If you’re craving a classic, try this Beer Battered Fish and Chips recipe! This dish features crispy, golden fish in a flavorful beer batter, paired with perfectly seasoned fries. It’s ideal for a cozy dinner or a casual gathering with friends.

I’ve probably ordered fish and chips from at least 50 restaurants. It’s just my go to default order. It always sounds good.

I don’t do a lot of deep frying at home. But I jumped at the idea of creating this fish and chips recipe for the blog! And this recipe does not disappoint! Crispy, golden, flaky, and light – you’re going to love this!

What do you need to prepare Beer Battered Fish and Chips?

White fish
All-purpose flour
Corn starch
Baking powder
Beer
Russet potatoes
Canola oil
Spices: paprika, cayenne, Garlic salt, salt, pepper

What type of fish is used for Beer Battered Fish and Chips?

For this recipe, I like to use cod filets. Cod is a nice white fish that holds together well, which is helpful for dipping in the batter.

Traditional fish and chip recipes always call for “white fish”. White fish varieties you could use for fish and chips include: Cod, Haddock, Halibut, Pollock, Hake

What type of beer is used for the beer batter?

I used a Hazy IPA from Green Flash Brewing for this, and it was lovely! I’ve made fish and chips with IPA’s many times. I really enjoyed the hoppy undertones that an IPA lends to the batter.

Traditional fish and chip recipes usually call for any type of “light beer”. There are several that work in this; IPAs, Pale Ales, imported varieties. The only kind you really want to avoid for this would be a darker beer or a stout.

What about equipment for making fish and chips?

A large, deep pan for frying
An oil thermometer
A mesh strainer for dusting the fish and removing the fries from the oil
Baking sheets with cooling racks
100% not necessary, but check out this cool French fry cutter!

How to Make Beer Battered Fish and Chips:

Order of events is important here! Fry cooking is serious, quick business! No distractions and get ready to move quick!

For more precise recipe measurements, refer to the recipe card.

Before you do anything, cut the French fries and soak them in ice water for 30 minutes.
- Why? Soaking the fries in water helps remove the excess starch from the outer surface of the fry strips and keeps the potatoes from browning or softening too quickly.
Then, after 30 minutes, remove them from the water and pat them as dry as possible with paper towels.
Now add the canola oil to a large pan or deep fryer (I used a wok! It worked great!). Heat the oil to 375°.
Prepare oil baking sheet lined with a paper towel and the other with a cooling rack. Set them near the stove.
Remove the fish from the fridge, pat dry and salt it.
Whisk the cornstarch, paprika, cayenne, salt and pepper into the flour.
Move over to your oil and drop in half of your fries to blanch in the oil for 5 minutes.
While the fries are blanching, dust the fish fillets with the flour mixture and dust off the excess
Move back over to oil, remove the first batch of fries and lay them onto the paper towel lined baking sheet. Drop the second batch.
Come back to your batter, add in the baking powder and the whisk in the full can of beer. The batter should be pretty thin (kind of like pancake batter).
Go back to the oil and remove the second batch of fries to the baking sheet to drain.
Make sure the oil comes back up to temp, dip fillets of fish into the beer batter and drop into oil. Cook for 5-6 minutes, or until golden brown. Work in batches, place finished fish onto the cooling rack lined baking sheet, and salt immediately after pulling out of the oil. The fish can be kept in a 200° oven between batches to stay warm and crisp.
After finishing all of the fish, drop the French fries back in for 1-2 minutes for one final fry. (They’ll crisp up and turn this gorgeous golden-brown color!)
While the fries are crisping, remove the first set of paper towels and place a new set down.
Once the fries are golden, remove them to the new paper towels, sprinkle them with garlic salt and black pepper, and let them drain for 30 seconds.
Remove fish from the oven and serve with the fries.

What condiments go with fish and chips?

Serve the fish and chips with fresh lemon wedges, malt vinegar (if you want to be really traditional), and fresh tartar sauce!

Storage:

This meal is eaten best fresh, but if you have leftovers you may be able to reheat them in the oven at 400° for a few minutes until they are warmed through.

If you like this recipe, here are a few others from the blog you may enjoy:

I hope you enjoyed this Beer Battered Fish and Chips recipe! If you make it, tag @atoastedcrumb on all socials, I’d love to see your work!