The BEST Beer Battered Fish Recipe, you HAVE to try this with Salmon! (2025)

FAQs

What kind of beer is best for beer battered fish? ›

What is the best beer for fish batter? It's best to save your craft beers for drinking, and use a simple light beer. Anything from very light (PBR) to a mild British ale (like Newcastle Brown Ale) will work well.

Whisk in an egg for a more toothsome, chewy crust.

Rice flour, water, wheat flour, beer (water, barley malt, corn, rice, hops, yeast), tapioca dextrin, modified corn starch, salt, whey, dextrose, baking powder (baking soda, sodium aluminum phosphate, cream of tartar), sunflower lecithin, xanthan gum, natural flavor.

Milk: The proteins in milk help the batter adhere to the fish and promote browning. Water: Use very cold water for the crispiest results. Baking powder: Baking powder ensures a light and crispy exterior.

Also, the alcohol cooks out in the hot oil. Whatever you use, it needs to be ice cold – cool for 2+ hours in the fridge. It's key for a crispy batter!

It must rest for at least an hour before use, by which time it's risen obligingly, like an over-eager bread dough. The batter has a quite astounding billowy texture, and a good crispness, but it seems to have soaked up more of the oil than the others, and we crunch thoughtfully, trying to put our finger on the flavour.

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.

Rice flour and cornstarch work particularly well because they fry up crispier than wheat flour. They also absorb less moisture and fat during the frying process, making the products less greasy. This is why rice flour is often used when making tempura because it produces a very thin and crispy, dry crust.

Because vodka is more volatile than water, it evaporates more quickly, which dries out the batter faster and more violently. That creates larger bubbles and even more surface area, in turn resulting in a much crispier crust.

How to tell when beer battered fish is done? ›

Dip the fish in the batter until it's completely covered, roll it back in the rice flour, and then gently drop it into 375° oil. Cook until golden brown, about four to five minutes. Your eyes and ears are the best way to tell when it's done.

Most are fair game for beer batter (Pilsner Urquell, Stella Artois, Modelo, and Firestone Pivo Pils are particularly nice), with the exception of Bohemian pilsner, which comes with a heavy dose of spices that can change the overall flavor of your dish. In a beer batter, pilsner is one of the more low-key options.

Milk/Dairy: Some fish and chip shops may use dairy products in their recipes, particularly where the batter is concerned. This means that milk or butter may be found in the products. For those with a severe dairy allergy, fish and chip shops that use dairy products should be avoided.

First, the bubbles provide lift as they escape from the batter during frying. Second, the carbonation makes the batter slightly more acidic, which limits how much gluten can form when the beer and flour mix, preventing the batter from turning tough.

I used Guinness beer, which gave it a really great flavor. Crispy is an understatement, these are perfect onion rings!

Different beers will yield varied flavors. I like a robust beer, like an IPA or stout, but any American light lager (Coors Light, Bud Light, Miller Lite, etc.) works great, too. Fish with white fillets are ideal for beer batter.

And while typical beer batters include dark heavy ales, I knew that the lightness of the Corona Extra beer would provide just the right amount of flavor without taking over the dish. And like all fish taco recipes, there needed to be a crunchy slaw on top to cut through the deep fried aspect of the dish.