American · main

Beer-Battered Fish Sandwich

Beer-Battered Fish Sandwich reads sourness 5.3, citrus 5.0 and salinity 4.3 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a American main, about 17 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 5.0 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 4.1 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 6.8 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 2.0 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 4.3 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 3.3 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Sourness 5.3 · Citrus 5.0 · Salinity 4.3 · Sweetness 3.8 · Richness 3.8 · Marine & Briny 3.4 · Allium 2.9 · Umami 2.7 · Heat 2.6 · Earthy 1.9 · Funk & Ferment 1.8 · Nutty 1.6 · Warm Spice 1.5 · Fruity 1.0 · Herbaceous 0.9 · Bitterness 0.7 · Floral 0.6

What's in it (16)

• cod — 454 g
• all-purpose flour — 121 g
• cornstarch — 118 g
• baking powder — 5 g
• salt — 5 g
• garlic — 3 g
• cayenne pepper — 1 g
• cold water — 340 g
• vegetable oil — 1306 g
• mayonnaise — 109 g
• sweet pickle relish — 30 g
• lemon juice — 15 g
• dijon mustard — 5 g
• whole wheat hamburger buns — 400 g
• iceberg lettuce — 237 g
• dill pickle — 800 g

Time & effort: about 17 min (7 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 146.5 kcal, 5.1 g protein, 7.4 g fat, 15.3 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains seafood — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (10 steps)

1. Whisk the mayonnaise, pickle relish, lemon juice, and Dijon mustard together in a small bowl for the tartar sauce; refrigerate until ready to serve.
2. Pat the cod fillets dry with paper towels and season on both sides with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt; set aside while you make the batter.
3. Whisk 3/4 cup of the flour, the cornstarch, baking powder, remaining salt, garlic powder, and cayenne in a medium bowl. Pour in the cold beer and whisk just until combined — a few small lumps are fine, since overmixing makes the batter tough.
4. Let the batter rest 10 minutes at room temperature while you heat 2 inches of vegetable oil in a heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat to 350°F.
5. Dredge each fish portion in the remaining 1/4 cup flour, shaking off the excess — this thin dry coat is what makes the wet batter cling instead of sliding off in the oil.
6. Dip each floured fillet into the batter, letting the excess drip off, then lower it gently into the hot oil; fry 2 fillets at a time so the oil temperature doesn't drop.
7. Fry until deep golden brown and crisp, 4-5 minutes, flipping once halfway through, until the fish flakes easily and reaches 145°F; transfer to a wire rack set over a paper-towel-lined tray so the crust stays crisp.
8. Toast the cut sides of the brioche buns in a dry skillet over medium heat until golden, 1-2 minutes.
9. Spread tartar sauce on both cut sides of each toasted bun, then layer the bottom half with shredded lettuce, a crispy fish fillet, and dill pickle chips.
10. Close the sandwiches and serve immediately, while the batter is still crackling.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Tuna Noodle Casserole with Crushed Potato Chips — American
• Le Grand Aïoli — French · Provence
• Piri-Piri Prawns — Mozambican
• Huachinango a la Veracruzana — Mexican · Veracruz
• Tirokafteri (Spicy Feta Dip) — Greek

Keep reading: what sourness, citrus, salinity mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.