the Fish, so adding the complexity of making your own Fries from scratch is too much to be honest. Good quality Frozen Fries work perfectly well for our Beer Battered Fish and Chips recipe and will save you a load of time

However, if you do want to make everything from scratch then we’ve got you covered. Here is a link to our perfectly Homemade Fries recipe. They are one of the more challenging dishes to make at home and take more than a day to prepare as you will need to cook and then freeze the Fries before their final cook. Either way, just make sure you’ve got some piping hot Chips ready to be served alongside the perfectly cooked Fish for this dish to be complete!

Beer Battered Fish and Chips Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 ½ lbs. White Fish Filets (eg: Cod, Rockling, Tilapia, or Haddock)
• 1 ¼ cups of All Purpose Flour
• 1 tsp. Baking Powder
• ¼ cup Whole Milk
• ¼ cup Beer (Pilsner recommended)
• 1 tsp. Onion Powder
• 1 tsp. Garlic Powder
• 1 ½ tsp. Salt
• ½ Gallon (10 cups) of Neutral Frying Oil (eg: Canola or Vegetable Oil)
• ½ lb. Frozen French Fries
• 1 Lemon, cut into wedges
  
  

Instructions

1. Cut the Fish Filets into equal sized portions. Try not to cut them too thick so they cook through completely once the Batter is completely fried
2. Place the Frozen French Fries in the Oven or Air Fryer as per the package instructions
3. Combine the Flour, Baking Powder, Milk, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, and Salt into a large bowl and mix well. Don’t add the Beer yet, do that right before you add the Fish
4. Heat the Oil in a large Pot such as a Dutch Oven until it reaches 350F. We recommend using a Candy Thermometer to measure the heat. Maintain this temperature throughout
5. Add the Beer to the Batter and mix well, then coat your Fish in the Batter and carefully place into the hot oil. Avoid overcrowding the Pot, we recommend frying a maximum of 3 pieces at once
6. Fry the Fish for 5 minutes, turning them once halfway through. Once they are cooked and turn a darkened golden-brown, remove with a strainer and place on a wire rack. Immediately season the fish with some Salt
7. Cook the remaining Fish and serve while still hot along with the cooked Fries and a side of Tartare Sauce, Ketchup, and some Lemon Wedges
   
   

Recipe Notes

• Ensure your Batter is thick enough to apply an even coat over the Fish. This will avoid there being any gaps during frying which will prevent the Fish from becoming oily
• If you want to make your own French Fries from scratch, you can follow our homemade French Fries recipe here
  
  

We’re sure you will love these Beer Battered Fish and Chips as much as we do. They very well may be the best Fish and Chips you’ve ever eaten! If you’ve made this dish let us know in the comments below how it went?

For more delicious classic recipes that you can make at home, check out some of these favorites of ours:

• Grilled Chipotle Chicken Sandwich
• Wendy’s Baconator Cheeseburger
• Authentic General Tso’s Chicken
• Crispy Sweet and Sour Pork
  
  

Happy Cooking!