This Crispy Beer Batter Fish Recipe is made with basic ingredients and creates a crunchy coating around flaky, tender white fish! Fried fish is great with homemade Tartar Sauce or used to make crispy fish tacos!
We’ve been on a mission to clear out our freezer, so when I came across some fish that my husband had caught last year I knew exactly what I wanted to make!
Gone are the days of boring, soggy fish sticks, these crispy coated fish are flaky, crunchy and perfectly seasoned!
How To Make Beer Batter Fish Fry
I’ll be honest, I am NOT a drinker, so while I don’t ever have beer in my fridge, that won’t stop me from buying it specifically for this recipe. The beer gives the batter that light airy texture, creating a thin, yet crispy coating that’s totally crave-able.
Here’s what you’ll need for the beer batter:
- All Purpose Flour
- Garlic Powder – adds great flavor to the batter
- Paprika – gives the batter a nice flavor, while also helping give a nice golden brown color
- Seasoned Salt – feel free to adjust salt levels to taste
- Egg – helps to create a nice texture and bind things together
- Beer – the type of beer doesn’t really matter, I like to use a dark amber beer like Dos Equis
*There’s no need to be concerned with alcohol consumption and this recipe, as the alcohol will get cooked off when the fish is fried in oil.
What Type of Fish is Best For Frying?
I have tested a few types of fried fish and I’ve had the best results with white fish, namely using an Alaskan COD FISH. The cod fish had the best flake and texture in my opinion. Here are some other types of fish that would work great:
- Alaskan Cod
- Tilapia
- Halibut – also one of my favorites, but can be a bit pricy
- Striped Bass
- Shrimp – use raw shrimp, not precooked
How To Get Crispy Fried Fish Every Time
There are a few things to watch out for in order to get perfectly crisp and flaky fried fish. Don’t worry, it’s actually super easy and results in success every time!
- Dry and Season – Pat down the fish with paper towels and then season each piece of fish with salt and pepper prior to being dipped in the batter.
- Oil Temperature – If your oil is not hot enough, you could end up with an oversaturated coating that is soggy and unappetizing. If your oil is too hot, you’ll end up burning the outside of the fish coating, not giving the fish inside enough time to get cooked and flaky.
- If your fryer doesn’t keep track of the temperature for you, invest in a cooking thermometer to keep your oil at a constant temperature of 375 degrees F.
- Don’t Over Crowd – Placing too many pieces of fish into the fryer at a time will quickly drop the temperature of your oil, which is no good. Start with just a few pieces of fish at a time, giving them ample time to fry and get nice and crispy.
- Use a Cooling Rack – You worked hard (ok, not too hard) to get that crispy fish coating, don’t lose it by setting the fish on paper towels or newspapers to drain. This action will cause steam to form between the fish and the coating, making your fried fish quickly lose that crisp coating. Use a cooling rack to keep that coating nice and crisp!
Can you just hear that crunchy coating? Oh man, this fried fish is seriously so delicious!
What to Serve with Fried Fish
- Homemade Tartar Sauce – seriously the best!
- Make your own french fries or use the frozen kind and toss in the oil with the fish.
- We love wrapping the fish up in flour or corn tortillas and serving with coleslaw and pickled onions for a quick crispy fish taco!
- Creamy Corn Salad or Classic Macaroni Salad would pair perfectly with this fish too.
Are you ready to get your fish fry on?! This Crispy Beer Batter Fish recipe will blow you away! Hope you enjoy it!
PS – I also have an incredible Fried Chicken Recipe that I’m sure you’ll love!
Crispy Beer Batter Fish Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. white fish, like cod or tilapia
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 2 tsp seasoned salt
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1 1/3 cups beer
- Canola oil for frying
Instructions
- Add oil to a large, heavy bottomed pot or deep fryer till it's about 2 to 3 inches deep. Heat oil to 375 degrees F.
- Meanwhile, cut fish into stick shapes, about 1 inch wide and 3 inches long. Pat dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper.
- To make the beer batter, whisk together the flour, garlic powder, paprika and seasoned salt. Stir in the lightly beaten egg, then gradually whisk in the beer until the batter forms and is no longer lumpy.
- Quickly dip the fish one piece at a time into the batter, then place in the hot oil. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the fish is a nice golden brown. Drain on a wire rack and enjoy while hot!
Easy Tartar Sauce Recipe
Maddi
Can the extra batter be frozen ?
Murr
I prepared this tonight with tilapia because that’s the only fish I have in the fridge and it turned out quite delicious. Instead of canola oil, I used sunflower oil due to running out of the former. However, I have a specific flavor in mind for the beer batter fish, so I plan to adjust some ingredient measurements to achieve the desired taste.
Jennifer
Is it 1/3 cup beer or 1 & 1/3 cup of beer?
Miki
1 and ⅓
Rob
To many ads my lord!!!
Yikes… almost comical..lol
Rob
I’ve got tv ads in the corner that don t go away. We are all dummys right? I had barely had room to leave a comment with the oil of Olay co.mercial.. lol
Nunya
The ratio of the ingredients is totally off. 1 cup flour to 1 ⅓ cup beer? Like be ffr. That was the thinnest batter I’ve ever used to deep fry something. Add only ⅓ to ½ a cup and double the seasonings if you want something usable.
Shawn
The batter is supposed to be thin. It puffs up when fried. If it’s too thick it’ll change the consistency of the final dish.
Ron Stroh
Great flavor. For the folks that don’t get crispy. I have to boil my fish twice and only then do I get crispy. Maybe there is a better way that can be shared.
Eric Backer
I used this recipe and it turned out to be quite good! I added a couple more tablespoons of flour to give it a thicker batter and a tablespoon of cornstarch. I would like to try with Perch or Walleye.
Patrick Williams
Can I use this for onion rings?
James Simmons
Yes, it’s perfect for Onion Rings!
CDalton
Made this as a last minute decision. I halved the recipe, seemed a little thin so I added about 1tbsp of extra flour. I made it with shrimp, dried very well. It came out perfect. Great flavor, didn’t need any sauce. Will make this again. I used Yuengling Lager.
Joguerr
Hi is it possible to batter the fish and then freeze it, without cooking it? I’ve always immediately cooked it and I’m worried about trying this method. But I’d like to get a jump on the holidays by battering the fish a couple days prior to actually cooking it. Thanks.
Peggy Desjardins
I did this and when I wanted to do the left over I popped it into my air fryer frozen – used the fish option (fish was placed on parchment paper) – it was even better than the first time!! YUM!
Sue McIsaac
This is delicious!! With some Pacific sea bass from a friend, yummmmmmy. Thank you.
Mark Lakes
It didn’t work for me, why to thin, no crust!!! Someone need to fix the why this recipe is written up!!!
Jacob H Henry
According to the way you wrote your comment maybe you misread the recipe♂️
Homey the Cook
Probably shouldn’t drink alcohol while preparing meals Mark. Definitely shouldn’t drink while posting comments. Better luck next time.
Diane
Can this recipe be done in an air fryer to begin with, rather than deep frying?
Koy
No, wet batter recipes do not work in an air fryer. But you could reheat pieces that were fried.
Tim B
I made this and followed the directions of the recipe to a T. ( EXACTLY) the flavor of my walleye and the batter taste were excellent but it was FAR from CRISPY I used p nut oil at 375° and fried my fish for 3 min. some smaller pieces for a shorter time. I also put the fried fish on a wire rack instead of paper towels. It LOOKED CRISPY and that is about as crisp as it got. Good flavor without the crisp, I actually tried this twice within 3 days, had fish I didn’t fry 1st time and it was the same. I WILLNOT try it again. DONT WAIST YOUR TIME IF YOU WANT CRISPY BATTERED FISH.
SM
Mine was very crispy. I made fresh pickerel, dried it very very well, dipped and fried for 3 minutes, flipped and cooked for another 3 minutes. It was perfection on the taste and crisp!
Heidi
In case you decide to try beer battered fish again, try subbing 1/4 cup of corn starch for the same amount of flour. It will help with a light, crisp texture
Lori Lynn
This recipe is great for fish, as well as any vegetable you want to try. I made deep fried zucchini, sweet bell peppers, mushrooms, and I thought I would give bacon a try…it was amazing! My boyfriend is a huge bacon fan and he loved it so much that he asks me to make it at least once a week!
Lori Lynn
Oh and I forgot to mention that I switched it up and used Ginger beer! So good!
Mike
I made it with cod bites and it was good. I do have a suggeston:
The recipe looks like ti calls for 1 and 1/3 a cup of beer, and I believe the recipe just calls for 1/3rd of a cup. No other fractional measurements in the recipe are written that way, unless I’m mistaken. When I mixed ingredients it was far to runny.
“1 1/3 cup of beer”
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 cup all purpose flour
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp paprika
2 tsp seasoned salt
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 1/3 cups beer
Rob
Aaaah thank you! It was like water when I first tried mixing it.
Diane
Going by the rest of the recipe, each ingredient should be written with a dash…as in 1-large egg, 1- 1/3 cup of beer. It is confusing as written. I am going to prepare this tonight and I’m not sure if I would have used 1 1/3 cups of beer or 1/3 cup….so I’m glad I read these reviews!!
Saundra
This is what it actually says “gradually whisk in the beer until the batter forms and is no longer lumpy” I just added beer until the batter was similar to a thin pancake batter and it was perfect. To get the crisper texture it’s best to cook it until it’s a medium brown, rather than light brown.
Jean
I have NEVER before had success with batter-frying fish. This came out perfectly and my whole family raved! Thank you for an excellent recipe!!
Susan Snyder
first time I ever made fresh beer batter fish at home I cooked walleye, and it turned out delicious!! I would recommend this recipe to anyone that has never made beer batter fish before or to anyone that has cause it’s a great recipe
Barbara Mclaughlin
To achieve the crisp coating, I belive the fish has to be squeezed out…to pat dry on paper towels was not nearly enough…I used a clean dish towel and laid into the fillets with pressure.
My fish was super crisp. Thanks for this recipe!
Sylvia C.
Just used this recipe with striped bass caught off cape cod. It turned out amazing. I have to admit, I had some reservation about the batter flavor (took a tiny taste before dipping the fish and didn’t care for it), but followed the directions and it turned out delicious! This was my first time deep frying anything, even purchased the proper thermometer to make sure the oil temperature was as recommended. Glad I did! Thanks
Kay P
Oh my goodness! This recipe is AMAZING! I used mahi mahi (It was cheaper than cod and I refuse to eat tilapia) and fried it in half canola and half peanut oil. It was so good and so filling! I followed the directions to reheat it in the air-frier the next day and made fish tacos. Definitely will be adding this to our usual meal rotations. Thank you so much for sharing!
Shawn
I’m so glad you enjoyed the fried fish Kay! Thank you for your comment!
Natasha F
Proof is in the pudding I’ve read the reviews and despite the ONE bad review (probably user error) this recipe is fantastic! Even the reheating directions in the air fryer it’s like it was meant to be. I used Atlantic cod and honestly just grabbed one of my Heinekens out the fridge. Family tested and family approved!
Shawn
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe Natasha! Thank you for your great comment. 🙂
Liza
Awesome recipe! I made it last night with halibut filets and it turned out perfectly crispy and delicious!
Thet
Soggy fish batter, will not make again.
PJK
Excellent recipe. Batter just right. Sticks, and not too thick. Nice and crispy. I did sub Old Bay Seasoning for Seasoned Salt for more flavor, less salt. Yummy!
Linda
This was a really bad recipe.
Hated this!
Terrible taste!
Don’t make this!
Ruined my dinner and I’m not happy!!!!
By submitting this review to warn others I’ve just had to agree to releasing my ip & email to a company called: I wash you dry.
I hope these crooks do not dare email me!!!!!!
Shawn
I’m so sorry you didn’t have amazing results like everyone else. Make sure you follow the recipe closely in the future, or feel free to let me know what you didn’t enjoy about it so maybe I can help you troubleshoot the issue. Rest assured, your email is secure with us and we do not send any emails unless you decide you want recipes sent to you. Hope you have a great day!
Rachel
Maybe learn how to cook and read directions. Sounds like your the only person who had an issue. This recipe is what they use in east coast restaurants and have rave reviews.
I have a weird name
Ma’am, the name of this site is I Wash You Dry. You’re calling them crooks for allowing you to comment here, and you gave her one star because you can’t follow simple directions.
I’ll counter your one star with five:)
Have a nice day.
John
I just made this recipe with some fresh walleye fillets. I couldn’t be happier with the result! The batter was crunchy and full of flavor!
This recipe promised nothing but delivered a great beer battered fish!
My entire family loved it!
I followed the recipe exactly, prepped the fish as noted, fried one piece at time so not to over crowd or cool the oil to much.
Severed with the tartar sauce mentioned in the first line of the description above, which I also loved!
Definitely adding this one to my favorites!
Louise Dozois
I eliminated the paprika and never put in a full can of beer. Tweak it a bit, and don’t over mix. Use a whisk to smooth out the flour well and it will be great! Fantastic recipe, I always like to add my personal twist to any recipe. Hence no paprika
Karen Stuber
Looks like you are one of the few that had an issue so my thought is user error. If you don’t like a recipe, no need to be so rude and name call. It’s easy to be a jerk when you are anonymous.
Jason
Your comment is just disgusting, to me it sounds like you have no business in a kitchen. I also think you’ve ruined a lot of dinners I feel sorry for anyone that must eat something you’ve made. Can’t follow directions or have no ability to improvise a simple ingredient. Maybe don’t drink the other 10 beers before you’ve made your dinner and it might turn out. You know what they say a DRUNK AIN’T SHIT!
Gretchen Carlson Website: gretchen-carlson.com
I’ve never deep fat fried anything. We brought home lots of cod after a fishing trip in Alaska. I was nervous to try this recipe, but it was simple and WONDERFUL! Can’t wait to do it again – and next time, I’ll invite others over for a fun meal.
Dianne D West
Husband has asked for this to be a regular feature. Crispy and perfectly seasoned.
Karin
Made it last night – crunchy and delicious!
Used Cod w/lager Beer in the batter.
Fried it in our deep fryer w/lard.
The flavor was out of this world!
Colonel John Weir
Great with lionfish filets too!
Bonnie
This is amazing
Abby
I made this recipe last night. It was amazing!
Vanessa G
Came out perfect! Will be using this recipe again. Thank you!!
Rhonda
First time trying a batter dip on cod….loved it! Recipe was easy to follow. Crispy, light, and they looked great coming out of my deep fat fryer. Saving this recipe to use again…soon!
Maven
My wife says we should laminate this recipe and I agree. This was so delicious and perfect! We are making this atleast once a month now.
John R Wheeler Jr
it’s a shame you have so much background video ads and stuff that your page won’t load. I’ll definitely tweet a notice for those that want to cook without ads.
Darin Wilton
a good ad blocker will completely fix that problem. for sites that try to make you turn the blocker off, just skip those sites. this site works fine
Mary Palozzi
Made this tonight using cod. Fam jam loved it!!, I bookmarked the recipe so I can make it again. Thank you for sharing this delicious recipe alongside all the other wonderful ones that I have tried.
Eddie
Made cod and flounder with it. Awesome!
Salt pepper onion powder and garlic egg and saffron and paprika .
Mo
If your batter came out soggy, it’s because you didn’t cook the fish long enough. Mine came out crunchy, and l didn’t even deep fry my fish…. There’s always a few who you can’t please, no matter what you do…. The recipe came out delish! Thank you for sharing!
Liz
It was excellent, made pickerel with this recipe, and it was delicious
Cina
Quite flavorless. My boyfriend hated it
Name
Lol, maybe you just can’t cook?!
John
Sounds like you messed up
Gary D Oakley
Cina? Or PLAIN JANE?
Don
That could happen if you forget the garlic powder, paprika, salt and pepper. It’s understandable.
Rachel
Maybe try it again with some extra seasonings. This recipe is what east coasters use in restaurants.
Janice M
Made this tonight using crappiest. Was delicious!!!! Just the right spices and awesome coating. Thank you!!!
Melissa Novak
This recipe was great! I was out of paprika and had to omit it. I did remove a lot of moisture from the fish and lightly coated in flour before dipping in the batter. I used harp beer. Everyone loved this, it was tasty and now in the rotation
Martina Finley
I cannot believe how good this Crispy Beer Batter tasted! Crispy, tasty crust with moist fish inside. What’s not to love? I made tilapia with this recipe. I don’t think I’d change a thing about the Crispy Beer Batter recipe unless you’re craving a specific spice. Just add it and have fun with the recipe
Debby
It wasn’t crispy. Flavor was nice. I don’t know what went wrong.