For whatever reason, fried fish has been my go-to hangover, I-don’t-care-about-calories-right-now-because-I-feel-like-crap, type of meal. It’s ironic because it’s made with beer, and usually even sniffing the bottle in this state of crap-feeling makes me want to die. Regardless, there’s just something therapeutic about it… standing there fuzzy brained while I stare down at my fish sputtering away in the hot oil.

A hangover might slow you down slightly, but regardless, this is a quick one. All you need is fish, a few pantry ingredients, and about 20 minutes to throw it together. In terms of fish, any lean, flaky, whitefish will do. Personally, I am partial to haddock, as it’s pretty much the only fish that my mom bought growing up. That being said, mostly anything will taste great when deep fried and drenched in tartar sauce.

Batters, and fried foods in general, are something that I have not yet fully grasped. You can achieve such different style crusts by switching up the type of coating you use. A dry dusting of flour? Expect a thin, unsubstantial crust. An extra thick batter? You’re going to have as much breading as fish. Egg or no egg? Breadcrumbs? Cornstarch? Rice flour? Baking powder? Baking soda?… There are so many variables that can come into play, and for this reason, I am currently struggling to pin down a fried chicken recipe. Poultry aside, I have done enough homework and experimenting to develop what I see as the perfect batter for the delicate, subtle meat that is whitefish.

Enter the beer batter, golden brown and delightfully crisp. A well executed beer batter should provide just the right amount of exciting texture without being overly substantial, which would distract from the unassuming texture and flavor of whitefish. In this particular recipe, we do away with the egg, as all that extra protein gives the batter a more toothsome, spongier crust that I find less appealing. If you’re curious about the “how” and “why” of some other batter ingredients such as cornstarch, baking powder/soda, I suggest you check out my post on pancakes, where I go into serious detail. To summarize, cornstarch cuts the protein content, which makes the crust lighter and crisper, baking powder provides leavening, generating air bubbles that also result in a lighter, crisper crust, and baking powder provides alkali, which allows the crust to turn golden brown via the Maillard reaction.

Ingredients

Makes about 4 servings

• 1.5 lbs of lean, white fish. I like haddock, but feel free to use whatever’s on sale.

• Neutral oil for frying (safflower, vegetable, canola, peanut, corn, etc.)

• For the batter:

  • 1 cup of white flour

  • 1 teaspoon of baking powder

  • 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • Half a can of your favorite light beer

  • Potential spins:

    • Replace 1/4 cup of flour with 1/4 cup of cornstarch for a lighter, crisper crust

    • Whisk in an egg for a more toothsome, chewy crust

• For the tarter sauce:

  • 1 part Mayo

  • 1 part pickle relish

  • salt

 Method

1) Cut your fish into appropriately sized chunks. Dust both sides with salt.

2) Heat your oil to medium-high heat.

3) Mix together the dry components of your batter. Pour in beer while whisking. You’ll know you’ve added enough when the batter is the consistency of canned paint.

4) To prepare tartar sauce: add equal parts mayonnaise and sweet pickle relish + a dash of salt .

5) Dunk your fish into the batter and drop it into the oil. If hot enough, the fish should start sizzling right away.

6) Cook your fish for 2-3 minutes or until deeply browned. You may need to flip it a few times. Once finished, place on paper towels to soak up the excess oil.

7) Pile up the crispy pieces of glory on a platter or lined basket. Serve with tartar sauce, lemon wedges, french fries, and malt vinegar. Eat. Use your hands. Get greasy. If no one is around, maybe let out a moan or two. Eat more. Tell your friends about just kitchin, and most of all… Enjoy.