Pioneer Woman Beer Battered Fish

Pioneer Woman beer battered fish is a crispy deep-fried dinner with thick cod, cold lager and a seasoned cornstarch coating that comes together in 20 minutes. This easy fish fry dinner fits Friday night, Lent and summer cookouts, and the homemade dill tartar sauce rounds it out nicely.

Keep the beer ice cold and the oil at 375°F, because that contrast puffs the batter up almost instantly. Use warm beer or cooler oil and the coating turns heavy, greasy and pale instead of light and crisp.

Dredging the fish in seasoned cornstarch first gives the wet batter a dry surface to cling to, so the coating stays on the fish. Cornstarch in the batter makes it crisp, while the flour lets it brown to a deep golden color.

Pioneer Woman Beer Battered Fish

0.0 from 0 votes

Course: DinnerCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Medium

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

10

minutes

Calories

1230

kcal

Thick cod pieces wear a puffy, shatter-crisp coating that fries up golden in just a few minutes. Inside, the fish stays tender and flaky, and the creamy dill tartar sauce cuts right through the richness.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 c. cornstarch, divided
  

• 4 tsp. kosher salt, divided, plus more for sprinkling
  

• 2 tsp. ground black pepper, divided
  

• 1 c. all-purpose flour
  

• 1 tsp. baking powder
  

• 1 tsp. paprika
  

• 1 (12-oz.) bottle lager beer, cold
  

• Vegetable oil, for frying
  

• 3 lb. 1-in. thick skinless cod filets
  

• Lemon wedges, for serving
  

• Malt vinegar, for serving
  

• 1 c. mayonnaise
  

• 1/3 c. dill pickle relish
  

• 1 tsp. lemon zest
  

• 2 tbsp. lemon juice
  

• 1 tbsp. chopped fresh dill
  

• 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
  

• 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
  

Directions

• Season the cornstarch: Combine 1/2 cup cornstarch, 2 teaspoons kosher salt and 1 teaspoon pepper in a shallow dish. Set it aside for dredging the fish later.
• Mix the batter: Combine 1 cup flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon paprika, the remaining 1 cup cornstarch, 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl. Gently stir in the cold lager until just combined, then cover and refrigerate until you're ready to fry.
• Make the tartar sauce: Stir together 1 cup mayonnaise, 1/3 cup dill pickle relish, 1 teaspoon lemon zest, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Do it in a medium bowl, then cover it and chill until serving.
• Heat the oil: Pour 2 inches of vegetable oil into a large Dutch oven and heat it to 375°F. Set a wire rack over a baking sheet so the fried fish has a place to land.
• Prep the fish: Pat the 3 pounds of cod dry with paper towels, then cut it into 10 to 12 pieces about 3 inches long. Dredge each piece in the cornstarch mixture and shake off the excess.
• Batter and fry: Working in 3 to 4 batches, coat the fish in the chilled batter and lower it right away into the hot oil. Fry for 2 to 3 minutes, turning as needed, until golden and crispy.
• Drain and season: Move the fried fish to the wire rack and sprinkle it with a little more salt while it's still hot. That way the salt sticks to the crust.
• Serve: Pile the fish on a platter with the tartar sauce, lemon wedges and malt vinegar. Then let everyone dress their own pieces.

Tools for this recipe

• Lodge 6-quart enameled Dutch oven, ThermoPro instant-read thermometer, Checkered Chef cooling racks, Hellmann's real mayonnaise, 30 oz. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I use a different fish instead of cod?

Any thick white fish works, like haddock, halibut or pollock, since you want that flaky center. Skip thin, delicate fillets because they can fall apart in the batter and fry too fast.

Can I make beer battered fish without alcohol?

Cold sparkling water or a non-alcoholic lager works fine, because the bubbles do the puffing. The flavor will be a little milder without the malty note from real beer.

How do I store and reheat leftovers?

Fried fish is best eaten right away, but leftovers keep in the fridge for a day or two. Reheat them on a wire rack in a 400°F oven until crisp again, since the microwave makes the crust soggy.

Can I make the batter ahead of time?

You can mix the dry ingredients earlier, but add the beer just before you fry so the bubbles stay lively. The tartar sauce can be made a day ahead and kept in the fridge.

Can I bake or air fry this instead of deep frying?

A wet beer batter won't set up in the oven or air fryer, so it drips off instead of crisping. For those methods, use a dry breading rather than this batter.