This is how to make beer battered halibut fried in a pan. It is super easy to cook a homemade crispy fish meal for dinner. If you loved our air fryer fish and chips but want to make on the stove, this is a great option.
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Beer battered fish is killer. We chose this white variety but really you can use the same steps for any seafood you love inside there. If you love cod, salmon or catfish more then mix it up and see which is your favorite protein.
How to Make Battered Fish
You will want to dredge your sliced fillets with our Tempura Batter recipe using beer or cold water. You want the liquid to be like, COLD for the best results here. The consistency is somewhat subjective. If you want a thick coating then just add less liquid. For a lighter fluffy coat then add a bit more.
The best tip when making a crispy coating with battered foods is to make sure the outside of your food is dry. All you need are paper towels to get this done. If you have moisture remaining it won’t stick well and will slide off. Served with Beer Batter Fries to make this fish and chips is killer!
Can You Beer Batter Frozen Fish?
I show you how to cook frozen fish here but this isn’t really possible for those. Thaw white fish in fridge overnight, or in a bag submerged into cool water for an hour or so.
Ingredient Notes
For the measurements below we started with 1/2 lb. of fish but in this case are focusing on halibut fillets, though other white fishes would work the same way. I mean you literally can follow the same steps and make Beer Batter Chicken Tenders for the kids if that is all they will eat.
Flour is going to be mixed together with seasonings like salt, paprika, pepper and granulated garlic to create the initial coating (so they get as crispy as possible).
As for the liquid we are going to use to make the batter we are going to use the obvious, beer. Really any carbonated beverage will work though as far as that is concerned (even soda). You want the bubbles though to keep it light and fluffy.
The best oil for frying is vegetable because it doesn’t have a flavor so it won’t create a weird aftertaste.
Can this be made without Beer?
Like I said, you do not have to use alcohol for this crispy beer battered fish recipe at all if you are opposed to that. You do want something carbonated though so choose something like club soda if you don’t want to add any flavor.
Can you make this with other types of fish?
Yes, really I have used cod, tilapia and even salmon and there isn’t really a difference overall so go with what is on sale. If your kiddos aren’t so sure about eating things out of the sea, start slow. Make Tempura Chicken Nuggets or this is How Long to Deep Fry Chicken Wings with it too.
How to Make Fried Fish Extra Crispy
First, remember to dry the fillet pieces before coating. Do not add battered fish until the oil reaches the ideal temperature of 155-160 F first. When the cold batter hits the hot oil it should sizzle immediately but not cause a splatter (that means it’s too hot). Don’t throw away skin either, I would make Fish Skin Chips when this is done.
Serve with homemade tartar sauce, lemon wedge or malt vinegar is all I need. Many times I will whip up a batch of our 3 Ingredient Beer Bread and stick that in the oven to bake while I am prepping this. You want all of these to be fresh for best results so time it so everything is done at the same time.
How do you know when battered fish is done?
You want the outsides to become a deep golden color first. Check further by breaking the piece in half. If the center is flaky white vs. opaque with clear juices running from it then it is done.
Air Fryer Option
If you wanted to cook via our Air Fryer Beer Battered Fish you’ll need to make the batter thicker as we explain in that post, so it can’t drip. There is a trick to this method.
Beer Battered Halibut Recipe
Equipment
- 1 pan or dutch oven
- 1 Bowl
Ingredients
Instructions
- Dry the halibut fillet to remove excess moisture, cut into squares or strips. Mix half the flour in a bowl, as well as paprika, salt and granulated garlic.
- Mix the remaining flour in another bowl with pepper and baking powder, add beer and stir until the batter reaches a thick consistency. If the batter is too runny, add a little flour. Should resemble pancake batter consistency.
- Heat the oil to 350 F. Roll the fish pieces in flour with spices. Dip the fish pieces into the batter until they are completely covered.
- If you want fried fish in a pan, then add about 1/2 inch of frying oil and fry for 3 minutes on medium heat on one side. On the other side, fry for another 3 minutes until golden browned.
- Place the fish on napkins to absorb excess oil. For deep fried fish, transfer the battered fish into hot oil. Cook for about 6-7 minutes total, turning to ensure even cooking. Place the fish on napkins to absorb excess oil.
- Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper once removed and enjoy immediately for crispy best results.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Other fried recipes you’ll love
Have some leftover batter and want to make a dessert with it? Why not? Make a sweet version with our Banana Tempura!! We love a duo of this and Beer Batter Shrimp for dinnertime. If you just want to use the residual oil you can just make some Pan Fried Chicken Legs with this.
