This is the BEST beer-battered I've ever made. Perfect for Fried Halibut, Fried Cod, and even Fried Salmon!

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Living in Alaska I’d like to think I’m an expert in the area of Beer Battered Fish. Little did I know that I could make a BETTER Beer Batter Fish Recipe with just a little work.

Don’t trust your hard won sport fishing catch OR if you’re an Alaskan subsistence fishing catch to just any old recipe, choose one that is a proven winner and this is THAT recipe.

Why is this the BEST Beer Battered Fish Recipe?

It makes the most perfectly crispy, flaky, and flavorful beer-battered fish! Use it with cod, halibut, or our NEW favorite fried fish, SALMON! YES. You read that right, salmon. We always have a lot of salmon in the fall from a summer of fishing. One day my youngest son asked if we could make a deep-fried salmon sandwich. I said don’t think people deep fry salmon?

But then I started thinking about it and realized we needed to try it. Why not? What would we lose? NOTHING. Ok, maybe a salmon fillet, but we could still salvage the meat if it was disgusting.

It turned out to be one of the best decisions of the summer, Fried Salmon Sandwiches with this classic beer batter recipe. Like a surprise hit out of nowhere!! Now no one wants grilled salmon or salmon tacos they want beer batter salmon as a sandwich OR as just fish and chips. If you’re leery of the idea, I was too until we tried it!

Ingredients for The Best Beer Batter Recipe

I love recipes that mostly call for pantry ingredients. This one is no different. The ONLY special ingredient you need is a fresh beer, I LOVE an IPA in this recipe!

beer
fish
flour
cornstarch
milk
egg
baking powder
baking soda
salt
paprika
plus oil for frying

You will also need a good heavy dutch oven, slotted spoon, mixing bowl, baking sheet, paper towels, a knife, and a whisk.

Beer battered Fish, all ready to serve up!

One thing to know about this beer batter recipe is this, it EXPANDS. Like expands A LOT. So if your piece of fish is two inches wide, it’s going to come out almost twice as wide! Be prepared.

Number One Trick to Making the Best Fried Fish

Roll the fish in cornstarch before you put it in the batter. Trust me on this one, you know how I know, do I even have to tell you? The cornstarch helps the batter stick, which ensures that your fish doesn’t start to peel off its batter in your sandwich.

If you’ve ever had something fried where the batter slides off, it’s because they didn’t roll it in flour or cornstarch. Save yourself the heartache of a ruined piece of fish and roll it lightly in cornstarch, THEN batter it.

More Tips For Good Fried Fish

Obviously don’t skip dusting the fish with cornstarch but then also follow these tips as well.

Use a GOOD thermometer for best results, you NEED to know what temperature the oil is for best results, guess the temp wrong and you’ve got grease laden fish that didn’t cook quick enough OR a semi-dangerous flash cooking in the pan that practically burns the fish smokes a lot (too hot of oil CAN catch on fire)
Use a GOOD oil for deep fat frying such as peanut oil OR canola oil, these oils have a high smoke point (don’t get smoky until they get to a very high temperature) AND have a neutral taste
Don’t crowd the pan with fish, you will be frying in batches so don’t try to add too much to the pan or the oil will cool off, the fish will soak up the oil, the pieces can stick together and so
Keep the cooked fish warm in the oven on a cooking sheet lined with paper towel with a baking rack over the pan, lay the fish on the baking rack to stay hot while you cook in batches

Is it Pan Fried or Deep Fried?

I don’t have a deep fat fryer but I do have a stockpot that I like to fry in. I’ve also made this recipe using a deep frying pan and pan-fried them. I think overall the deep dutch oven used like a deep fat fryer worked best, the deep sides keep some of the oil from splattering out.

Pan-frying works well if that’s what you have. You just have to carefully turn the fish over in the oil about halfway through your cook time. So be careful when you’re cooking in a frying pan, the oil can splash out and burn you in a split second!

This Recipe Is For Beer Battered Halibut, Beer Battered Cod, And More!

You can use this for any style of fried fish! OR seafood for that matter.

Fried Shrimp
Fish Sticks
Fish Nuggets
Fish Sliders (mini sandwiches, so fun!)
Plain Fillets
Fried Oysters

Looking for ANOTHER amazing way to use Seafood?

Try my very seasonal and tasty Spruce Tips Gravlax (or lox!). This cold cured salmon has locally harvested spruce tips making it a one-of-a-kind dish to share with family and friends! Or try this GORGEOUS Sole Meunière for a light and flavorful dinner!

Want to Try Our Fried Salmon Sandwiches?

Here’s how we made them. We like our fried salmon sandwiches stacked up on hoagie rolls. Shredded lettuce, sliced tomatoes, and either tartar sauce or a spicy sriracha aioli. Try that aioli; it’s amazing but a little zingy!

To store Leftovers

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days! Reheat in the microwave or the air fryer for quick and easy leftovers. Just remember fried food doesn’t reheat that well. It tastes just fine but the coating won’t be flaky and crispy.