Our beer battered cod is a simple, flavorful dinner that’s sure to become a favorite. Flaky cod filets are coated in a seasoned beer batter and fried until crisp and golden.
This beer battered cod recipe is a perfect finish to a seafood-focused meal. Kimberly developed a batter that crisps beautifully while leaving the cod tender and flaky inside.
Serve the fish with fries, lemon wedges and your favorite tartar or dill sauce for a classic fish-and-chips experience. The whole process takes about 30–40 minutes from start to finish, and it’s well worth the time.
If you’re not usually a fan of fried fish, give this recipe a try — the light, crispy batter and flaky cod convert a lot of people.
Ready to cook? Let’s get started.
Beer Battered Cod Instructions:
Begin with the fish to keep the batter from becoming soggy. Remove the cod from the fridge, place it on a plate, pat each piece dry with paper towels, and season both sides with the salt and pepper.
Heat your oil while you prepare the batter. A large, heavy-bottomed pot works well; we used about 2 cups of vegetable oil but you may need a bit more or less depending on the size of your pan. Heat the oil over medium heat until it’s hot enough to sizzle when a small drop of batter is added.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, garlic powder and seafood seasoning. Add the egg, then slowly pour in the beer while whisking. Take care adding the beer gradually to avoid excessive foaming. The finished batter should be a semi-thick liquid — thinner than pancake batter but thicker than buttermilk.
Once the batter is combined, dip each piece of cod into it, making sure the fish is evenly coated on all sides. Gently lower the battered fish into the hot oil and fry in batches so the pieces have room to cook and the oil temperature stays consistent.
Cook the fish until it’s golden brown. If the pieces are fully submerged it will take roughly 8–10 minutes, but thinner filets will cook faster. You may need to flip the fish halfway through (about 4–6 minutes) so both sides brown evenly. Remove cooked pieces to a wire rack set over paper towels to drain excess oil and keep the crust crisp.
Repeat until all the fish is fried. Serve immediately with lemon, malt vinegar, tartar sauce or a dill sauce, plus fries or oven-roasted potatoes if you like.
Kim and I hope you enjoy this dish — it’s one of our go-to seafood meals. 🙂
Beer Battered Cod Recipe Tips:
- If you use frozen cod, thaw it completely and pat it very dry before coating. Excess moisture makes the batter soggy.
- Frozen cod often contains added liquids that can affect texture; dry thoroughly with paper towels to remove as much moisture as possible.
- To reheat leftovers and keep the coating crisp, place pieces on a wire rack over a foil-lined baking sheet and reheat in a 400°F oven. Reheat time depends on piece size — about 10 minutes per quarter-pound is a good guideline.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan when frying. Pieces need space so the oil temperature stays hot and the coating crisps properly.
- If you add too many pieces at once the oil temperature will drop and the crust will absorb oil, becoming greasy rather than crisp.
Other recipes you may enjoy:
- Grilled Mahi Mahi
- Mahi Mahi Tacos
- Slow Cooker Jambalaya
- Tuna Casserole
Beer Battered Cod Recipe
Ingredients
Fish
- 2 pounds cod, cut into filets, fresh or frozen and thawed
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Cooking Oil
- 2 cups vegetable oil
Beer Batter
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons seafood seasoning, We used Old Bay.
- 1 large egg
- 12 ounces beer
Instructions
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Set the fish out on a flat dish for 10–15 minutes, pat dry, and season with salt and pepper.
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Heat 2 cups vegetable oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat until hot.
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In a large bowl, combine 1½ cups flour, 1 tablespoon garlic powder and 2 teaspoons seafood seasoning. Add 1 large egg and slowly whisk in 12 ounces beer until a semi-thick batter forms. Set aside.
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Working in batches, dip each piece of fish into the batter so it’s evenly coated.
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Fry the fish in the hot oil until golden brown, flipping if needed to brown both sides. Drain on a wire rack to keep the coating crisp.
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Serve hot with lemon, malt vinegar, tartar sauce or dill sauce.