This is the BEST beer-battered fish I've ever made. Perfectly tender fish inside a crispy flaky crust.
Prep time: PT15M
Cook time: PT20M
Total time: PT35M
Rating
4.85 stars (60 reviews)
Ingredients
oil for cooking (peanut or vegetable oil)
1 cup flour
1/2 cup corn starch
2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 egg
1/4 cup milk
1 cup IPA beer (fresh not flat!)
1-1 1/2 pounds fish (salmon, halibut, cod)
extra cornstarch to dust on the fish
Steps
heat oil to 350˚ in a deep pot or deep fat fryer or deep frying pan
pre-heat the oven to 200˚ to keep the fish warm
while it heats up make your batter
in a mixing bowl mix the dry powdered ingredients together with a whisk
mix the egg and milk separately and then stir them into the flour mix, it will get thick
once it gets thick slowly add the beer and stir until the batter is almost smooth it will get bubbly at first And then smooth out
set aside until you're ready to fry
cut your fish in the size you prefer, check for bones too and pull any bones you find, I wouldn't make the pieces of fish bigger than 2X4 inches or they may not cook all the way through
pat your fish pieces dry, roll in extra corn starch
when the oil hits 350˚ it's time to fry
use a fork to gently lower a piece of fish into the batter, let it sink to the bottom to get fully coated
careful lift it out and set in the hot oil
don't poke the fish, just use the fork to lift it or you'll be stuck trying to get the fish off the fork over the hot oil
add 2-3 pieces of fish to the oil at a time so you don't crowd the pan and cool the oil
cook for 2-3 minutes then using a slotted spoon turn carefully, cook 1-2 minutes on the other side until the fish is a nice golden brown on both sides
remove with a slotted spoon to drain on paper towels or a baking rack over a plate to catch oil drips
place the drained fish on a plate or baking pan lined with fresh paper towels in the warm oven to keep until the rest of the fish is done cooking
serve hot on rolls if you're having sandwiches or with dipping sauces for fish sticks or fillets
Nutitrion
Serving Size: 1 serving
Calories: 195 kcal
Carbohydrates: 21 g
Protein: 20 g
Fat: 2 g
Saturated Fat: 1 g
Trans Fat: 0.003 g
Cholesterol: 64 mg
Sodium: 726 mg
Sugar: 0.4 g
Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
Reviews
Tj on 2026-05-07 (5 stars): Best yet I have tried for halibut. Salmon and cod are next.
