Anyone got any good fish batter recipes? I’ve got some fresh bluegill cooking up tonight but between my wife and I we don’t have any really good recipes. I love curry… any way to use it with bluegill?
Beer batter for fish and chips is easy to make. Especially if you have some yeast cake.
I make my batter with flour, eggs, beer, and yeast (hops are OK in it) mix it up into a pancake batter consistency. I also add some baking soda to give it a little lift. Dredge the fish in flour then into the batter and fry. Love it.
coarse you have to make up some malt vinegar to go with it.
Curry is another story all together. Not sure you can get the stuff out there in Bum F#%k. Maybe I will have to send you a curry pack. 8)
Just made a nice batter for fish and chips tonight (I used cod). It was just 1 cup beer, 1 cup flour, and two egg whites beaten until they form soft peaks (fold the egg whites into the flour and beer mixture). The sauce on the plate is a “chip shop” curry sauce. Also very simple to make and very delicious!
Now make a batch of malt vinegar from a low hopped beer and you have a top notch dinner.
Hey Patriot,
I’m thinking about doing these up for dinner tonight. I’m assuming that you deep-fried them. What temp and how long? I can always go for it, just don’t want to over do it!
I like rice four for beer batter…seems a little lighter and crisper.
Our favorite doesn’t include beer in the batter, actually it’s not a batter at all but we do drink plenty of beer during the process… We use saltine crackers & vaporize them in the food processor. Flour the fillets & dip them in a milk & egg solution & then into the cracker crumbs. I like to sprinkle Cajun seasoning on 'em before frying in peanut or canola oil…
I’ve always wanted to try Zatarain’s Fish-Fri. Anyone ever try this one?
Haven’t used the Fish-Fri specifically but regularly use other Zatarain stuff and, based on their track record, the Fish-Fri would probably be pretty good.
I fried my fish at 375 until the batter was a nice golden brown.
Matt - made your recipe for fish fry last night - used sheepshead - was excellent. Might need more salt in the batter next time.
Yep, I made it too along with some fresh cut “chips”. It was really good (and I added salt to the batter!) ;D
Good call on salting the batter. I usually salt and pepper my fish before I batter it so it usually has enough salt already.
To add that bit of “authenticity” the chips (fries) and fish should be deep-fried in beef lard.
I made Matt’s batter again last night - I LOVED it, but at the same time, it seemed 'pancake-y"
next time I might try denny’s suggestion, though I’ll have to plan ahead and buy rice flour.
hey, anybody ever used masa harina in something like this??
I use a combination of corn flour, rice flour, and all purpose flour…and no eggs. Seasoned with a bit of salt and a minute amount of ‘sour salt’ (citric acid crystals). I like a malt forward beer for the batter.
Traditional fish and chips batter doesn’t have egg in it…the egg is what can make the coating ‘pancake-ey’. Leaving out the egg makes for an authentically crisp batter.
I’m going to make fish and chips again soon and am going to take a different approach. I’m going to dredge the cod in flour, dip it in a simple tempura-style beer batter, and fry.
I got original batter idea from Jamie Oliver, who uses an egg. I agree, it is a bit cakey.
Re: masa harina, it might be interesting to try, but masa harina has powdered lime (and corn, obviously) in it which might not lend a particularly “English” character to the fish and chips.
Bisquick
I’m tellin you
Bisqick sounds like a great idea.
I love Bisquick, makes the best pancakes thats for sure.
A kitchen cabinet without Bisquick isnt a kitchen cabinet at all.
Know what works great for making and keeping the batter crispy? Corn starch. Add it to the batter when you mix it up.
I also add yeast along with beer to the batter.