Secret to perfect beer-battered fish

By Capt. Andy Martin – Beer-battered fish and chips has long been a favorite way to enjoy the catch of the day on our charter boats. Fish coated in a mixture of beer and flour and fried to a crispy golden brown goes back to the 17th century, where immigrants to England would use the batter to prepare cod, haddock and pollock.

The unique flavor, appetizing texture and sweet aroma of beer-battered fish make it one of the most popular coatings for preparing seafood throughout the United State, Canada and Europe. For years, I’ve enjoyed a simple beer batter recipe that generally makes good fish and chips, but, like most beer batter recipes, can produce soggy fish after its initial cool down.

Last year, while on a trip to Astoria to get equipment for one of my charter boats, I stopped at a very well know fish and chips stand for lunch. The deep fried albacore was worth the stop. I was immediately intrigued by the quality, texture and taste of the batter. Perfectly crispy, you could snap the fillet in half to reveal the white fish fillet with a durable yet light coating of batter. Maybe the best fish and chips I had ever had, up to that point.

I’ve had plenty of not-so-great fish and chips lunches at other restaurants throughout the coast. The fish looks good, but it’s a soggy, greasy mess. You grab a fillet and the fish plops out, leaving a clump of batter in your hand that looks like a wet tube sock. Gross.

How did the Astoria restaurant’s batter come out so good, clean and crisp? For the past year, I experimented with different beer-batter recipes, trying to figure out how to create a crispy, thin coating with perfectly cooked, moist fish inside. I heard about adding vodka to the beer batter, and that is a key to this recipe. The alcohol has a lower boiling point, so it evaporates quicker, drying out the batter to make a crispier crust.

I also found many restaurants with top-reviewed fish and chips use rice flour as part of their batter. Rice flour gives the fish a crispier crunch, and also results in a less greasy coating around the fish. A touch of turmeric powder, which is similar to ginger, gives the batter a hint of golden brown before it is even cooked, and is a secret of many restaurants that serve deep fried fish.

One of the most important steps for quality fish and chips is using cold beer, cold fish and cold batter, and hot oil (400 degrees). When the cold fish and batter is dropped in the hot oil, it helps instantly seal the fish for a crispier, less greasy serving. If the oil isn’t hot enough, you often end with a greasy mess. The vodka added to the beer also helps create the crisp, dry coating on the fish.

A final vital step with fish and chips is drying the fillets on a screen or rack instead of a plate with paper towels. Setting the fish on a wire rack before serving allows them to drip and slightly cool without becoming soggy.

I like to cut the fish into smaller pieces so they cook quickly and evenly, pat dry with a paper towel, and season with sea salt and pepper. I’ll put three or four portions in the bowl of batter, gently stir around with a fork so they are completely submerged and covered with batter, and then carefully lift each fillet from the batter, one piece of a time, allowing the excess batter to drip off. The fillets can be gently rubbed along the inside of the bowl to remove excess batter. A thin coating is all that is needed.

Fry the fish for 3 to 5 minutes, depending on their thickness. Rockfish cook fast, halibut pieces take an extra minute or two to fully cook. Once the fish is removed from the hot oil, the middle of the fillet will continue to cook for a minute or two. I like to use an electric deep frier for the perfect 400-degree temperature. Otherwise, a cast iron skillet or Dutch oven can be used on the stove, but use a thermometer to reach that perfect 400 degrees. Peanut oil is my favorite oil for fish and chips.

Fish and chips go perfectly with fresh coleslaw, tarter sauce and cocktail sauce. Here are out favorite recipes for those sides and dipping sauces.

While this recipe is perfect for lingcod, rockfish or halibut, it also works great for albacore tuna, and isn’t bad for salmon, either.

Perfect Beer Batter

1-2 pounds fresh white fish (rockfish, lingcod or halibut)

Vegetable or peanut oil (enough to full cover the bottom of the pan and fish)

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup white rice flour

1 1/2 cups chilled beer

1/2 cup vodka

2 tsp baking power

1/2 tsp turmeric

Heat oil to 400 degrees.

Cut fish fillets into smaller pieces, pat dry with paper towels and season with sea salt and pepper.

In a large bowl, combine all-purpose and rice flour, turmeric and baking powder and whisk together. Stir in beer and vodka, stirring until any large clumps are gone.

Add three or four pieces of fish at a time to batter, stir to completely coat. Remove one piece of fish at a time from batter, making sure it is thinly coated. Allow excess batter to drip off, or gently scrape excess batter on the inside of the bowl.

Fry three to four pieces at a time in hot oil, until crispy and golden brown, usually 3 to 5 minutes. Remove fish from oil and place on wire rack placed over a baking sheet to drain.

Serve with cocktail and tarter sauce, and lemon wedges.

To catch a limit of rockfish or lingcod to try with this recipe, visit www.brookingsfishing.com, or call (541) 813-1082.