The Non-Alcoholic Alternative To Beer Batter For Fried Fish - Tasting Table (2024)

FAQs

The Non-Alcoholic Alternative To Beer Batter For Fried Fish - Tasting Table? ›

Substitutes for Beer in Fish Batter

Found among the beer and wine, but lacking the alcohol, is the perfect swap for beer battered fish: club soda. Full of bubbles due to its carbonation, club soda can give the same lightness to a batter as beer would.

That same carbonation and the slight acidity of the beer also helps create a batter that's very tender and flaky. You can get these same results with bubbly water or a NA beer. Don't use sugary sodas or other drinks, though—they are too sweet for this fish recipe.

Easy Substitutions

You can use chicken broth, ginger ale, white grape juice, or white wine if your recipe calls for a light beer. Use beef broth, chicken broth, mushroom stock, apple juice, apple cider, root beer, or co*ke instead of dark beer.

In these cases, soda is an ideal substitute. It can be used to replace beer in fish batter, or even as a replacement in beer can chicken. Plus, you're way more likely to have extra soda lying around. Beer batter's crispiness is largely due to the drink's carbonation, which creates froth during the cooking process.

Ginger ale, with its citrusy, sometimes even sour tang, is a great option if you need something akin to a pale ale. For dark or ruby beers, the molasses-adjacent taste of the sassafras in root beer works really well as an alternative. Of course, there's no reason why you can't use other sodas.

Mix together 1 cup flour, 1/4 cup cornstarch, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Stir in enough club soda to make a batter about the consistency of thin pancake batter. You don't want it too thick, just thick enough to nicely coat a spoon. Season the batter to taste if desired with seasoning of your choice.

In sum, carbonation and pH are the biggest factors in delivering a better batter-fried crust, so feel free to use bubbly substitutes such as nonalcoholic beer or seltzer water. PICK YOUR BUBBLY: Any of these carbonated drinks will lead to a light, tender batter-fried crust.

And if you're willing to go with a three part breading instead of a batter, you can use rice flour, egg, and (rice or corn) cereal crumbs.

The carbonation will help give the batter an airy texture. Slowly add a bit more club soda and continue to mix. Do this until the batter reaches a nice smooth yet thick consistency. Cut the pieces of fish into palm size pieces or any size you like, dry the fish and add to the batter.

Why is my beer batter not crispy? ›

Also, the alcohol cooks out in the hot oil. Whatever you use, it needs to be ice cold – cool for 2+ hours in the fridge. It's key for a crispy batter!

Ginger Ale – Good Substitute For Beer In Baking

Many recipes depend on the acidity and carbonation of beer to activate the yeast. So, you need a substitute that can provide these qualities. Again, soft drinks (soda) can work, but they might be too sweet. This makes ginger ale a very good substitute for beer in baking.

In the United States, although these products are colloquially called non-alcoholic beer, the actual labels read “non-alcoholic malt beverage” or “non-alcoholic brew.” These NA products may contain up to 0.5% alcohol by volume (ABV), although there are global differences that can lead to confusion.

Vodka in recipes can be replaced with an equal amount of water. However, to achieve the flavor profile imparted by vodka more closely, mix white grape juice or apple cider with a few drops of lime juice.