Crispy Beer Battered Cod
If you've been craving fish and chips, you've gotta try my Beer Battered Cod. The combination of tender, flaky fish coated in a light, airy beer batter, fried until golden brown is ethereal. I love the subtle hoppy notes you pickup on from the beer, but what really sets my recipe apart is the delicate crunch from using rice flour. Trust me, it will yield the crispiest fried fish you've ever tasted! Gluten-free adaptable.
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 966kcal
Video
Equipment
Thermometer
Paper towels
Ingredients
For the tartar sauce
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 2 Tbsp sweet pickle relish
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 2 small or 1 large shallot, finely chopped, about 3 Tbsp
- ½ lemon, juiced, about 2 Tbsp
- ¾ tsp Kosher salt
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
For the beer batter
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup rice flour
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp Kosher salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp Old Bay seasoning
- ¼ tsp sweet paprika
- 1 cup cold beer, something light, and not too heavy, such as a lager or IPA
For the cod
- 1-1½ lbs cod loin fillet, cut either into 3-inch square pieces (for sandwiches) or long thin strips, about 2x4-inches
- 1 tsp Kosher salt
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- ~4 cups neutral oil, for frying
For serving
- Malt vinegar
- Lemon wedges
- French fries or chips
Instructions
- Make the tartar sauce. Combine all ingredients in a bowl: 1 cup mayo, 2 Tbsp sweet pickle relish, 1 tsp Dijon, 3 Tbsp finely chopped shallot, 2 Tbsp lemon juice, ¾ tsp Kosher salt, and ¼ tsp black pepper. Stir well, taste, then adjust seasoning. Place in the fridge until needed. This can be made 1 day in advance!
- Make the beer batter. In a large bowl, combine ¾ cup all-purpose flour, ½ cup rice flour, 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp Kosher salt, 1 tsp baking powder, ½ tsp Old Bay, and ¼ tsp sweet paprika, then whisk well. Pour in 1 cup ice cold beer, then whisk until mostly smooth. There should be a few lumps – do not overmix! Cover with plastic wrap, then refrigerate while you heat the oil and season the fish.
- When ready to begin, heat the oil. Place enough neutral oil in a large deep pot then heat over medium-high until it reaches 375F. This will take about 10 minutes.
- Season the fish. Pat the cod portions dry with paper towels, then season on both sides with 1 tsp Kosher salt and ¼ tsp black pepper.
- When the oil is hot, coat and fry the fish. Coat each piece of cod fully in the beer batter, using either your hands or forks to help dip and lift the fish out of the batter. Allow excess to drip off, then very gently lower into the hot oil, letting it fall away from you. Cook in batches, a few pieces at a time, until the batter has puffed up and turned golden brown, about 3 minutes on the first side and 2 minutes on the second. Use a spider to transfer to a paper towel-lined wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet. Immediately sprinkle with a little Kosher salt, then repeat with remaining cod filets.
- Enjoy! Serve immediately with tartar sauce and/or malt vinegar, lemon wedges, and fries or chips!
Notes
- Nutrition facts are an estimate only and based on the assumption that you will NOT consumer 4 cups of oil. The facts above assume 1 cup of oil for the full amount of cod (and all of the tartare sauce). Take with a grain of salt or feel free to use the above ingredients to calculate a more precise estimate.
- Instead of cod, consider using haddock, tilapia, or snapper.
- The key to crispy batter is ice cold beer. Do not use warm or room temperature beer. Chill thoroughly. Do not use a dark stout.
- Rice flour may seem untraditional, but it’s what we used to deep fry in restaurant kitchens. It is much finer and lighter than all-purpose flour, but you use both because one adds structure, while the other adds a crisp, light texture.
- If you overcrowd the pot while frying, you’ll bring down the temperature of the oil too much. If it falls below 350F, the fish will not crisp up properly.
- You can reuse the oil more than once! Allow to cool completely, then strain into a large resealable bottle or container (I use either old oil bottles or large seltzer bottles). Seal tightly, then place a piece of masking tape with the type of oil and the date on it. Store in a pantry, then use the next time you fry something.
Nutrition
Calories: 966kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 69g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 46g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 82mg | Sodium: 2339mg | Potassium: 854mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 272IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 113mg | Iron: 2mg
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