This beer battered halibut will bring your fish fry game to the next level! The batter fries up crisp yet light. There is even a homemade tartar sauce for dunking.
Here at Sizzlefish, our halibut is wild caught in the pristine waters of Southeast Alaska, off Baranof Island. Our halibut is carefully selected to yield perfectly tender, flaky fillet servings sold in 4-ounce portions. Alaskan halibut is naturally lean and loaded with protein.
Sizzlefish’s halibut is mild in flavor and can be enjoyed in recipes from ceviche to tacos, and especially frying. Its neutral flavor can be paired with any seasonings and provides texture while letting the spices shine.
Halibut’s low-fat content makes it ideal for frying because it won’t get soggy or release fat when it fries. To ensure the outside fries up crisp, the fish is first salted and then blotted with paper towel to remove excess moisture. Next, the fish is lightly coated in flour, so the beer batter stays put during frying.
The carbonation in beer creates a light and airy texture. Keep your beer refrigerated until just before making the batter and be sure not to over mix the beer as this will deflate the bubbles.
When the cold batter hits the hot oil, it will crisp quickly. The longer the fish fries, the higher the chances are for it to become soggy, so you want the oil hot and the batter cold to create a quick frying action. The beer batter will also cause the coating to puff as it fries so don’t worry if you have a few smaller pieces of fish.
Every great fish fry needs a creamy tartar sauce for dipping. This mayonnaise-based sauce is rich in texture with tangy mustard, lemon juice and plenty of dill pickle to balance it out. The tartar sauce can be made a day ahead of time.
Serve fried fish hot with extra lemon wedges for squeezing and enjoy a fish fry that rivals any restaurant!
Blot pieces of halibut with paper towel to remove excess moisture. Place in shallow bowl and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt. Gently mix with hands to evenly season. Set aside for 5-10 minutes
Stir together ingredients for tartar sauce in a small bowl. Refrigerate until serving.
Blot pieces of halibut once more with paper towel to remove moisture. This will help keep the fish from becoming soggy when frying. Dredge pieces of halibut in 1/2 cup of flour in a clean shallow bowl.
Heat 1 inch of oil in a large frying pan until oil reaches 370-375ºF. While oil heats, whisk together 1 cup of flour, cornstarch, paprika, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, cracked pepper and garlic powder in a medium mixing bowl. Gradually whisk in beer until just combined. There will still be some small lumps in batter.
Shake excess flour from a piece of halibut and allow the flour to fall back into bowl. Dip halibut in batter and allow excess to drip back into bowl. Carefully place into hot oil. Work in batches of 4-5 pieces at a time to avoid overcrowding frying pan. Cook for 4-6 minutes, turning pieces with tongs once the sides are golden brown.
Place cooked fish on a paper towel lined baking sheet topped with a wire cooling rack while cooking remaining fish. Serve hot with tartar sauce for dipping and lemon wedges.
