Beer Battered Fish Air Fryer

Beer battered fish air fryer style is killer. Make from scratch with tender cod, tilapia or pollack inside like homemade fish sticks kids always love.

Air Fryer Battered Fish

You will need to use defrosted or fresh white fish filets for this. Things like frozen cod in air fryer wouldn’t work as the middle wouldn’t have enough time to cook thru. As far as the type of white fish you should use, there are several that would be just fine.

Typically I will just choose whichever is on sale and make it with something like pollack, cod, air fryer tilapia, halibut…. you get the idea. I suppose you could use salmon but breaded isn’t my preference for that variety. I think that is better just lightly seasoned.

Ninja Foodi Beer Battered Fish

You’ll use the lid that is attached to make this. It doesn’t matter what brand of machine you might have on your countertop. The biggest difference is the size and shape of the basket. You do not want this to overlap at all so one might make a larger batch at a time. As opposed to our oven fried fish you’ll likely be able to cook 4 fillets at a time.

Beer Battered Fish Air Fryer Time

Each go around will take around 15 minutes so if you have a larger family you will need to account for this cook time a few times. Timing will vary slightly depending on the thickness and size of fillets.

Ingredients

• Fish fillet – pollack was used
• Beer of your liking
• 1 egg
• All purpose dry flour will be separated in half for dipping
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• Granulated garlic or garlic powder
• This is a great Old bay recipe
• Baking powder
• Salt and pepper

You’ll want some olive oil spray to crisp the outside and not let it dry out too much as well as parchment paper so it doesn’t stick. For each new batch change that out.

How do you use a batter coating in an air fryer?

You want to go quickly once you start coating it. Make sure your machine is well preheated and ready to go. Once it is hot lay down your parchment paper, dip to coat both sides and add with a bit of space in between each piece. Just like tempura batter, always allow excess batter to drip off before putting inside your basket.

How to use wet batter in air fryer

• Mix 1/2 cup of your flour thoroughly with salt, black pepper and spices of your liking in one dish.
• Pour the second half of the flour into another bowl, stir with the baking powder and add the egg. Pour beer into this bowl and whisk into a thick batter.
  • Preheat the air fryer to 380 F. for 5 min.
• It should be thick enough not to drip off a spoon, but to drip slowly. Dry each fillet with napkins and roll in the seasoned flour on all sides.
  • Transfer piece into dish with thick batter and coat the fish on both sides.
  • Lift up so excess can drip off.
• Coat the flour lightly with the remaining flour in the other bowl. Just a tad to avoid the batter sticking to the parchment.
  • Line an air fryer basket with parchment and non stick cooking spray. Place the battered fish inside.
• Spray the top of the battered fish with olive oil. If this is not done, the flour will remain dry on the surface of the batter.
  • Bake for 12 minutes.
  • Flip to the other side, spray with olive oil again on tops and bake for another 2-3 minutes.

Allow to cool a bit if your kids are going to want to pick them up like finger foods and dip into tartar sauce.

How can you use a batter coating in an air fryer?

You see how it works this way? Adding a bit of flour to the outside on top of the wet keeps it from oozing out and all over the place. The olive oil spray will moisten it once you have them in the basket so it doesn’t stay a powdery white when done. This is always a great way air fry everything crispy too.

You can buy a frozen variety from Gortons as well to make air fryer fish and chips but they aren’t nearly as good. Fresh and homemade is always best. These will have more meat inside and doesn’t have an aftertaste from the preservative they use for their breading.

If you think about it you could use this same outside for other things as well. We typically use breadcrumbs but you could make air fryer fried shrimp with this as well if you wanted to.

Air Fryer Batter Recipe

I wouldn’t this coating for vegetables, rather Panko is better for those like our zucchini fries in air fryer. Both are a great duo as I always like to serve a veggie with our dinner. Making it with a yummy crisp coating always entices kids to love them more than just plain for sure.

Pair with our 3 ingredient beer bread, french fries made homemade or frozen and baked in the oven for a quick and easy fish and chips meal. Once your breaded fish is hot and golden brown serve with your favorite sides and serve!!

Can you beer batter frozen fish?

If all you have is frozen fish you’ll want to thaw ahead of time. Fastest way to defrost fish is to put into a freezer bag, zip closed, and submerge into a bowl of cool water. Replace water every 30 minutes or so until it is no longer hard.