Crispy Beer Batter Fish & Chips

Serve Chef John's beer-battered fish with salt and vinegar chips and enjoy a crispy crunch with every bite, thanks to a super cold beer batter.

• Preparation Time: 15 mins
• Cooking Time: 10 mins
• Total Time: 25 mins
• Calories: 2271 Calories

Ingredients

• vegetable oil for frying
• 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
• 0.25 teaspoon baking powder

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

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

Step 2

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

Step 3

Make the fish: Pat cod as dry as possible, then cut lengthwise into eight 1-inch-thick strips. Place rice flour on a plate and season with salt. Dust cod lightly with the rice flour mixture and shake off any excess. Cover a plate with crinkled foil to make a quick drying rack; place cod on top.

Step 4

Finish the batter: Remove flour mixture from the freezer. Pour in beer and whisk until batter is the consistency of a thick pancake batter, adding more beer as needed.

Step 5

Dip floured cod into the batter to coat; lift out and let excess drip off.

Step 6

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