Beer Battered Cod - Recipes - Home Cooks Classroom (2024)

9 Comments / By Patrick Jensen / June 7, 2019

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Beer Battered Cod - Recipes - Home Cooks Classroom (1)

My mother comes from a fairly traditional Catholic household, and like many Catholic families, they practiced fish fry Fridays. What exactly is fish fry Friday? Well, it’s a practice that originated with the Catholic Church’s prohibition of the consumption of meat on Fridays during Lent. They did, however, had a “loophole” which allowed the consumption of fish. Some may say that makes no sense but I feel like they were just really ahead of the curb on the whole pescetarian fad. Either way, you look at it this dietary restriction led to the practice of eating fried fish on Fridays. And in honor of this old tradition, I’d like to share with you folks my ultimate fish fry recipe, beer-battered cod.

Now traditionally most fish fry’s didn’t use a beer batter, but I believe it is the best batter for frying fish so that’s what we are going to do today. The reason why beer batter is superior to other types of batter is the carbonation in the beer. These little bubbles of carbon dioxide create air pockets in the batter which when fried allows the batter to crisp up quickly and produces a crust that is delicate and light. You really can’t argue with the results. So if you’re ready to make the best fried fish ever then let’s get to making our beer battered cod!

Tips, Tricks, & Suggestions

  • I like to serve this with coleslaw and some baked french fries for a fish and chips meal.
  • Use whatever beer you prefer, however, you should know that if you are a hop head that an aggressively hoppy beer (i.e. an IPA) will leave a very bitter taste to the batter, and not in a good way.
  • While cod is the most traditional fish for a fry you can easily swap it out with any other firm fish that you prefer.
  • After cooking the fish make sure to place them on a rack that allows them to breathe. If you place them on paper towels you can cause the batter to steam which will result in them being soggy.

Beer Battered Cod Recipe

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

Servings: 4 to 6

Ingredients

1½ to 2 Lbs of cod fillets, cut into pieces

1 Cup of all-purpose flour

12 oz bottle of beer

1 Egg, beaten

1 Tablespoon of each (paprika, garlic powder, salt)

Neutral flavored oil for frying, about a quart or two depending on the size of your pot

Instructions

  1. Make the batter: Mix together the flour, and seasonings in a large bowl. Then add in the beaten egg and mix it in.Beer Battered Cod - Recipes - Home Cooks Classroom (2) Then slowly add in the beer mixing it in until it forms a light batter.Beer Battered Cod - Recipes - Home Cooks Classroom (3) Let this batter sit for 10 minutes.
  1. Add enough oil to a large pot until it comes up three inches. Place this over high heat until the temperature of the oil reads 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
  1. Fry the fish: Once the oil is hot enough, dip a couple of pieces of the cod into the batter.Beer Battered Cod - Recipes - Home Cooks Classroom (4) Then lift the pieces of cod out of the batter making sure any excess batter drips off and slowly lower them into the hot oil.Beer Battered Cod - Recipes - Home Cooks Classroom (5) Make sure to not fry too many pieces in the pot at once or else it could lower the temperature of the oil rapidly causing the fish to not fry properly. Let the fish fry for about 5 to 7 minutes flipping halfway through until the batter is golden brown.Beer Battered Cod - Recipes - Home Cooks Classroom (6) Then remove the cooked fish to a cooling rack and repeat the process until all of the cod pieces are fried.
  1. Enjoy the beer battered cod with either a squeeze of fresh lemon or the more traditional way with a splash of malt vinegar. Enjoy!Beer Battered Cod - Recipes - Home Cooks Classroom (7)

Beer Battered Cod - Recipes - Home Cooks Classroom (8)

Print Recipe

5 from 2 votes

Beer Battered Cod Recipe

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time15 minutes mins

Servings: 4

Ingredients

  • 1½ to 2 Lbs of cod fillets cut into pieces
  • 1 Cup of all-purpose flour
  • 12 oz bottle of beer
  • 1 Egg beaten
  • 1 Tablespoon of each paprika, garlic powder, salt
  • Neutral flavored oil for frying about a quart or two depending on the size of your pot

Instructions

  • Make the batter: Mix together the flour, and seasonings in a large bowl. Then add in the beaten egg and mix it in. Then slowly add in the beer mixing it in until it forms a light batter. Let this batter sit for 10 minutes.

  • Add enough oil to a large pot until it comes up three inches. Place this over high heat until the temperature of the oil reads 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

  • Fry the fish: Once the oil is hot enough, dip a couple of pieces of the cod into the batter. Then lift the pieces of cod out of the batter making sure any excess batter drips off and slowly lower them into the hot oil. Make sure to not fry too many pieces in the pot at once or else it could lower the temperature of the oil rapidly causing the fish to not fry properly. Let the fish fry for about 5 to 7 minutes flipping halfway through until the batter is golden brown. Then remove the cooked fish to a cooling rack and repeat the process until all of the cod pieces are fried.

  • Enjoy the beer battered cod with either a squeeze of fresh lemon or the more traditional way with a splash of malt vinegar. Enjoy!

Inspiration from other blogs

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From Delish

Beer Battered Cod - Recipes - Home Cooks Classroom (2024)

FAQs

What goes well with beer battered cod? ›

15 Best Side Dishes for Fried Fish
  • 01 of 15. Chef John's French Fries. View Recipe. ...
  • 02 of 15. Mashed Peas. ...
  • 03 of 15. Glazed Peas and Potatoes with Mint. ...
  • 04 of 15. Restaurant-Style Coleslaw. ...
  • 05 of 15. Dad's Creamy Cucumber Salad. ...
  • 06 of 15. Cheese and Bacon Potato Rounds. ...
  • 07 of 15. Chef John's Succotash. ...
  • 08 of 15. Cilantro-Lime Coleslaw.
Dec 16, 2020

How do you cook Costco beer battered cod? ›

1 Beer Battered Cod from Costco • Cooking Oil • • INSTRUCTIONS Preheat the air fryer temperature to 400°F. Place frozen fish in a single layer. Do now overcrowd the frozen cod! Cook for 13 to 14 minutes.

What does beer do to the battered fish? ›

First, the bubbles provide lift as they escape from the batter during frying. Second, the carbonation makes the batter slightly more acidic, which limits how much gluten can form when the beer and flour mix, preventing the batter from turning tough.

Should I put an egg in my beer batter? ›

Beat in one egg.

Some people leave this step out and just stick to a basic beer-and-flour batter, which is perfectly effective. But, beating in an egg helps to add a little body and golden richness to the batter, helping it to crisp up a little more nicely.

What kind of beer is good for fish and chips batter? ›

Here, in random order, is a brace of beers you should consider adding to your fry-batter mix.
  • PBR (Pabst Blue Ribbon) ...
  • Coors Banquet. ...
  • Old Milwaukee. ...
  • Deschutes Brewery's Bachelor ESB. ...
  • Widmer Brothers' Drop Top Amber Ale. ...
  • Samuel Smith's Pure Brewed Organic Lager. ...
  • Brooklyn Brewery's Brooklyn Lager.

Why is my beer battered fish soggy? ›

If the wet batter is too thick (in consistency) your cooked batter will be thick (in depth) around the fish and tends to soak up too much oil. Too watery on the other hand and it won't coat the fish properly, and will go soggy quickly. Aim for a batter that runs but fully coats the back of a spoon – see video.

How much alcohol is in beer battered cod? ›

The small amount of alcohol in the beer boils off in a very short time under those conditions. There is no alcohol remaining in properly-made beer batter fried food.

Can you deep fry frozen beer battered cod? ›

Deep Fry. Heat oil to 350°F. Fry frozen fillet(s) for 5 ½ to 6 ½ minutes until product is golden brown. Cooking times and temperatures may vary substantially.

Why add vodka to beer batter? ›

Because vodka is more volatile than water, it evaporates more quickly, which dries out the batter faster and more violently. That creates larger bubbles and even more surface area, in turn resulting in a much crispier crust.

Why is my beer battered fish sticking to the pan? ›

"Heating your pan properly is a key factor for keeping your fish from sticking and will give you a flavorful crust. Heat your pan on a medium-high heat, then add a small amount of oil or clarified butter. When the fat is shimmering, the pan is hot enough to add your protein.

What are the ingredients in Gordon beer battered fish? ›

Rice flour, water, wheat flour, beer (water, barley malt, corn, rice, hops, yeast), tapioca dextrin, modified corn starch, salt, whey, dextrose, baking powder (baking soda, sodium aluminum phosphate, cream of tartar), sunflower lecithin, xanthan gum, natural flavor.

What is fish and chip shop batter made from? ›

On Wikipedia it says that normally water and flour are used, but in some cases, beer and milk substituted. “UK chippies traditionally use a simple water and flour batter, adding a little sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) and a little vinegar to create lightness, as they create bubbles in the batter.

What is the origin of beer battered fish and chips? ›

The dish originated in England, where these two components had been introduced from separate immigrant cultures; it is not known who combined them. Often considered Britain's national dish, fish and chips is a common takeaway food in numerous other countries, particularly English-speaking and Commonwealth nations.

What is the difference between beer battered and breaded fish? ›

Batters can range in crisp from tempura (the crunchiest) to beer battered (not so crunchy). Breaded seafood is not the greatest in a deep fat frying capacity. All those small bits of sloughed off breading can cloud up the fryer, burning and adhering to other pieces, especially if you're frying in multiple batches.

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