Beer Battered Fish

Aug 17, 2024

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Beer Battered Fish is crispy on the outside, hot and flaky on the inside, and so easy to make at home! Add a salad or a plate of fresh fries and call it dinner.

Pieces of fried fish are served on a platter over French fries.

We love ordering fish and chips when we go out to lunch, so I decided it was time to start making them at home! This beer battered fish recipe features your favorite white fish lightly breaded and then fried until light and crisp. Similar to my crispy buttermilk fried chicken, you’ll use a touch of baking powder in the breading – this secret ingredient is the key to the lightest, crispest fish, just as in this beer battered chicken recipe. I know you will enjoy this meal as much as we do.

Why I Love This Beer Battered Fish Recipe

Budget-friendly. You can use a less expensive beer to make this recipe and choose an affordable type of white fish to cut down on costs even more. The rest of the ingredients are simple pantry basics, making this an economical choice when you want a plate of fish and chips.
So crispy. My beer battered fish recipe truly does create the lightest, crisped fried fish!
Restaurant-worthy! You don’t have to save fish and chips for a trip to the pub, and I happen to think this crispy battered fish tastes even better at home than it does when you order it out. I love that it’s super fresh – no sitting around under a warmer in my kitchen; we eat it as soon as it’s ready!

Beer Battered Fish is crispy on the outside, hot and flaky on the inside, and so easy to make at home! Add a salad or a plate of fresh fries.

What You’ll Need

Here’s a quick rundown of the ingredients you’ll need for this beer battered fish recipe. For exact measurements, be sure to check out the recipe card at the end of the post!

White Cod – Or use another white fish (see my notes lower down).
All-Purpose Flour – We’ll be using the flour twice—first to dredge the fish and then again in the beer batter.
Salt and Black Pepper – A simple seasoning to enhance all the flavors of the fish. I used Kosher salt in this recipe.
Cayenne Pepper – A touch of pepper adds a little heat. Omit this if you prefer less spice.
Baking Powder – A little baking powder helps the coating to stay light and crispy.
Garlic Powder – To add flavor to the breading.
Beer – A light beer is best in this recipe so that it doesn’t overpower the taste of the fish.
Vegetable Oil – This is used to fry the fish. I also like peanut oil or any other high-smoke point cooking oil.
To Serve – Tartar sauce, french fries, lemon wedges.

What’s The Best Beer For This Recipe?

A pale ale or a light lager are the best beers to use for beer battered fish. Some examples of these beers include Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, Deschutes Mirror Pond, or more affordable beers such as Miller Lite or Coors Light. You don’t want to use a beer that has a strong or sour taste, so avoid India Pale Ales (IPAs), stouts, or sour beers.

Can I Use Other Fish?

You can use another type of fish, but make sure it’s a white fish like haddock, tilapia, snapper, halibut, or whiting. The key is to use a sturdy fish that can hold up to dredging and frying, so skip more delicate fish like flounder or sole. I don’t use salmon (that’s reserved for my Old Bay salmon) or tuna in this recipe because they are too rich and can dry out easily.

A piece of battered fried shrimp cut in half so the interior is exposed.

How To Make Beer Battered Fish

I can’t wait for you to start making this crispy, deliciously fried fish! Follow these simple steps, and you’ll have a restaurant-quality dish in no time.

A piece of fish is dredged. — 1. Prep the cod fillets and dredge them in flour.

Pieces of fish on a baking tray. — 1. Prep the cod fillets and dredge them in flour.

The batter mix is added to a bowl. — 3. Combine the flour, salt, baking powder, and garlic powder.

A whisk mixes in the beer. — 3. Combine the flour, salt, baking powder, and garlic powder.

A piece of fish is dredged.placed in the batter. — 5. Dip the fish in the beer batter.

Fish fries in a pot of oil. — 5. Dip the fish in the beer batter.

Prep the fish. Cut the white cod into 1-inch-thick strips.
Dredge the fish. Mix the flour with sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, and cayenne pepper, then dredge each fish strip in the flour mixture and set aside.
Make batter. Mix the flour, salt, baking powder, and garlic powder.
Add the beer. Gradually whisk in the cold beer.
Heat the oil. Pour the vegetable oil into a deep frying pan or pot and heat the oil to 350°F.
Batter the fish. Dip each dredged fish strip into the batter.
Fry. Place the battered fish strips into the hot oil and fry for about 3-4 minutes until golden brown and crispy. Drain off the oil and serve.

Overhead photo of battered fried shrimp served on a platter with fries, with bottles of beer set next to it and also a bowl of tartar sauce.

Chef’s Tips & Tricks

The simple tips outlined below will help your beer battered fish turn out crunchy, fresh, and never soggy. My main tip is to use very cold beer, which will make the batter cold as well. Cold batter plus hot oil equals a puffy coating that’s beautifully crisp.

Use Cold Beer: Make sure the beer is cold and straight from the fridge when you add it to the batter. This helps create a light and crispy coating.
Keep a Steady Oil Temperature: Maintaining the correct oil temperature is crucial. If the oil is too hot, the fish will burn on the outside and remain undercooked inside. If it’s too cold, the fish will absorb more oil and become greasy. Use a kitchen thermometer to keep the oil at 350°F.
Don’t Crowd the Pan: To ensure that the fish cooks evenly, don’t crowd the pan. This will keep the oil hot and allow the fish to get perfectly cooked all the way through.
Serve Immediately: Beer battered fish is best eaten fresh. For the best texture and flavor, serve the fish immediately. Don’t forget the chili cheese fries!
Drain the Fish: That being said, I like to drain my fish on a cooling rack set over paper towels so that a bit of the oil drips off. Then, I dig in and enjoy!
Make it in the Air Fryer. If you want to skip frying altogether, you can make beer battered fish in the air fryer. Similarly to my air fryer tilapia, start by heating the air fryer to 380°F, place the battered fish in the basket, and spray it with nonstick cooking spray. Then, cook the fish for 12 minutes. Note that the fish will have a slightly different texture if you cook it in the air fryer.

Serving Suggestions

Fried fish is a hearty appetizer, but you can turn it into dinner with extras like salad, veggies, or potatoes. Tartar sauce is a must with homemade beer-battered fish. You can also tuck them into a fresh flour or corn tortilla and make a version of fish tacos topped with a spoonful of each avocado salsa and Asian cabbage slaw.

For a home version of fish and chips, add a plate of savory homemade garlic fries. Or, make veggies fries, like my Parmesan panko asparagus fries. Fish is also great with Parmesan crusted potatoes and pizza fries.

Make an easy salad like a juicy and flavorful cowboy caviar or crunchy Mexican street corn salad to go with fried fish. Lighten up your plate with a few pieces of beer battered fish as your main meal, plus a few vegetable sides like sauteed green beans or these easy roasted vegetables.

How To Store & Reheat Leftovers

While beer battered fish is best the day it’s made, you can store leftovers and reheat them another time, although they won’t be quite as crisp.

Fridge – Place any leftover, cooled pieces of fish in an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 2 days.
To Reheat – Set a wire rack on top of a baking sheet, place the fish on the rack, and reheat in a 350°F oven for 10-15 minutes until hot. Or, use the air fryer: Heat the air fryer to 400°F and cook the fish for 5-7 minutes.