Description
This Crispy Beer Battered Fish recipe delivers golden, crunchy battered white fish fillets perfect for a classic fish and chips experience. Using a combination of plain and rice flour with an ice-cold pale ale or lager beer, the batter puffs up light and crispy while locking in moisture. Served with tartare sauce, lemon wedges, and your choice of crispy French fries or baked potato wedges, this dish is a satisfying and timeless Western main course that’s ideal for a family meal or a casual dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Fish:
- 700 g white fish fillets (flathead, snapper, whiting, cod, tilapia; skinless, boneless)
Dusting:
- 1/4 cup rice flour
Crispy Fish Batter:
- 3/4 cup plain/all purpose flour
- 1/4 cup rice flour
- 1 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 cup ice cold beer (pale ale or lager; avoid dark beers like stout or porter)
Cooking:
- 4 - 5 cups peanut oil (or vegetable, canola, or cottonseed oil)
Serving:
- Tartare sauce
- Lemon wedges
- Homemade crispy French fries
- Baked potato wedges
Instructions
- Dry and Cut Fish: Pat the fish fillets dry thoroughly using paper towels or a clean kitchen towel. Cut into batons approximately 7 cm by 3 cm (3 x 1¼ inches), or use larger fillets if you prefer. For very thick fillets, slice in half horizontally to ensure even cooking.
- Dust with Rice Flour: Place 1/4 cup rice flour in a shallow bowl. Sprinkle salt over 3–4 pieces of fish, then coat them in the rice flour, shaking off any excess. You can leave the dusted fish pieces for up to 10 minutes while the oil heats.
- Heat Oil: Pour oil into a large heavy-based pot, about 6 cm (2 to 3 inches) deep. Heat the oil over medium-high heat to 190°C (375°F).
- Prepare the Batter: Just before frying, whisk together the plain flour, rice flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Gradually add the very cold beer and whisk lightly until just combined. The batter should be fairly thin and fully coat the back of a spoon. Avoid over-mixing; a few lumps are okay.
- Dredge Fish in Batter: Dip each fish piece into the batter, allowing excess to drip off briefly before frying.
- Fry the Fish: Carefully lower the battered fish into the hot oil one piece at a time without overcrowding the pot. Fry for 3 minutes, flipping after about 2 minutes, until the fish turns a deep golden brown and the batter is crispy.
- Drain and Serve: Remove the fish with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Repeat with remaining fish. Serve the hot, crispy fish immediately with tartare sauce, lemon wedges, and a green salad dressed with classic vinaigrette, along with crispy French fries or baked potato wedges.
Notes
- Keep the batter cold to maintain crispiness; refrigerate between batches if the kitchen is warm.
- Rice flour is essential for crispiness and helps prevent sogginess; substitute with cornstarch or potato starch if unavailable.
- Use pale ale or lager beers chilled for at least 2 hours; avoid dark and strongly flavored beers which can discolor and affect flavor.
- For non-alcoholic options, substitute ice cold soda water with 1/4 tsp extra baking powder.
- A thinner batter yields a lighter, delicate crust similar to quality fish and chip shops, while thicker batters result in a denser crust.
- For large batches, double-fry fish: first fry for 2½ minutes till golden, drain, then fry at higher heat (200°C/390°F) for 1 minute to crisp.
- Oil can be reused up to two more times when strained and stored properly.
- This recipe cannot be made ahead; fried fish is best served fresh to maintain crispiness.
- Nutrition includes a conservative estimate of oil absorption; actual calories may be lower.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approximately 175 g fish plus batter and oil)
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 400 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 60 mg
