Classic Beer Batter Fried Cod (or Haddock)

One of the world's true great pleasures is a freshly fried platter of fish and chips, but in order to get there, it helps to know how to properly fry your fish.

Obviously, starting with great fish makes all the difference, so a beautiful white flakey cod or haddock are going to be your two best options. The next step is ensuring you have a great batter that will get nice and crisp while helping to keep the fish flakey and moist on the inside. A classic beer batter really helps to do both while also adding a nice depth of flavor to the fish. Whether or not you leave the skin on the fish is entirely up to you. Traditionally the skin is left on, however, the choice is really yours to make. 

Serve this fish along with your favorite fries and some of our awesome house-made Coastal Seafoods tartar sauce and you're set for a fishy feast you won't soon forget. Also, check out the video below to see step-by step how we do it!

Classic Beer Batter Fried Cod (or Haddock)

Serves 2-6

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 1/2lbs of fresh cod or haddock
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 12 oz of beer (water will also work)
• Vegetable oil
• Salt

DIRECTIONS:

1. Pat fish dry and season with salt
2. In a large mixing bowl, add flour, beer, and a generous pinch of salt and whisk to combine
3. In a large pot over medium-high heat, add your vegetable oil. Do not fill the pot more than half way and bring the oil up to 350 degrees
4. Dredge your fillets in the batter to thoroughly coat and gently place into the oil. You may have to do this in batches depending on the size of your pan and amount of oil
5. Once fish starts to crips and turn golden brown, remove from oil and lightly drizzle with additional batter to help add texture and ensure additonal crispiness (optional)
6. Fry until the fish is throughly golden brown and crisp, rougly 6-8 minutes total fry time
7. Remove fish from oil and place on a drying rack to let excess oil drip away and immediately season with salt
8. Serve with your favorite fries and a side of tartar sauce or malt vinegar