Delicious Beer-Battered Fish at Its Best

Craving something crispy and golden? This beer-battered fish will hit the spot every time.

Steps to Prepare Perfect Beer-Battered Fish

The recipe below covers all the details, but here's a quick overview of what you'll need to do:

Beer Batter Recipe for Fish

To prepare the perfect beer batter for your fish, gather these ingredients: salt and pepper, flour, garlic powder, paprika, an egg, and, of course, a bottle or can of beer.

Ideal Fish for Frying

The best fish for frying is white, mild-flavored, and firm. This recipe uses cod, which is tender yet resilient enough to hold up to the hot oil.

Best Beer for Beer Batter

Any beer you have available will work. The yeast in the beer helps create a light, airy batter, similar to how yeast works in bread.

Be sure to use very cold beer — when the cold batter hits the hot oil, it creates a perfectly crispy coating.

How to Fry Beer-Battered Fish

If you've never tried frying fish at home, this recipe is the perfect way to achieve light, crispy beer-battered fish,” says culinary expert Nicole McLaughlin (a.k.a NicoleMcMom). Here are some of her top tips and tricks:

• Avoiding substituting the beer with something like club soda, as beer adds a ton of flavor. 
• Nicole loves using cod because it’s meaty, but it’s also super light and flaky. It holds the batter really well, she says. 
• This is not a recipe Nicole recommends making in advance — as soon as you dip the fish in the batter, send it straight to the oil. However, you can prepare the ingredients ahead of time. 
• Nicole suggests serving the beer-battered fish with this Quick Tartar Sauce recipe.

How Long to Fry Fish

In a deep fryer heated to 365°F, the beer-battered cod fillets should cook to perfection in about 2 minutes per side.

Best Side Dishes to Pair with Beer-Battered Fish

Pair your beer-battered fish with one of our 15 Best Side Dishes for Fried Fish. Here are some fan-favorite options you’ll love:

• Chef John's French Fries 
• Hush Puppies 
• Restaurant-Style Coleslaw 

How to Store Beer-Battered Fish

Keep your beer-battered fish fresh by storing it in an airtight container lined with paper towels in the fridge for up to four days.

Dinogo Community Tips and Praise

“I coated the fish in flour before dipping it into the batter,” says Theresa. “It turned out amazing! My husband said it was even better than the fish and chips at Red Lobster!”

“The fish stayed crispy for a long time after frying,” says Hankus. “The batter was delicious and it was so simple to make.”

“This recipe was fantastic,” says Holly Marie. “I made sure to thoroughly pat the cod dry before adding the batter. I chose Guinness as my beer, and the results were perfect!”

Contributions by Corey Williams

Ingredients

• 2 quarts vegetable oil for frying

• 8 (4 ounce) fillets cod

• salt and pepper to taste

• 1 cup all-purpose flour

• 2 tablespoons garlic powder

• 2 tablespoons paprika

• 2 teaspoons salt

• 2 teaspoons ground black pepper

• 1 egg, beaten

• 1 (12 fluid ounce) can or bottle beer, or as needed

Instructions

Start by gathering all the ingredients.

Heat oil in a deep fryer to 365°F (185°C). Rinse the cod fillets, pat them dry, and season with salt and pepper.

In a large bowl, combine flour, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. Add the egg and mix thoroughly. Gradually stir in enough beer to achieve a thin batter.

Dip the cod fillets into the batter to coat them. Gently lower each fillet into the hot oil, one at a time.

Fry several fillets at once, turning them once, until golden brown and cooked through, about 2 minutes per side.

Place the fillets on paper towels to drain. Continue frying the remaining fillets. Serve while warm.

Editor's Note

We estimate the nutritional value of the oil used for frying based on a 10% retention rate after cooking. The actual amount may vary depending on cooking time, temperature, ingredient density, and the type of oil used.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)