We’re a nation of beer drinkers, throwing back around 8.5bn pints of the dark stuff in 2018 (although we imagine that figure will have risen each year since!).
Whether yours is a pint of something fruity, malty or hoppy either at home, in the pub or while watching the footie, have you ever thought about using beer to make a batter for your fish? The flavour complements fish and chips perfectly while the carbon dioxide in the beer makes the batter expand, giving it a super light and really crispy texture.
If you want to give it a try, our School of Frying Excellence trainers have put together their top tips to get you started. So good luck and cheers from us!
1. You can make a beer batter with any kind of beer really but if it’s a fizzy one, like a lager or something carbonated, you’re best mixing it with plain flour. If you’re using a more traditional beer you’ll want to use self-raising flour so you still get the bubbles in your batter.
2. The darker the beer you choose the more sugar it will contain and the batter will caramelise in the oil, go dark quickly and look burnt before it’s even cooked. So preferably choose a lighter beer, a good one is a pale ale or a German wheat beer. If you are going dark, choose a craft beer like Spitfire or Hobgoblin and ensure your oil is 100% fresh.
3. Experiment as there are so many wonderful beers to choose from. At the training school we encourage shops to find a local brewery because then you can say you’ve partnered up with someone local, you’re keeping the food miles low and you’re giving each other a bit of cross-promotion on a local level.
4. Once you’ve chosen your beer, slowly add it to your flour and whisk it gently to the consistency of single cream.
5. Make your beer batter little and often rather than in big batches as it won’t have the same shelf-life as your conventional batter. And don’t give it time to rest, mix it and use it straight away.
6. Serve your battered fish as close to cooking it as possible as it won’t stand as long as your usual batter.
For more great menu ideas why not attend one of our training courses at The KFE School of Frying Excellence? To find out about all the courses we run, as well as our in-shop training, contact the office today on 01778 380 448 or e-mail sales@kfeltd.co.uk
