Beer batter fish and chips is one of my favorite ways to prepare lingcod and halibut. The beer batter coating produces soft and delicate fish and when combined with a squeeze of fresh lemons and some tartar sauce it is mouth-watering good.
Every time I check this post I like the article because, you can find the details on how to catch lingcod on this site, and see the pictures of this exact fish when it was caught! And now, I am cooking it up and eating it. That is something you cannot get on an ordinary cooking website!
[button class=”btn_smallred” url=”https://www.fishinbc.com/lingcod-fishing/” text=”Link: Lingcod Fishing Article!”]
Best Fish for Beer Batter Fish and Chips
To prepare the beer batter fish and chips you can start with any type of white, low-fat fish including lingcod, halibut, rockfish, and many other kinds of fish. If the fish is frozen thaw it out by placing the freezer bags in luke-warm water. Once thawed, remove the skin and then cut it into small strips. If you prefer larger pieces you can cut slightly larger. I like the medium size strips the best.
Beer Batter Fish and Chips – Preparation
Once the fish is all cut up you need to begin the coating process. This can be a messy task so I’ll give you a few tips that will make it a lot cleaner. First you need to get a set of tongs. This allows you to handle all the fish without getting sticky hands. From time to time rinse the tongs off under running water and they will be good to go again for the next stage.
Depending on how much fish you have, place the strips together on a plate, cookie sheet, or on the cutting board. Take a large container with a sealable lid and place 3-4 cups of flour in there. Then add a bunch of fish, put the lid on and shake it around. This will coat the fish in a light layer of flour. Use the tongs to grab each piece of fish, shake it to remove excess flour, and then place the coated pieces onto another clean plate or dish. Repeat this process until all the fish is coated in flour. At this point it can be handy to throw out the leftover flour in the container and wash the container and the cutting board, to start getting these dishes out of the way.
The next step is the beer batter. Take a decent size bowl and put in about 3-4 cups of flour. Pour in a beer and stir it up with a whisk or fork or wooden spoon until it is all mixed up. You want it to be a bit thinner than normal pancake mix. It doesn’t really matter too much if the thickness is perfect. If it is on the thicker side, then you will end up with more batter on your fish, if it is thinner, then less. You can add more flour or more beer to the bowl to adjust the thickness.
Once you have got the thickness right, use your tongs and place in about six fish strips. Move them around until they are thoroughly coated.
Beer Batter Fish and Chips – Deep Frying
Take your deep-fryer and load it up with fresh oil. Turn it on to approx. 350 degrees. When its up to temperature, place the empty wire tray down into the oil. Then, using the tongs, grab each piece of fish and slowly lower it into the oil. If you lower them in slowly, this will allow the coating to crisp up before the piece get to the wire tray, and this will prevent the batter from sticking to the wire tray. Another way is to drop them in quickly and then move each piece around for the first 30 seconds this will ensure they do not stick. Once they have firmed up on the outside they will not stick and you can move on to other things. Set a timer for about 5-7 minutes and then check the fish, it should be lightly golden brown. It is easy to overcook fish and it will be rubbery. If you are not sure, on your first batch pull it out and cut open a piece. If it is translucent it needs more time, it should be just changing from translucent to white color and somewhat moist inside.
After the first batch is complete, lift up the drip tray and allow the fish to drain. Use the tongs to grab each piece of fish and lay them on a cookie sheet with paper towels to absorb the extra oil. If you are cooking a lot of fish it will take time so you may want to put each batch of fish into the oven to stay warm. Use only lowest heat or the fish will continue to cook. A strategy here is to cook the first batches less time with the intention that they will continue to cook in the oven while the other batches are in the deep fryer.
Serving
Once its all done, serve with fresh lemon and tartar sauce. The fresh lemon is critical for the fish and chips it provides an amazing contrast and flavor to the fish.
Combine beer batter fish with French fries or Cole slaw.
Leftovers
I like this recipe for producing large batches because the leftovers are great. You can throw a few pieces in a zip lock bag and take to work for lunch or a snack, and eat them cold. You can warm it up slightly in the oven or in the microwave and it it turns out good with more lemon juice and tartar sauce. You can also make a fish sandwich or wrap with the leftovers.
Enjoy!
great job , my husband loved it and he not much of a fish eater