12 Best Foods To Beer Batter And Fry

Southerners are no strangers to battering up just about anything and then tossing it into a deep fryer. But when it comes to beer batter, there are definitely some foods that are better suited than others, and some you might not have thought of.

From the usual suspects of pickles and fish to the more uncommon, such as asparagus and bacon, we have cultivated a list of the best foods to beer batter and fry. But why does everyone love a good beer batter in the first place? It's all about the carbonation. This adds a lightness and crispiness to your mushrooms or french fries that you won't get with other batters. It also cooks faster, which can help keep the inside soft and succulent while delivering a delightful crunch on the outside.

What makes the best beer batter? While there are a number of varieties and twists on the recipe, the main ingredients are flour, salt, baking powder, egg, and, the most important ingredient, beer. Choosing the right beer doesn't have to be difficult — light beers and lagers are most commonly used, but darker beers can bring a richer taste. At the end of the day, though, it comes down to personal preference — and what you're battering, of course. Read on to find your next fried appetizer.

Whichever way you slice them (in chips or as wedges), fried pickles are a fan favorite at bars and restaurants alike, not to mention at home. It's likely got something to do with biting through a crunchy outside straight to the warm, sour middle. Or maybe it's because they're a great bite-sized snack for any gathering, whether it's the Fourth of July or a Halloween party. It also helps that the dip options are endless, from ranch to spicy Cajun sauce.

Beer-battered fried pickles have an extra fluffiness that you might not get with more traditional breading. And while you could use just about any kind of pickle you like, dill is the most common choice. Some recipes call for Guinness rather than a light lager, which amps up the flavor, but you'll get a good crispy covering with any beer. A tip for extra crispy fried pickles: add a bit of vodka to your batter along with the beer.

To make sure that the batter sticks and doesn't fall off in the oil, dry the pickles well before dredging them. This means coating the pickle in a dry ingredient — such as flour or cornmeal — before ducking it in the beer batter and tossing it into the hot oil.

Onion rings were made for beer batter. It keeps them light and crispy without being overloaded with grease. And once again, if you dredge them first, you won't have to worry about that fluffy crunch falling off before you toss the ring into your mouth. Given how fast they cook, you hopefully won't have to worry about that. Onion rings are great if you want something a bit sweeter to contrast with the salty, crunchy coating of a beer batter.

The best onions for beer-battered rings are Vidalias, but any sweet or yellow onion will do. You'll also want to use the batter as soon as you make it — otherwise, it'll lose the carbonation, and your rings won't be as fluffy. Try making the batter while you're heating up your oil to ensure peak freshness and bubbles.

Onion rings can be done in a deep fryer or a skillet. A fun twist on this is to fry them up in a skillet over a grill when you're doing a family cookout or out on a camping trip. There's something about cooking out in the open air that just makes things taste better.

As you might expect, fish is easily one of the best foods to duck into a beer batter and fry. Whether it's British fish and chips or a backyard fish fry, this is a classic that is much easier to make at home than you may think. Most love biting through that fluffy exterior to the soft fish underneath that melts in your mouth. You can enjoy it alone or dunk your fish into tartar sauce (or something a little more adventurous like tartar sauce with a dash of sriracha).

There are many options when it comes to frying up fish, from rockfish to cod. Most beer batter recipes call for a white fish because of its flakiness and mild taste. The two options already mentioned both qualify; cod is by far the most popular, but haddock and flounder are both worth considering. If you're frying on a budget, tilapia can work in a pinch, too.

If you want a lighter and crispier coating, try using rice flour instead of all-purpose. It has no gluten and absorbs less oil. Also, any light beer or lager will work in your batter.

Mushrooms were made for frying, especially when it comes to the puffy coating you get with a beer batter. They act as little sponges, soaking up all the oil while also keeping a crispy outer shell. Additionally, frying pulls in all the flavor, so you get a good, juicy punch when you bite in. Adding in the extra volume of beer batter takes a flat fried mushroom to the next level.

The most popular mushrooms for a beer batter are cremini and button, though you can use just about any type, including portobello. If you want something a bit different, try using morels. Before you batter them up, be sure to clean them out extremely well since all kinds of dirt can get into all the little crevices. You'll want to air-dry them before dredging and battering. Beer batter can help you avoid over-breading morels and covering up the unique flavor of the mushrooms.

Just like most fried foods, fried mushrooms pair well with a number of dipping sauces. You can't go wrong with a basic ranch dip, but try a sauce with aioli for an extra kick.

Green beans are considered a healthier option than french fries, even though, yes, they are fried. Using a beer batter keeps them from getting too heavy. Green beans already have a nice natural crunch, even though they do soften a bit while cooking. That crunch is only enhanced by the beer batter. Plus, they are quick and easy to make. An entire batch can be fried up in as little as 15 minutes, depending on how many green beans you have.

It's best to use fresh green beans — the canned ones are a bit too mushy. If you grow them in a garden that tends to overproduce, frying up beer-battered green beans could be a fresh way to serve them up for the family outside of casseroles. You can get the joy of a fried green bean without the density that you might get with breading or other kinds of frying.

Fried green beans are great for dipping, likely helped by their shape. Try a homemade ranch (or storebought – that works too), or you can use aioli or remoulade. You'll also want to blanch your green beans before you batter and fry them. This keeps them nice and crispy, so you don't bite down into mush beneath your crunchy batter coating. It also helps them to keep their green color.

It's the age-old predicament: What to do with all the leftover turkey after Thanksgiving? Rather than eating turkey sandwiches for the next week, beer-battered turkey tenders could hit the spot, especially if you're tired of chicken. The lighter outer coating of beer batter is perfect for sealing in all the juices of turkey meat, which is a plus since it's easy to overcook turkey and make it too dry. And there's nothing like that delicious crunch before hitting tender meat.

Now, obviously, you don't need to drop an entire turkey into a bowl of batter and then a deep-fryer. Take your already-cut turkey chunks, dredge them, and then dunk them into the batter before frying them. If you don't have leftovers handy, you can pick up a pre-made rotisserie turkey from the store to save some time. Since turkeys are bigger than chickens, you can make bigger tenders (or more of them). Dip your beer-battered turkey tenders in honey mustard or sriracha mayo. Pretty much any dip that goes well with chicken is a good bet with turkey.

If you ask, most people would likely agree that cheese was basically made to be beer-battered and deep-fried. And cheese curds are no different. Their slightly squeaky texture pairs well with a light and fluffy beer batter, as does their mildly salty flavor. Enjoy them with an ice cold beer while you're watching the game or as a side dish to dinner with the fam.

While they are best served fresh, cheese curds are easy to buy in bulk and freeze, so you can have them ready whenever that craving hits. Like many items on this list, beer-battered cheese curds can be dipped in whatever you fancy. Most recipes call for the classic ranch, but you can spice it up as well. Try mixing hot sauce with mayo for a little extra kick.

Be sure that your cheese curds are cold when you batter and fry them to keep them from leaking out once you drop them in the oil. It's also a good idea to make sure you have fresh oil since cheese curds can pick up flavors a bit more easily. You can use the usual all-purpose flour if you like, but some recipes recommend cake flour instead for a crispier fried cheese curd.

Shrimp is another classic when it comes to frying, and it is delightful when coated in beer batter. Since shrimp cooks quickly, the alcohol's speedy evaporation produces a crispy exterior with a perfectly tender — and thoroughly cooked — middle. Forget coconut-fried shrimp and opt for a golden, puffy crust instead.

Beer-battered shrimp are versatile. You can add them to salads, use them in tacos, or eat them on their own with a dipping sauce. Use a classic cocktail sauce, or try making tentsuyu, the sauce chef Billy Wang's recommends for tempura. Of course, what you use the shrimp on depends on the size you use. There's really no rule — beer batter works great on everything from popcorn shrimp up to jumbo.

When it comes to beer-battered shrimp, you can play around with the batter. Stick to a classic recipe and you'll get that nice crunch; add Old Bay or Cajun seasoning and you'll get a nice kick, too. Another great thing about fried shrimp is that you don't need to bring out the deep-fryer — its small size and short cooking time make it great for pan-frying.

Sticking with the adage that in the South that you can fry just about anything, asparagus with a good beer batter is worth a try. Its crunchy outside and soft inside are enhanced by the fluffy beer batter. The stalks also make them great appetizers and easy to eat and dip — like a green, slightly healthier, but much bigger french fry, depending on what kind of asparagus you use.

Beer-battered asparagus, along with other deep-fried veggies, is quickly becoming a favorite side and app at restaurants, but it's also easy to fry up at home. You can combine it with a number of different dips, from remoulades to lemon-herbed sauce with a mayo base. Use it as an appetizer, or make it your whole meal.

The size of your stalks comes down to preference, but it's worth noting that thicker stalks fare better in hot oil. A trick for making sure each stalk gets fully coated is by placing the batter into a tall glass. Then, dip your asparagus until fully covered, or do a double dip — one on each end. Carefully watch it while the asparagus is frying — the stalks will need turning to ensure all sides are fried up to crispy perfection.

Of course, this list wasn't about to leave off the most fried food of all time. While you may not have considered beer-battering french fries, it is a great way to add extra crunch and flavor to level up a time-tested favorite. While fresh, hand cut fries are the best bet here, beer batter works on frozen fries from the grocery store as well. 

When making beer-battered fries, it's a good idea to double-fry them. This makes sure that the fries are completely cooked without burning them. It's also a good idea for when you're making them for a gathering. You can do the first fry earlier for prep, then drop them back in right before guests arrive so they are warm and ready to go. Another tip to start your fries off in cold oil to ensure they are evenly cooked and don't turn out gooey.

There's no need to overthink when it comes to dipping — like any other fry, ketchup works fine. You can also let inspiration take over for something different, since beer-battered fries are good with just about any dipping sauce. You can also add a little heat to the batter in the form of Cajun seasoning or cayenne pepper.

Corn fritters have definitely been around for a long time, with some recipes dating to the early 1900s. They're believed to have originated in the Southern United States, though other countries, such as Indonesia, have their own take on them.  Dunking them in a beer batter is a relatively newer concept, but one that amps up this Southern comfort food staple. When you use a beer batter on corn fritters, you get a light and salty crunch on the outside to go with a sweet interior. Most recipes call for sweet corn and the addition of cornmeal to the batter.

Another point in favor of beer-battered corn fritters is that they taste just as good regardless of what type of corn you use — frozen, canned, or fresh off the cob. It's really up to you and how much time you want to spend in the kitchen. You form them into neat balls or simply throw clumps into the batter for deep frying.

Corn fritters pair well with all the sauces. You can go for something sweet like honey or Thai chili sauce, or you can use hot sauce, ketchup, or whatever your taste buds are craving. Add to the sweet and sour contrast, or keep it super sweet.

You can fry bacon in pancake batter, so why wouldn't you be able to do it in a beer batter? The latter adds a crisp outer layer before getting to that big hit of saltiness from the bacon underneath. You get a mouthful of rich, savory flavor along with a satisfying crunch. (Or double crunch, depending on how crispy you like your bacon.) Eat it on its own or slap your beer-battered bacon on the ultimate BLT. It also goes well on hamburgers and other sandwiches, too. Plus, if you don't have a deep fryer handy, beer-battered bacon can easily be fried up in a skillet on a stovetop.

Since bacon has plenty of its own oil, you'll definitely want to dredge before you batter. This will make sure that the batter stays on the bacon when you put it in the pan. It's also a good idea to make sure that your oil isn't too cold — the best temp for frying beer-battered bacon is around 350 degrees Fahrenheit.