Crispy Beer Batter Fish & Chips

Virtually every beer-battered fish recipe looks crispy coming out of the fryer, and some even stay crispy for a few minutes, but then the inevitable sogginess sets in. Well, with this simple formula, and a few easy tricks, you can achieve a fried fish where the last bite is as crisp as the first. The keys are keeping your batter really cold and patting your fish really dry. Serve over a bed of salt 'n vinegar chips with tartar sauce and lemon.

• Preparation Time: 15 mins
• Cooking Time: 10 mins
• Total Time: 25 mins
• Calories: 503 Calories

Ingredients

• vegetable oil for frying
• ¼ teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup self-rising flour
• salt to taste
• 2 tablespoons rice flour
• 2 tablespoons rice flour, or as needed
• 4 (6 ounce) cod fillets, fully thawed if frozen
• 1 cup lager-style beer, or more as needed

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Heat oil in a deep-fryer to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

Step 2

Whisk self-rising flour, rice flour, and baking powder together in a bowl. Freeze until ready to use.

Step 3

Pat fish as dry as possible. Cut pieces lengthwise to get eight 1-inch thick strips. Place rice flour on a plate and season with salt. Dust fish lightly with the mixture and shake off excess. Cover a plate with crinkled foil to make a quick drying rack; place fish on top.

Step 4

Pour beer into the flour mixture and whisk, adding more as needed, until batter is the consistency of thick pancake batter. Dip fish pieces into the batter to coat; lift out and let excess drip off.

Step 5

Fry fish in batches until golden brown, dunking occasionally if needed, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Serve immediately.