Beer Battered Fish

4 servings
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes

Beer Battered Fish made with fresh cod filets dipped in seasoned beer batter and fried until golden brown and crispy, EASY to make and ready in only a few minutes!

Fish and Chips is a favorite go-to order in any restaurant, and this recipe is a great pub option along with other pub favorites like Buffalo WingsSuper Crispy Chicken Tenders and Classic Beef Chili.

Beer Battered Fish in basket with tartar sauce

Beer Battered Fish is a classic pub food dinner made with fresh cod that’s dipped into a batter of flour, eggs, beer, and seasoning, then fried until it’s crispy and golden brown on the outside and flaky on the inside. Serve this with crunchy potato chips or fries and a big spoonful of tartar sauce with lemon wedges.

The flavor for this dish comes from the seasoning and the beer. A dryer stout works nicely, but use whatever beer you’d also like to drink. You can also use more or less seasoning depending on taste.

Serve Beer Battered Fish alongside French Fries for a classic fish & chips presentation, or pair with a cool creamy Coleslaw.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best oil for deep frying fish?

Canola oil and peanut oil have the highest smoking point, which means you have less chance of burning the oil if it gets too hot. I like to use canola oil, because that’s what I usually have around the house, and it doesn’t impart any flavor to the fish.

How long do you fry battered fish?

Each piece of fish will take about 10 minutes to fry, 4-5 minutes on each side. Work in batches, making sure the fish has enough room around each side to fry properly.

How can you tell if fried fish is done?

The fish is done when it turns a golden brown color, and the fish will be floating near the top of the oil, while the bubbles from around the sides of the fish will slow down.

How do you make tartar sauce?

It’s easy! Mix the following ingredients together and refrigerate at least an hour before serving:
1 cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoons sweet relish
1 teaspoon yellow mustard
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Beer Battered Fish collage of prep steps

More Seafood Recipes

Beer Battered Fish piece dipped in tartar sauce

Tips for Making Beer Battered Fish

  • Add in ¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper or a dash of hot sauce to make this recipe spicy.
  • Try adding different spices like curry powder, turmeric, or paprika for different variations.
  • Watch the temperature of the oil carefully, if the temperature is too low you’ll end up with greasy fish, and too high will cook the outside before the inside is done. If your fish does turn out greasy, you can try placing it directly onto a baking rack to let the oil drip off.
  • If your batter is too runny, whisk in all purpose flour a little bit at a time until it is the right texture.
  • A fresh cod fillet will not have a strong fishy aroma, it should smell slightly like the ocean and that’s all. If it smells strong, it it old, not fresh.
  • You can make this with any white fish, try tilapia or grouper.
  • Serve this with malt vinegar and tartar sauce (recipe above).
Beer Battered Fish in basket with tartar sauce

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Beer Battered Fish

Beer Battered Fish is an easy recipe made with fresh cod filets dipped in seasoned batter and fried until golden brown and crispy. Try today!
Yield 4 servings
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Course Dinner
Cuisine American
Author Sabrina Snyder

Ingredients
 

  • 2 pounds cod , cut into 5 inch pieces
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon paprika
  • 1 large egg
  • 12 ounces beer
  • vegetable oil for frying

Instructions

  • Heat 3 inches of oil in a Dutch oven to 365 degrees.
  • Pat dry the cod well with paper towel, then season with salt and pepper.
  • Mix the flour with the garlic powder and paprika, then add in the egg mixing well before whisking in the beer slowly.
  • Dip the fish into the batter then carefully into the oil frying until golden brown then remove to a wire rack to cool (not paper towels or newspapers or it will steam).

Video

Notes

  • Change Serving Size: Click on the yield amount to slide and change the number of servings and the recipe will automatically update! 
  • Conversion: To convert measurements to grams, click on the Metric option next to Ingredients in the recipe card.      
  • Kitchen Timer: Click on times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer while cooking.

Nutrition

Calories: 364kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 45g | Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 138mg | Sodium: 1307mg | Potassium: 1072mg | Fiber: 1g | Vitamin A: 1010IU | Vitamin C: 2.3mg | Calcium: 55mg | Iron: 3mg
Beer Battered Fish Collage
Beer Battered Fried Fish
Bite of Beer Battered Cod Fish
Fried Cod Fish in Beer Batter

About the Author: Sabrina Snyder

Sabrina is a professionally trained Private Chef of over 10 years with ServSafe Manager certification in food safety. She creates all the recipes here on Dinner, then Dessert, fueled in no small part by her love for bacon.

Sabrina Snyder is a professionally trained personal and private chef of over 10 years who is the creator and developer of all the recipes on Dinner, then Dessert.

She is also the author of the cookbook Dinner, then Dessert – Satisfying Meals Using Only 3, 5 or 7 Ingredients, published by Harper Collins.

She started Dinner, then Dessert as a business in her office as a lunch service for her coworkers who admired her lunches before going to culinary school and becoming a full time personal chef and private chef.

As a personal chef Sabrina would cook for families one day a week and cook their entire week of dinners. All grocery shopping, cooking and cleaning was done along with instructions on reheating. As a private chef she cooked for private parties and cooked in family homes in the evenings for families on a nightly basis after working as a personal chef during the day.

Sabrina has been certified as a ServSafe Manager since 2007 and was a longstanding member of the USPCA Personal Chef Association including being on the board of the Washington DC Chapter of Chefs in the US Personal Chef Association when they won Chapter of the year.

As a member of the community of food website creators Sabrina Snyder has spoken at many conferences regarding her experiences as a food writer including the Indulge Food Conference, Everything Food Conference, Haven Food Conference and IACP Annual Food Professionals Conference.

Sabrina lives with her family in sunny California.

Dinner, then Dessert, Inc. owns the copyright on all images and text and does not allow for its original recipes and pictures to be reproduced anywhere other than at this site unless authorization is given. If you enjoyed the recipe and would like to publish it on your own site, please re-write it in your own words, and link back to my site and recipe page. Read my disclosure and copyright policy. This post may contain affiliate links.

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Comments

  1. Very nice batter, great flavor and texture. Much of the batter came off during cooking so next time I’ll flour before battering?

  2. This is the best beer batter is have never tried it made cod fish and I have use this recipe three times already and I usually eat my fish air fried or broil but now this is always in my mine I keep fish in my freezer fish like Cod, Whiting , Red Snapper, Shrimp and Crab meat . but I have had beer battered Cod three times in one month that’s how good this batter is it am trying not to eat to much fry food but this batter is so GOD.THANK you for this recipe.

  3. This recipe is definitely tasty just a little to salty for my pallet but I can adjust that. Only issue I had was that my batter turned soggy after sitting waiting to cool. I would love to make this recipe again if I can just figure out how to prevent the soggy part.

    1. oh no, did you dry the cod well before battering or perhaps the batter consistency was too runny and needed a bit more flour added a little at a time until the right consistency was reached? I’m glad you enjoyed it anyway.

    1. Hi Dana,
      I haven’t tested this recipe in an air fryer but the hot air can crisp up your beer batter and make for a crispy fish. Depending on your air fryer, you may need to flip your fish halfway during the cooking process.

  4. It’s difficult to really impress me with a recipe, mostly because I like flavor and this one is great, if you follow it exactly you won’t be disappointed

  5. This recipe is terrific and so easy to follow. I was going to use another beer battered fish recipe that called for rice flour. It sounded good but I did not want to purchase an ingredient that we do not use much. With just a few ingredients and easy to follow instructions my first attempt at frying fish was a huge hit with the family. Next time I think I will try your onion rings when I make the fish.
    Thanks for making cooking more enjoyable for me.

  6. Being from Wisconsin, land of the fish fry, this is an outstanding beer batter recipe, it’s become my go-to. I love it as-is, but I’ve also subbed in Old Bay for the paprika, and I’ll share another twist: toss in a couple tablespoons of chopped fresh dill. Wow.

    1. Michael, Thank you for your suggestions!! I absolutely love dill. I grow it every year in my herb garden. I love old bay and Zatarans. I actually prefer something a tad spicy, so I use just a tad more of zatarans.

  7. Whenever I see a recipe from you – I Pin it. I save/use a lot of your recipes – THANKS! I haven’t tried this one yet but I’m sure its good!

  8. Came out perfect
    I never realized what a difference when you dry the cod before you start the dredging
    Big difference
    Thank you ?

  9. I did just like the recipe first time except I peppermill the salt and pepper directly on the fish and then left it in the fridge until I did the batter and I thought at first gees no baking powder I tried it it came out great I threw out my old recipe great taste.

  10. Thank you thank you thank you,I don’t care for battered fish but my husband loves it, so I decided to try your recipe. I made exactly as you called for and I couldn’t stop eating it, it was perfect and my husband loved it??

  11. Followed recipe as stated, very salty. Otherwise it was ok. I will try again but with 1/2 the salt.

    1. I’m sorry it was too salty John, I hope with less salt you enjoy it a lot more! I know salt is a personal thing and I tend to use more than less.

  12. I just made this tonight and my husband said, “whatever you did, remember this recipe”. My son said this recipe was better than the pub where we get fish & chips. Thank you, Sabrina. I don’t know anything about cooking fish, but you made me look like I did.

  13. this sounds great , one thing I would like to know is what is the best fish for deep fry battered, thanks

  14. terrible recipe. All of the batter melted off the fish and We were left with greasy, fried naked cod. I would not recommend.

    1. I had this issue then heard a trick to dip the fish into the flour for a coating before dipping into the batter. It helps it stick. Good luck!

  15. I made this last night with cod for dinner. I subbed the paprika with Ragin’ Cajun’ to spice it up. I also added a tbs of cornstarch to the batter help crisp them up.

    I used Best Maid dill pickle beer! It turned out so good!

    I also dredged the cod in flour before the batter to help it stay on a little better and to dry out the fish a little more.

    They stayed crisp, unlike some have said in comments. Also those that say it was too liquidy with the 12 oz of beer need to let the batter rest. It def thickened as it sat. Also making. Sure the oil is back at temp before adding the next batch is important. And stirring or moving around after placing in oil will keep them from sticking to bottom or sticking together.