How to Beer Batter Shrimp

How to beer batter shrimp deep fried or on the stove. A fun Super Bowl appetizer or dinner finger food you can serve with tons of dipping sauces! Using fresh or Frozen Raw Shrimp and your favorite Budweiser lager, you are going to want seconds of these.

How to Beer Batter Shrimp

I have made all sorts of things with our 3 Ingredient Tempura Batter. You can coat veggies, meats and even firm fruits to fry up. Just makes things fun with a light fluffy outer texture that browns nicely but still keeps the insides tender as ever. A Japanese style of cooking that is actually easy to do right at home.

One idea is that you can make and pair these with our Beer Batter Fries for a duo you all will love. Just adds a rich kick of flavor but once fried really the alcohol is almost all cooked off. My girls even enjoy the flavor of this, even though they couldn’t point out that it is actually made with Budweiser.

What kind of beer should I be using to make beer batter?

I like a light blonde but you could use dark if you wanted a stronger flavor. This one is made sorta’ like our Deep Frying Coconut Shrimp but with your favorite lager. Now if you aren’t a huge beer drinker (me neither) I will share a few other dishes you can make with the other part of the can you open so nothing goes to waste. I hate that too, I get it. 😉

Ingredients

• 1/2 lb. shrimp thawed, deveined, tails removed
• All purpose flour
• Baking powder
• 1/3 tsp salt
• Herbs oregano, basil, thyme or combination of them
• Coriander
• Paprika and/or garlic powder (cayenne pepper for heat)
• 1/3 c beer
• oil for frying, canola oil

Beer Battered Shrimp Sauce

You can use all sorts of different dipping sauces. With fish like this and Beer Battered Halibut I usually just make tartar sauce or ketchup for the kids but you could make spicy mayo or even Ranch dressing.

If I want a vegetable side you can pick up too, I will use the same oil to make some Tempura Zucchini to serve alongside of these. Other things like baby bella mushrooms work the same way and easy to make both to mix and match your meal up.

How do you keep batter from falling off shrimp?

You want to make sure that they are dry! That is 101 of getting any breading to stick to food. Just get a few paper towels ready so after you rinse them, set on top and gently roll it up. If super wet do this twice so the outsides are free from moisture.

Battered Shrimp with Beer Recipe

• Prep shrimp if not already shelled, deveined with tails removed.
• Pat the shrimp dry on paper towels to remove excess moisture from the outside. Heat the oil to 350 F.
• Mix half the flour and salt in a bowl.
• Coat the shrimp on all sides.
• This way the batter will stick to them better.
• In another bowl this is How to Make Beer Batter
• Mix the remaining flour, coriander, paprika, dried herbs, baking powder, and beer. Beat until combined.
• Dip the shrimp in the batter.
• Lift up and allow excess batter to drip off
• Transfer battered shrimp to the hot oil.
• Cook for about about 3 minutes, turning halfway through for even cooking until golden browned.
  • Smaller shrimp may need 1 min. less
  • Large shrimp may need 1 min. longer
• Transfer fried food to a baking sheet lined with a few layers of napkins to absorb excess oil. Sprinkle with salt if desired.

How do you know when fried shrimp are done?

You can use a thermometer, the internal temperature of 145 should be reached. Insert into the crispy beer batter and inside the thickest part of the meat to test properly.

Like when we Deep Fry Chicken Wings it is best to use canola oil, or vegetable style. Those don’t really have a flavor to them so you can taste exactly what you made. As opposed to olive oil, peanut or coconut those have a flavor in of themselves so it will alter the overall flavor which you may not enjoy.

This can be a nice add if you are hosting a Fish Fry. Usually that just includes fillets but mixing it up is fun for everyone.

How to Save Battered Food

Whether you make Beer Battered Chicken Tenders or with seafood like this, wait until it has completely cooled first. Then store it in an airtight container or resealable plastic bag in the refrigerator. Make sure it’s properly sealed to prevent the food from drying out or absorbing odors from the fridge.

When you’re ready to enjoy the leftover battered food, reheat it in the oven, air fryer or a toaster oven for the best results. This will help maintain the crispiness of the batter. Alternatively, you can reheat in a microwave for a shorter time, but be aware that the texture of the batter may not be as crispy as when freshly cooked.

I highly recommend using an air fryer at 400 degrees preheated for a few minutes shaking the basket every minute or so until crisped again and heated to your liking.