Try this Guinness beer battered fish the next time you are craving some good old fashioned fish n chips for dinner!
Fish n chips will always have a special place in my heart because growing up in Scotland, the art of frying fish is taken seriously. The batter must be crispy and crunchy with steaming hot flakes of cod or haddock inside. It’s a really simple recipe to make but frying can sometimes be messy. It’s well worth it though to bite into these chunks of fish dipped in a batter made of Guinness. If you don’t want to make my slow cooker corned beef for St Patrick’s Day, consider fish n chips as another tasty option. If you have any leftover batter, you can also make these amazing onion rings! You might also be interested in our salmon bites, check this link.
how to make beer battered fish
- Make the batter
You can use any beer, but Guinness has that deep malty flavor that other light beers don’t have. Combine the flour, baking powder, seasoning in a bowl and add the beer. Whisk until smooth.
- Prepare your fish
Cod or haddock are best used due to them being firm white fish. If you buy frozen fillets, make sure they are fully thawed and dried with paper towels. Frozen fish tend to absorb and hold lots of water so gently pressing down on the fish with paper towel will help to draw out most of the water. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
- Dipping your fish
Once your oil has reached the correct temperature, you can dip the fish into the batter making sure its well coated. Hold the fish over the bowl for a few seconds to let the excess drip back into the bowl and then gently drop the coated fish into the hot oil.
FAQ’s about making the best beer battered fish
A piece of fish about 1 inch thick should take about 5-8 minutes, turning it over a few times as it floats in the oil. Once the fish is floating and the bubbling has subsided it’s almost done.
Any neutral white fish will work such as cod, haddock, tilapia or even monkfish.
You can but it might be tainted slightly with the flavor of fish. I’ve never noticed it happen before though.
Avocado oil or peanut oil are probably the best choices.
more fried recipes
Beer Battered Fish
Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh or frozen cod filets.
- 1 pinch salt and pepper
- 2 ¼ cups all purpose flour, divided
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp Cajun seasoning
- 2 cups Guinness beer
- 1 quart canola oil
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp relish
- ½ tsp chopped dill
- pinch salt and black pepper
- Lemon wedges
Instructions
- Using a thermometer heat the oil in a deep pot to 375°
- While the oil is warming, pat the fish dry with a paper towel and season lightly with salt and pepper.
- In a bowl add 1 ½ cups of the flour, baking powder and Cajun seasoning.
- Gradually add the Guinness whisking until smooth.
- Add the remaining flour to a plate and dredge each piece of fish in the flour, shake off the excess.
- Drop the floured fish into the batter and coat evenly letting the excess drop back into the bowl.
- Gently place the battered fish into the hot oil, you will have to do this in batches as you don't want to overcrowd the oil. 2-3 pieces is enough.
- Fry for about 4 minutes and then flip the fish over with a slotted spoon.
- Cook for another 4-5 minutes and the batter is golden brown.
- Spoon the fish out of the oil and place on some paper towels to drain.
- Season with sea salt and serve with French fries or use for beer battered fish tacos.
- In a small bowl mix the mayonnaise, relish, dill, salt and pepper and serve on the side for dipping.
