Gone fishing? Cook up your catch with a delicious beer batter that is surprisingly easy to make!
Ingredients
- 2 pounds white fish (ex. sea bass)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 Tbsp garlic powder
- 1 Tbsp paprika
- 1 tsp seasoned salt (optional)
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 2 cups of vegetable oil (likely more)
- 11 ounces of beer, 1 ounce for you ;)
Things to know
- You'll want to obviously filet the fish first, but you should also check for bones prior to cooking this dish. No one likes that little surprise.
- Rinse off the fish prior to cooking.
- More importantly than rinsing, is drying! Pat the fish dry with paper towels as best you can. Too much water leftover will impact how the batter sticks to your fish and how the fish fries.
- Seasoning is always important after drying the meat, so don't forget!
- The secret to a beautifully even cook and golden skin is always keeping the oil at a consistent temperature (375 degrees for this recipe). Remember that each piece of fish you add will drop down the temperature of the oil, so wait a minute or two between each piece you place in the oil.
- Don't overcrowd the pan/pot/fryer - avoiding overcrowding will help with the temperature.
- Use a cooling rack! You'll have a crispier skin that having the fish sit in the wet paper towels, which could lead to sogginess.
Directions
- Add oil to a heavy bottomed pot/pan and put 2 to 3 inches worth of oil and heat to 375 degrees. On my stove top, this is a little over medium heat. I use a thermometer to help keep the temperature consistent as I'm cooking.
- Rinse your fish off and pull out any bones.
- Dry your fish by placing them on clean/dry paper towels and pat the top until the fish is dry as well. You may go through a few paper towels per peice to get the fish dry enough.
- Season your fish with salt and pepper at your discretion.
- Make the beer batter:
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, garlic powder, paprika and salt (seasoned salt if you have it).
- Stir in the lightly beaten egg to the flour mix.
- Gradually whisk beer in to the flour mix until the batter forms and is no longer lumpy.
- When the oil has come to temperature, dip one piece of the seasoned fish into the batter to coat it, shake off the immediate excess, and slowly place into hot oil. I found that I needed about 3 minutes on the first side and then 2 minutes on the second side to achieve the perfect golden crust, but your mileage may vary.
- Repeat the above step, while remembering to keep an eye on the oil temperature and not overcrowding your pot/pan.
- Once cooked to your liking, remove the fish and place on a wire rack.
- Let it cool for 5 minutes (loose suggestion), and then plate!
- Garnish plate with lemons, tarter sauce, and/or french fries.
- Serve!
