The Best Beer Batter

Ok ok, I know that most people do not do much frying at home. Trust me I get it. It is messy, it makes the house smell, it’s unhealthy, it is a pain to get rid of the dirty oil, etc. But on the other hand…FRIED FOOD IS SO GOOD! So if you eat some fried stuff once in a while, it’s not going to kill you. And if you are going to fry, you better have your recipes and techniques down so that your herculean efforts don’t go to waste!

Beer batters are a relatively simple thing but there are a few key points that I’d like to point out:

  1. Using some cornstarch mixed with the flour will create a SUPER crispy light crust
  2. Don’t over whisk. Just like making a delicate pastry, overworking flour produces gluten and will make the batter tough and not crispy.
  3. Keep your ingredients cold. Again, for crispier coating.
  4. Place cooked items on a rack. Don’t make the rookie mistake of putting your beatifully fried fish on a plate and coming back minutes later to find that the steam has turned your crispy crust into soggy bread.
  5. Stay organized! We’ve already established that frying is messy. Set up an assembly line and have everything at hand so you don’t have to step away from the hot oil
  6. Get a thermometer. Yes it is definitely possible to fry without one but a $15-20 investment is well worth eliminating the trial and error guess work.

Here’s the same list with prettier colors:

Yield: 2 Cups Batter, enough to serve 3-4 people

The Best Beer Batter

The Best Beer Batter

This batter recipe is not just for fish. Try it on veggies (onion rings, portobello mushroom sticks, cauliflower) other seafood (shrimp!) and even chicken tenders.

Normally fried cod is prepared using whole 4-6 oz filets. I like to cut these into smaller finger sized pieces for a few reasons: they cook through faster, more crust to fish ration, zoe (the boss) likes them this way.

Cooked fish can be kept warm in a low oven 200-250) on a pan lined with a rack. If you want to cook and freeze, arrange cooked, cooled fish in a single layer on a sheet pan and freeze solid (at least 4 hours) then transfer to a freezer storage bag. Reheat from frozen or partially thawed in a 375 oven or in the fryer.

Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour
  • 1/2 cup Cornstarch
  • 1 tsp Kosher Salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon paprika
  • 12 ounces beer (see note)

Instructions

  1. In a bowl, whisk together all ingredients except baking powder and beer.
  2. Transfer about 1/2 a cup of dry mixture (your dredge) to another bowl or baking dish.
  3. Stir the baking powder into the first bowl then slowly add the beer. Whisk until smooth but leaving a few lumps of flour is ok. Use immediately or chill (see note)
  4. The batter should have the consistancy or a thin pancake batter. It should coat the whisk or spoon but any excess should drain off readily. When drizzzled back into the bowl it should form a ribbon that dissipates in about 3 seconds.
  5. To fry, heat oil to 375.
  6. Pat fish dry. Working one piece at a time, lightly coat in the dredge, shake of excess then dip in the batter. Use the side of the bowl to remove excess batter. Proceed to next step or, optionally, return once again to the dredge to lightly coat with dry flour then proceed to fry.
  7. Slowly lower battered fish into the hot oil, moving it side to side (aka what some random chef once told me was called walking the dog) then release. Slowly lowering the fish into the oil sets the crust. If you were to just drop it in, the fish might sink to the bottom of the pot and then stick, potentially burning or at least messing up your beautiful crust.
  8. Cook for 3-7 minutes depending on size of the piece until cooked through (145 degrees and opaque throughout). Transfer to a sheet pan line with a rack, season lightly with salt and serve immediately or keep hot in a low oven.

Notes

The batter can be prepared up to 4 hours in advance. To maintain the proper consistency, place 1 ice cube in the batter and then refrigerate. As the ice dissolves it will thin out the batter, which will thicken up if left to its own devices.

As far as what beer to use, it's really up to you but I find the best is actually inexpensive American lagers (for examples This -ud's for you). They offer up the perfect balance of residual sugar and are highly carbonated. Next best are darker lagers and porters followed by Belgian style ales and wheat beers. I would stay away from IPA's as the bitterness of the hops tastes weird and funky in a batter.

If you cannot consume alcohol, substitute club soda or, if all else fails, plain old water.