This Beer Battered Catfish is perfectly tender on the inside and light and crispy on the outside. It's dipped in seasoned beer batter and deep-fried to golden perfection.

Beer Battered Catfish

Of all the ways to cook catfish, this is probably my favorite. The golden, crispy, perfectly seasoned coating around warm, tender catfish just can't be beat.

In this recipe, catfish filets are dipped into seasoned beer batter and deep-fried until golden, leaving you with a crispy, savory coating surrounding perfectly tender catfish.

This recipe is great for freshly-caught catfish, if you're into fishing, and of course fresh or frozen catfish from the seafood counter at the grocery will also work if you'd rather leave the fishing to the fishermen.

What Does Beer Do for Fish Batter?

Beer-batter is arguably the best batter for frying (or at least my personal favorite). Beer adds several elements to the batter that make it outstanding.

Carbonation - The carbonation in beer produces bubbles that escape while it cooks. This leads to a light and crispy finished product. This can also be replicated with other neutral flavored carbonated beverages, such as soda water.
Ph - Beer is slightly more acidic than water which limits how much gluten can form in the batter. This ensures that the breading stays tender, and prevents it from getting too tough.
Flavor - The beer will impart some extra flavor to the batter and the fish. Depending on the type of beer, the flavor may be stronger, lighter, or more or less hoppy.

What Kind of Beer Should I Use?

You can use any kind of beer you want! Here are some things to keep in mind, though.

All beer will add the agents necessary for that light, crispy texture you're looking for. However, some beers will add more color or flavor than others. A dark lager will add a deeper color and a richer flavor than a pale macro-beer, which will add great texture with very little color or flavor.

A pale macro-brew, such as Pabst or Coors is a great place to start if you're unsure about the flavor. Since catfish is a milder flavor, the mild beer will work great and is not too overpowering.

A black matte plate stacked with deep fried beer battered catfish topped with a sprinkle of fresh parsley with a clean linen and bunch of fresh parsley behind and lemon wedges in front.

Can I Use Other Fish?

Yes, the batter will work for most fish including cod, walleye, perch, or grouper. Just be sure to watch the cook time as it may vary slightly based on the size and type of fish.

Catfish is considered a white, lean, and firm fish. Other fish with a similar profile to catfish are pollock, cod, grouper, haddock, or halibut.

What to Serve with Beer Battered Catfish

We like to serve classics like creamy coleslaw, fries, and homemade tartar sauce. You can also make these simple hush puppies in the air fryer.

Other serving ideas include:

Fried foods such as onion rings, fries, hush puppies, or corn fritters
Salads such as a fresh green salad, coleslaw, or potato salad
Something starchy like baked beans or baked potato
On a bun as a sandwich with tartar sauce
On flour or corn tortillas as a taco
Veggies like steamed broccoli or corn on the cob

More Seafood Recipes You'll Love

Fried Catfish Nuggets - a classic recipe for deep frying catfish nuggets with a crispy, savory coating.
Southern Pan Fried Catfish - catfish the southern way, pan-fried with a cornmeal coating.
Cajun Baked Catfish - a quick and simple baked catfish with cornmeal coating that's so good you won't even miss the frying oil
Parmesan Garlic Salmon - savory, tender, and flaky this salmon is loaded up with garlic, herbs, and parmesan and baked to perfection
Salmon Croquettes - a simple salmon recipe that's quick, cheap, and easy to make, not to mention delicious!