Want to make a delicious and classic British fish and chips recipe? Consider elevating the dish by making it Gordon Ramsay-style. To do so, as he shared on his official website, be sure to use a light beer or lager when making the batter for the fish. The reason for this is that the beer batter will make this fish beautifully crispy. In the fryer, the beer quickly evaporates, and the dry batter easily crisps up during the frying process. The carbon dioxide in the beer also adds lift and air, making the batter fry up into a crunchy and light crust.
Our tip for the absolute best fish and chips every time is applicable to most fish and chips recipes. Instead of using water or buttermilk, a light beer or lager will be your primary liquid ingredient. You’ll mix it with the other batter ingredients, such as the binder, eggs, flour, baking soda, and seasoning.
Now, what light beer or lager should you choose to make the batter with? You could always be basic and go with one of Ramsay’s favorite beers, Beck’s or Budweiser, both of which are lagers. Or you can check out our comprehensive list of the 45 most popular beers, ranked from worst to best, and go from there.
Light beer and lagers don’t overpower a dish like stouts and dark beers can
We also recommend checking out Asian-style beers and have ranked 13 Japanese beers that are available in the U.S., many of which are light and refreshing with a crisp taste. You really can’t go wrong with opening a bottle of Asahi or Sapporo to make a good plate of fish and chips. Then, you can enjoy the same beer while eating the dish.
Now, the reason why you want to choose a light beer to make batter when making fish and chips, instead of a stout or dark beer, is because you don’t want the alcohol’s flavors to be overpowering. You want just a subtle hint of the beer and all of its airy, carbonated properties. Lagers are also lighter in both color and flavor than stouts and dark beers.
Finally, note that you can incorporate light beer and lagers into the batter for all types of fried food dishes, and not just fish and chips. We’ve listed the 15 best types of beers for you to use in batter when making dishes like fried pickles and mozzarella sticks.
