Jul 22, 2021

Beer-Battered Cod Fillets

Tasty, flaky beer-battered cod recipe that will make the catch of the day a huge hit.

Cod is a lovely, flaky fish with white meat and a mild taste. Battered and fried it gets a delectable crisp coating no one could say no to.

There are different types of cod available at the fish market, but most common are Pacific, Atlantic, and Alaskan. I would recommend Pacific cod if possible. Pacific cod is meatier and the taste is similar to haddock.

This recipe calls for a "brown ale," but any beer without an overtly sour hops taste will work fine. Hefeweizen is also a lovely option as it pairs well with fish. To make this recipe entirely gluten-free, use a gluten-free brand of beer. Aurochs Brewing Company (Pennsylvania) makes both a brown ale and hefeweizen, as well as a cascading dark ale that will work really well. Other brewers with suitable gluten-free beers include:

Departed Soles Brewing Company (New Jersey)
Evasion Brewing (Oregon)
Ghostfish Brewing (Washington)
Green’s (UK)
Holiday Brewing Co. (Colorado)
Two Bays Brewing Co. (Australia)

The batter is dairy-free, making it perfect for pescatarians and fish lovers alike. I like to mix in cornstarch to give the coating extra crispiness, but this can be substituted with an equal volume of flour.

TIP: This batter can be used on most commonly available fish fillets like haddock, halibut, etc. So if cod isn't your favourite, feel free to swap fish.

Ingredients

(Makes 6 servings)

6 (1.5lb or 675g) cod fillets, skinless and deboned
1 cup (125g) cassava flour (or all-purpose flour), divided
1/2 cup (60g) cornstarch
3 teaspoons (17.8g) salt, divided
1 teaspoon (2.3g) ground black pepper
1 teaspoon (3.1g) garlic powder
1 teaspoon (2g) onion powder
1 cup (250ml) brown ale (gluten-free variety if needed)
avocado oil, or other high smoke-point oil

Directions

Prepare a sheet pan, or platter, lined with paper towel and set aside.

In a shallow dish, add 1/2 cup (63g) flour and 1 teaspoon (5.9g) salt, then combine well and set aside.

In another shallow dish, combine the remaining flour, cornstarch, remaining salt, ground black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Using a whisk, slowly mix in the beer. The final consistency of the batter needs to be similar to a very thin yogurt, or thick cream. If yours is too thick adjust with a little more beer. If it's too thin, add a wee bit more flour.

In a deep sauté pan, add enough avocado oil to fill the pan 1/3 of the way up the side and, over medium-high heat, bring the temperature of the oil up to 375°F / 190°C. Monitor heat and adjust as needed.

Taking each fillet, coat both sides in the flour, shaking off any excess, then dip into the batter to coat. Let any excess batter drip off before carefully adding the fish to the hot oil.

Cook each fillet until they are golden brown on both sides, flipping if needed (about 3 to 5 minutes per side depending on the thickness of the fillet). Transfer to the paper towel-lined sheet pan/platter to drain off any excess oil.

Sprinkle with additional salt (optional) and serve immediately with tartar sauce, lemon wedges, and your choice of side dish.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: