Crispy Beer Battered Fish And Chips

4 People
1 hr 10 min

This blue cod recipe makes the perfect Friday night dinner.

Blue cod is a popular choice for fish and chips here in NZ. The flesh is firm but delicate and when cooked right it remains moist and delicious. Using a quality beer adds great flavour to the batter.

Want to know the chefs secret for perfecting that crisp batter, let us show you how! Get the full recipe and all our tips: Beer battered fish and chips.

Crispy beer battered fish and chips served on paper.

Ingredients

For the beer battered fish:


  • Blue cod fillets - or a firm but flaky fish that is sustainable in your region. A per person portion is about 150g.
  • Beer - we used a 'Pan head' pale ale - choose your favourite but quality will create best flavour here.
  • Plain flour - for the batter and extra for dusting the fish
  • Turmeric (ground) - adds a nice colour to the batter
  • A pinch of salt
  • And a lemon.


For homemade rustic chips:


  • Potatoes - go for a starchy potato for best texture, Maris pipers, Russet, King Edwards or a Yukon gold all work well.
  • Oil - canola or any non flavoured vegetable oil.
  • Spice mix - smoked paprika, dried rosemary, cumin seed, salt and pepper.


For the tartare sauce:


  • Mayonnaise
  • Gherkins
  • Capers
  • Lemon
  • Fresh chopped
  • Worcestershire sauce.


You might also love our fennel and lemon fish marinade, for a simply delicious quick week day fish dinner!

Grilled and marinated fish served with salads.

How to make beer battered fish

Step 1 - Prepare the batter.

It's important to let the batter rest and chill in the fridge, so prepare it ahead of time. Simple whisk together the beer, flour, turmeric and pinch of salt, until the batter is smooth. Cover it and place in the fridge.


Step 2 - Batter the fish.

Half fill a medium size pot with oil and heat on the stove until it reaches 180 °C / 355 °F.

Place 100g of flour on to a plate and season with a good pinch of salt and pepper. Dust each piece of fish in the seasoned flour. Then dredge the fish in the batter giving it a good coating, wipe any excess batter off the fish on the side of the bowl as you pull it out.


Step 3 - Cook the fish.

Once the oil is hot enough, gentle lay the fillets into the hot oil and fry until the golden is golden and crisp. This will take around 2-3 minutes, once cooked remove the fillets and place on a paper towel. This will allow absorb excess oil from the fish.

That's it, serve with your sides and enjoy!


Crispy beer battered fish and chips, is a delicious dish to share with family and friends. Follow our recipe and tips for the perfect Friday night feast and enjoy this classic!!

Homemade fish and chips served on newspaper.


Happy cooking!


Crispy Beer Battered Fish And Chips
Recipe details
  • 4  People
  • Prep time: 40 Minutes Cook time: 30 Minutes Total time: 1 hr 10 min
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Ingredients

  • 600 g Blue cod fillets Cut into four 150g portions (See note 1)
  • 1 Lemon Cut into cheeks
Beer Batter
  • 250 ml Pan Head pale ale Or use your favourite, good quality beer
  • 120 g Plain flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon Turmeric
  • Pinch of salt
  • 100 g Plain flour Additional for dusting your fish fillets
Rustic Chips
  • 3 Medium potatoes Washed, cut into thick chips (See note 2)
  • 4 tablespoon Canola oil Or any non flavoured vegetable oil.
  • 2 teaspoon Smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon Dried rosemary
  • 2 teaspoon Cumin seeds
  • Salt and ground pepper To taste
Tartare Sauce
  • 150 g Mayonnaise
  • 2 Gherkins Finely dices
  • 1 teaspoon Capers Chopped
  • 1/2 Lemon Juice only
  • Small bunch Fresh parsley Chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
Beer Batter
To make your beer batter, place your beer into a bowl, add the flour, turmeric and salt, whisk until smooth then chill in the fridge until later.
Rustic Chips
Pre heat your oven to fan 200 °C / 390 °F
To make your rustic fries, place your cut potatoes into a large bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients, give them a good mix to coat the chips evenly.
Heat a cast iron dish (or heavy ovenproof pan) on the stove top until hot, add the seasoned chips. Let them crisp a little then place into the oven. Give them a stir now and again. Cook until the chips are crisp and cooked through, depending on size around 30-40 mins.
Real Tartare Sauce
To Make the tartare sauce, place your mayonnaise into a bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Cover and place in the fridge until later.
To Batter And Cook Your Fish
Half fill a medium sized pot with oil, heat until it reaches 180 °C / 355 °F (See note 3)
Place the flour onto a plate and season with a good pinch of salt and pepper
Dust each piece of fish with the seasoned flour, then dredge through the batter, wiping the excess batter from the fillet on the side of the bowl.
Gently lay the fillets into your hot oil and fry until golden and crisp. This should only take 2-3 minutes, once cooked remove the fillets from the oil and drain on a paper towel to absorb any excess oil.
Serve with your rustic chips, tartare sauce and lemon cheeks. Enjoy!
Tips
  • Note 1 - or a firm but flaky fish that is sustainable in your region.
  • Note 2 - Choose a starchy potato for best texture, Maris pipers, Russet, King Edwards or a Yukon gold all work well.
  • Note 3 - You can also use a deep fryer.
A Tasty Kitchen
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Comments
  • Kristin Kristin on Feb 17, 2023

    I love this recipe its for real I like fish the flaky golden consistency is round soft and delicious. Share with friends indefinitely

  • Cso51108026 Cso51108026 on Feb 15, 2024

    THANK YOU for highlighting the elegant simplicity of a good fried fish! Fish Fry is practically an EVENT, here in WI (USA); not something I grew up with in Chicago, IL! But, here? In a small rural town? It's akin to sacrilege to not have fish on Fridays!! lol


    This is the perfect recipe - it fries up much like a tempura batter, with the beer's fizz adding that much more lightness and crispness to the batter. Here in the US, I've not heard of Pan Head ale, but Blue Moon is a great one, any India Pale Ale would be a terrific choice, or even a lovely Foster's English Pale Ale!


    I cannot speak to the cost of this kind of meal, abroad. But, here in Wisconsin, Cod at a local Aldi grocer is $12-$15 US for 2 lbs (just under 1 kg); potatoes at a local Kwik Trip chain (all over WI and IL/Iowa) are $.49/lb (0.45 kg); the cost of a single beer is nominal. At most, a pint would cost $3. However, for less than $20 US, you can easily create a restaurant-worthy dish to feed 4-6 people, no matter how hungry! When our local Walmart has shrimp on special ($6/lb raw, .45 kg), I'll fry up fish and shrimp, plus oven-roast the potatoes. It is decidedly delicious, and a lovely treat - for a fraction of eating at a restaurant for a classic, decadent Midwestern traditional meal! ~Chrissie

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