Grimsby Beer Battered Haddock

Beer Batter Recipe

100 grams Plain Flour

Salt and Pepper

300 mls Beer

Vegetable or Sunflower oil for cooking in a high sided pan.

Kitchen paper to place the fish on after cooking.

Extra plain flour for coating the fish, which you can also season if you like.  

Put the flour, salt and pepper in a large bowl and gradually add the beer whisking all the time until the consistency is that of double cream.

I had two very large Grimsby Haddock, each of which I cut into three smaller pieces.

Coat each piece with the flour coating mix.  I trimmed the tails of both of them for test pieces to make sure the fat was hot enough.

Heat the oil to 190 C or 370 F if you have a thermometer, if not, use the test piece method.

Dip one of the small pieces in the batter and slowly place in the oil.  Do not drop it in as the oil will splash up.  Also by placing the fish in carefully it starts cooking straight away and doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan.  If the fish starts to brown immediately with the fat bubbling, then it is hot enough, if it takes a while to brown turn the heat up and test again with the second piece.

Take each piece, coat with flour, dip into the batter mix making sure you coat all of it and gently place into the hot oil.  Cook for a few minutes until golden brown, turning occasionally if you need to with two metal spatulas, again, being careful not to let the oil splash.  Remove once you are happy with the depth of colour and place on the kitchen paper.

Repeat the process for all the pieces.

Enjoy with homemade chips, peas, bread and butter or be lazy and send someone else to the chip shop for chips and peas while you cook the fish.