Beer Battered Cod

My mother comes from a fairly traditional Catholic household, and like many Catholic families, they practiced fish fry Fridays.  What exactly is fish fry Friday? Well, it’s a practice that originated with the Catholic Church’s prohibition of the consumption of meat on Fridays during Lent.  They did, however, had a “loophole” which allowed the consumption of fish. Some may say that makes no sense but I feel like they were just really ahead of the curb on the whole pescetarian fad.  Either way, you look at it this dietary restriction led to the practice of eating fried fish on Fridays. And in honor of this old tradition, I’d like to share with you folks my ultimate fish fry recipe, beer-battered cod.

Now traditionally most fish fry’s didn’t use a beer batter, but I believe it is the best batter for frying fish so that’s what we are going to do today.  The reason why beer batter is superior to other types of batter is the carbonation in the beer. These little bubbles of carbon dioxide create air pockets in the batter which when fried allows the batter to crisp up quickly and produces a crust that is delicate and light.  You really can’t argue with the results.  So if you’re ready to make the best fried fish ever then let’s get to making our beer battered cod!

Tips, Tricks, & Suggestions

• I like to serve this with coleslaw and some baked french fries for a fish and chips meal.
• Use whatever beer you prefer, however, you should know that if you are a hop head that an aggressively hoppy beer (i.e. an IPA) will leave a very bitter taste to the batter, and not in a good way.
• While cod is the most traditional fish for a fry you can easily swap it out with any other firm fish that you prefer.
• After cooking the fish make sure to place them on a rack that allows them to breathe.  If you place them on paper towels you can cause the batter to steam which will result in them being soggy.  

Beer Battered Cod Recipe

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

Servings: 4 to 6

Ingredients

1½ to 2 Lbs of cod fillets, cut into pieces

1 Cup of all-purpose flour

12 oz bottle of beer

1 Egg, beaten

1 Tablespoon of each (paprika, garlic powder, salt)

Neutral flavored oil for frying, about a quart or two depending on the size of your pot

Instructions

1. Make the batter:  Mix together the flour, and seasonings in a large bowl.  Then add in the beaten egg and mix it in. Then slowly add in the beer mixing it in until it forms a light batter.  Let this batter sit for 10 minutes.

2. Add enough oil to a large pot until it comes up three inches.  Place this over high heat until the temperature of the oil reads 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

3. Fry the fish: Once the oil is hot enough, dip a couple of pieces of the cod into the batter.  Then lift the pieces of cod out of the batter making sure any excess batter drips off and slowly lower them into the hot oil.  Make sure to not fry too many pieces in the pot at once or else it could lower the temperature of the oil rapidly causing the fish to not fry properly.  Let the fish fry for about 5 to 7 minutes flipping halfway through until the batter is golden brown. Then remove the cooked fish to a cooling rack and repeat the process until all of the cod pieces are fried.

4. Enjoy the beer battered cod with either a squeeze of fresh lemon or the more traditional way with a splash of malt vinegar.  Enjoy!

Print Recipe

5 from 3 votes

Beer Battered Cod Recipe

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time15 minutes mins

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 1½ to 2 Lbs of cod fillets cut into pieces
• 1 Cup of all-purpose flour
• 12 oz bottle of beer
• 1 Egg beaten
• 1 Tablespoon of each paprika, garlic powder, salt
• Neutral flavored oil for frying about a quart or two depending on the size of your pot

Instructions

• Make the batter: Mix together the flour, and seasonings in a large bowl. Then add in the beaten egg and mix it in. Then slowly add in the beer mixing it in until it forms a light batter. Let this batter sit for 10 minutes.
• Add enough oil to a large pot until it comes up three inches. Place this over high heat until the temperature of the oil reads 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Fry the fish: Once the oil is hot enough, dip a couple of pieces of the cod into the batter. Then lift the pieces of cod out of the batter making sure any excess batter drips off and slowly lower them into the hot oil. Make sure to not fry too many pieces in the pot at once or else it could lower the temperature of the oil rapidly causing the fish to not fry properly. Let the fish fry for about 5 to 7 minutes flipping halfway through until the batter is golden brown. Then remove the cooked fish to a cooling rack and repeat the process until all of the cod pieces are fried.
• Enjoy the beer battered cod with either a squeeze of fresh lemon or the more traditional way with a splash of malt vinegar. Enjoy!

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