Beer-Battered Vegan Fish and Chips (With Hearts of Palm) - LFD Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What kind of beer do you use for beer battered fish? ›

Most are fair game for beer batter (Pilsner Urquell, Stella Artois, Modelo, and Firestone Pivo Pils are particularly nice), with the exception of Bohemian pilsner, which comes with a heavy dose of spices that can change the overall flavor of your dish. In a beer batter, pilsner is one of the more low-key options.

Swap the beer for soda

Found among the beer and wine, but lacking the alcohol, is the perfect swap for beer battered fish: club soda. Full of bubbles due to its carbonation, club soda can give the same lightness to a batter as beer would.

Make sure the oil is hot.

If the oil is not hot enough, you will end up with soggy pieces. If the oil is too hot, you will end up with crunchy and possibly overcooked batter and undercooked fish. I aim for 375°F then maintain a range between 350°F – 375°F while cooking.

In sum, carbonation and pH are the biggest factors in delivering a better batter-fried crust, so feel free to use bubbly substitutes such as nonalcoholic beer or seltzer water. PICK YOUR BUBBLY: Any of these carbonated drinks will lead to a light, tender batter-fried crust.

No. Batter made with beer is deep fried with the fish and at that temperature all the alcohol is driven out. Only the parts of the beer with higher boiling points are left to flavour the batter.

Milk: The proteins in milk help the batter adhere to the fish and promote browning. Water: Use very cold water for the crispiest results. Baking powder: Baking powder ensures a light and crispy exterior. Salt: A teaspoon of salt enhances the overall flavor of the fish batter.

pretty much any light beer works just fine. You definitely want to use freshly opened, ice cold beer, because you need the bubbles and the carbonation of a fresh beer. You don't want to use a beer that has gone flat, otherwise you won't get that light and airy texture of a crispy batter.

The use of beer is recommended as the fizz in the beer is what lends the batter its light, airy texture. If you really must substitute for a non-alcoholic version, use soda water or carbonated drinks such as Sprite instead.

Using beer in the batter for onion rings or fritters helps break down the gluten in the flour, resulting in a light, crisp, fried coating with good color. If you need flat beer for a recipe, open a fresh bottle or can and let it stand at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.

If the wet batter is too thick (in consistency) your cooked batter will be thick (in depth) around the fish and tends to soak up too much oil. Too watery on the other hand and it won't coat the fish properly, and will go soggy quickly. Aim for a batter that runs but fully coats the back of a spoon – see video.

What is the best oil for deep frying beer battered fish? ›

Thanks to its neutral flavor, affordable price, and high smoke point, canola oil is the most popular oil for frying fish. Peanut, cottonseed, and coconut oil are also great fish frying oils.

Add beer and egg and whisk until smooth (the batter should be thick). Refrigerate the batter. Preheat air fryer to 390°F (see Tip). Coat the basket generously with cooking spray.

Ginger ale, with its citrusy, sometimes even sour tang, is a great option if you need something akin to a pale ale. For dark or ruby beers, the molasses-adjacent taste of the sassafras in root beer works really well as an alternative. Of course, there's no reason why you can't use other sodas.

Some beer batter recipes will say to add ice or place the beer batter in the fridge to 'rest' for 30 minutes. Forget it! Adding ice will water down your batter and refrigerating the beer batter just takes time. Simply start with a cold beer and you'll be one step ahead.

The higher carbonation in club soda and seltzer makes the batter light and more aerated. It also does a better job inhibiting gluten development—in tempura batter, weaker gluten means a lighter, less bready crust.

There is no definitive answer to this question, as different beers will impart different flavors to the batter. However, a light, mildly flavored beer is generally a good option for fish batter. If you want to avoid using beer altogether, you can substitute sparkling water or club soda.

Different beers will yield varied flavors. I like a robust beer, like an IPA or stout, but any American light lager (Coors Light, Bud Light, Miller Lite, etc.) works great, too. Fish with white fillets are ideal for beer batter.

So, all in all, if you deep fry for larger groups several times a summer, you want a light American lager. Little flavor, plenty of carbonation, enough alcohol, and cheap to boot. I use Budweiser. The beer batter works because of the alcohol and the CO2 in beer.

And while typical beer batters include dark heavy ales, I knew that the lightness of the Corona Extra beer would provide just the right amount of flavor without taking over the dish. And like all fish taco recipes, there needed to be a crunchy slaw on top to cut through the deep fried aspect of the dish.