Name: Crispy Beer Batter Fish & Chips
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 1 cup self-rising flour; 2 tablespoons rice flour; 0.25 teaspoon baking powder; 1 cup lager-style beer, or more as needed; 4 (6 ounce) cod fillets, fully thawed if frozen; 2 tablespoons rice flour, or as needed; salt to taste; vegetable oil for frying

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

1 cup self-rising flour
2 tablespoons rice flour
teaspoon baking powder
1 cup lager-style beer (or more as needed)
4 (6 ounce) cod fillets, fully thawed if frozen
2 tablespoons rice flour (or as needed)
Salt to taste
1 quart vegetable oil for frying

Directions

Step 1: Start by making the batter. In a bowl, whisk together the self-rising flour, rice flour, and baking powder. Once well mixed, place the bowl in the freezer until you're ready to use it.

Step 2: Prepare the fish. Pat the cod fillets dry using paper towels to remove any excess moisture. Cut the fillets lengthwise into eight strips, each about 1-inch thick. Place the rice flour on a plate and season with salt. Lightly dust each cod strip with the rice flour mixture, shaking off any excess. Set the cod on a plate covered with crinkled foil, creating a quick drying rack.

Step 3: Heat the vegetable oil in a deep fryer or large pot to 375F (190C).

Step 4: Finish preparing the batter. Remove the flour mixture from the freezer. Pour in the beer, whisking until the batter reaches the consistency of thick pancake batter. If the batter is too thick, add more beer as needed.

Step 5: Coat the floured cod strips with the batter. Dip each strip into the batter, allowing any excess to drip off before placing it into the hot oil. Fry the cod in batches for 3 to 4 minutes or until golden brown, occasionally dunking them back into the oil to ensure an even fry.

Step 6: Remove the fried cod from the oil and drain on paper towels to absorb excess oil. Serve immediately for the best crispy texture.

Chef's Notes:

You can use any white fish or seafood in place of cod. Just make sure the fish is very dry before battering, especially if using thawed frozen fish.
To make your own self-rising flour, simply mix 1 cup of all-purpose flour with 1 teaspoon of baking powder and teaspoon of fine salt. You can substitute cornstarch or potato starch for rice flour if preferred.
If you'd like to experiment with different seasonings, feel free to season the fish directly before dipping it into the beer batter. Just be careful not to use too much salt, as it will draw out moisture from the fish.
The batter can be made ahead of time. Keep it in the fridge or place the batter bowl over a bowl of ice while frying to maintain its cold temperature.

Nutrition Facts (per serving):

Calories: 2271
Total Fat: 219g (281% DV)
Saturated Fat: 17g (83% DV)
Cholesterol: 94mg (31% DV)
Sodium: 684mg (30% DV)
Total Carbohydrates: 33g (12% DV)
Dietary Fiber: 1g (4% DV)
Total Sugars: 0g
Protein: 43g (86% DV)
Vitamin C: 2mg (2% DV)
Calcium: 150mg (12% DV)
Iron: 2mg (13% DV)
Potassium: 477mg (10% DV)

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Comments

Pat Nugent

10/06/2025 01:52:54 PM

One other tip to insure crisp beer batter fish is to never drain on paper towel, always on a wire rack. Placing any hot fried food on paper towels will steam the batter fry and make it less crispy. Love the other tips as well. If you have trouble having the batter stick during frying, place battered food in freezer for 12-15 min and remove to the hot oil immediately.

juicedharp

02/27/2020 05:15:43 AM

I followed the recipe exactly . I wouldn't recommend a single change. It was GREAT. This is now my "go to" recipe for any kind of breaded meat. I Finally found out how to make a truly crispy breaded fish! One suggestion....don't store your left overs in a zip lock bag. It makes them soggy. I made that mistake with the first batch I cooked. The second batch, I stored in a glass dish lined with paper towels. It stayed fresh and crispy. Oh, I thickened the remaining beer batter, added some dill and garlic, and plopped it into the hot oil making some really great tasting fritters which I served with the fish instead of chips.

Debkatherine

06/10/2020 02:18:28 PM

I made my own self-rising flour by using 1 c. einkorn sprouted wheat flour and adding 1/2 tsp. salt and a tsp. of baking powder. I followed the recipe using regular rice flour and deep fried in avocado oil. It was light, crispy, and delicious. Thanks Chef John!

Kelly

04/16/2021 12:54:39 PM

This is an excellent recipe! It is tender and crispy without being hard or gummy. It's the perfect ratio of fish to batter. I also soaked 1 white onion sliced in rings in buttermilk and then used the left over batter to make onion rings. They were amazing! the batter clings to the onion and doesn't separate. They stayed nice and crispy just like the fish. This is my new go to batter!

Rickmcleod

06/28/2020 04:24:42 PM

Excellent recipe! Simple yet turned out exactly as John said - every piece crispy and tasty! I used AP flour and added 2 tsp baking powder to 1 cup flour. Worked out perfectly.

E Elsa

03/08/2020 12:40:32 PM

Exactly as advertised! Super crispy if you keep everything cold. I just put the dry ingredients and beer in the freezer for 10 minutes while the oil was heating up. Also added herbs to the batter for some flavour boost. I will definitely be using this recipe again when cooking fresh perch I just caught!

Ianthe V.

07/29/2019 02:21:08 AM

My absolute favorite method for frying up fish. I seasoned with Old Bay and used sparkling mineral water in place of beer and it came out perfectly crisp without being heavy or too oily.

Amanda

07/16/2024 12:53:04 AM

Chef John is an amazing chef. I followed the instructions and the only change was putting the fried fish on a wire rack afterwards. The next day, we reheated leftovers in the oven at 450 for 15 minutes and the audible crunch was still there! I couldn’t believe it. A keeper for sure.

Cindy

10/19/2023 10:22:56 AM

Absolutely THE batter we've been looking for. I substituted cornstarch for the rice flour but this was everything we wanted. Thanks so much for the recipe with the extra help in the Chef's Notes, and thanks to all who suggested using a cooling rack after deep frying.

KATIETIERNEY

02/21/2021 08:07:04 PM

This recipe delivered - the fish was crispy and stayed crispy. I agree with other posters that if you don't add seasonings (I forgot!) then it is rather plain, but if you're looking for an authentic English-style batter and technique - this is it. And make sure to drain on a wire rack!

FunkyHen4731

03/20/2023 01:51:03 PM

This was amazing, and I don't really like fish. I couldn't find rice flour, so I used cornstarch. My family raved over this.

southernheartlv

08/09/2025 05:38:22 AM

Thanks for this wonderful recipe!! It was delicious!!

Pam Gibney Zumsande

07/02/2025 12:32:49 AM

this was the best!!! to the flour i also added garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika i will use this for more then just fish!!!!!

InMyOpinion Wisdom

02/28/2025 07:02:57 PM

SIMPLY THE BEST, CHEF JOHN!!!

Edward Cannata

11/14/2024 11:47:43 PM

This was the most delicious fish and chips I’ve ever had…

Rainey's Recipes

09/12/2024 07:40:27 AM

There is nary a recipe that Chef John makes that is not perfect. I always LOVE his wonderfully happy demeanor and genius in cooking nothing but delicious meals. Thank you and a tribute to the best chef in my lifetime.

OrangeTea6639

04/15/2024 10:18:07 PM

My sister-in-law said that this was the best beer battered fish she had ever eaten. My wife and I liked it a lot, too.

Kelly Young

03/29/2024 11:42:18 PM

So much flavor with so little effort.

GiftedDill2306

10/05/2023 09:55:36 PM

The batter works great for onion rings too.

Shelley Daley

08/22/2023 10:00:51 PM

This turned out fabulous just as written. We loved every bite. It made the rounds of recipes and we will definitely make it again. We are huge fans of British Fish and Chips.......this did not disappoint. Just like they make it. Yummy!