In the early 1950's, I received this recipe on an open-line, talk-radio show. It makes the lightest, crispiest batter imaginable. This makes enough to coat approximately 2 pounds of fish.
This is just spectacular. I had real problems with batter (soggy, tasteless, too thin etc), but this was so crisp and light! I too, cut the baking powder down to 2 tbspns, but I used self-raising flour (all I had on hand) and it worked perfectly. I had no problem with it sticking to the thing I was battering (fresh pecorino cheese cubes - it was too wonderful to contemplate!). For such a simple recipe, you'll get fabulous results - guaranteed!
Read MoreThis is not good It is BITTER I think it is the Baking Powder 1/4 of a cup ??. My whole family dislike this VERY much
Read MoreThis is just spectacular. I had real problems with batter (soggy, tasteless, too thin etc), but this was so crisp and light! I too, cut the baking powder down to 2 tbspns, but I used self-raising flour (all I had on hand) and it worked perfectly. I had no problem with it sticking to the thing I was battering (fresh pecorino cheese cubes - it was too wonderful to contemplate!). For such a simple recipe, you'll get fabulous results - guaranteed!
This recipe was awesome! The fish turned out so great. I used 3/4 c of milk and 3/4 c of water because the batter was too thick at first. I added salt, pepper and garlic powder to the mixture as well. I fried the fish in 1/2 an inch of vegetable oil. Everyone raved about it!
We used a total of 2 T baking powder which worked very well – w/o the bitter aftertaste previous reviewers have written about. We also added ¼ tsp. Old Bay & an equal amount of LA Gold (hot sauce). 5 +++ stars from us. We’ll be making this recipe again!!!
From Chef Pare. On the face of it ,nice batter. I do agree with other reviews, too much baking powder. I recommend, cut the baking powder to 1 TLBS. In place of the reduced baking powder add this. I TSP of lemon juice (fresh is best) & 1 TSP of honey. (honey) not sugar. honey will sustain higher heat than sugar without burning. If you decide the batter is too thick, cut it with water. Milk will make it tougher/chewier. I am out of the business now, but happy to help out others. kpare55@telus.net
This is not good It is BITTER I think it is the Baking Powder 1/4 of a cup ??. My whole family dislike this VERY much
This turned out pretty good. I did only 2T of the baking soda as the other review suggested. I also dredged the fish in flour first to help the batter stick. Either fry it up in a non stick pan or make sure your grease is deep enough to float the fish in to prevent sticking to the pan.
This is great. I used self rising flour (that I seasoned really well) instead and decreased the baking powder. And like some of the other reviews, I also increased the liquid because the batter is really thick.
This is a perfect batter. It's thick, and coats the fish nicely and yet, doesn't come out overly oily. I do spice the flour with garlic powder, italian seasoning, salt, pepper and vegetable seasoning. I followed suggestions and lowered the baking powder to 2 tbsp. It's a good batter for pretty much anything going in the fryer. Cheese, onion rings etc. (Try the cheese, it's phenomenal!)
Nice thick batter. PLEASE NOTE that Baking Powder and Baking Soda are NOT the same thing. Incorrectly using Baking Soda (also known as Bi-carb Soda or Sodium bi-carbonate) in this recipe will give the "tangy" or bitter taste other reviewers have mentioned. Baking Soda is not a "one for one" substitute for Baking Powder - which usually contains about 25% baking soda (alkali) + 50% cream of tartar (acid) and a buffer ingredient. The acid/alkali combination aerates the mixture when liquid is added. Hope this helps
This recipe was good but did have a little bit of a bitter taste. Next time, I may cut way back on the baking powder. I was kinda messy to cook.
This was just terrific. I always struggle with frying fish in the typical bread crumb coating, and this solved the dilemma forever! I too reduced the baking powder to 2T, but did not change anything else. The coating is a little messy to apply, but wasn't a problem. It can be thicker or thinner to your taste. Absolutely delcious! It reminded my family of the old Arthur Treacher's fried fish (or Long John Silver's). Thank you!!!
This recipe has the incorrect amount of baking powder. It should be 1/4 tsp. not cup. Not sure how to get a hold of the person who posted this recipe to have her change it.
This is a decent recipe. The batter was nice and crispy, but the taste left something to be desired. I added pepper and Old Bay Seasoning and took the advise of others to cut the baking powder to 2 Tbs. It still needed something. Maybe more salt? Maybe garlic? I've never made my own fish fry before so have nothing to compare it to except the frozen fish fillets from the store and these are much better than those things, of course!
I wish I had read reviews first, the 1/4 cup baking powder did sound a little off, I've never used that much baking powder in anything I've cooked before. It tasted horrible and I had to throw it out. Wasted 2 lbs of fish. Someone should revise this.
This is a good basic recipe. Nice crispiness! I used 3/4 cup of flour instead of half a cup, and only 2T of baking powder. I also added 1T onion powder, garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon of white pepper, and 1T crab seafood seasoning. Dredged in flour then dipped in batter. This was a perfect batter. I also used it to deep fry red and yellow bell peppers.
I assumed 1/4 cup baking powder was a missprint and used 1/4 tsp turned out great
almost burnt my house down with this batter what a mess to clean up too much baking soda wasted my cod ...dropped it in grease it foamed the grease till it overflowed and empty my pot all over the stove caught fire burnt my little toe ....Grease was not too hot never had problems with other batters but this one ...others never said to use that much baking soda ...is there a typo on the baking soda please check before others get hurt as well :(
We made this tonight and unfortunately, it wasn't very good. Followed the recipe, except we cut the baking powder in half. The result was a light batter that did not have much flavor at all. If we were to make it again, we would adjust it to have even less baking powder and maybe some kind of seasoning in it.
1/4 cup of baking powder?, really?, try the revised version of this recipe from other members posted reviews
First, something's wrong with the proportions: There's no way the batter can be the right consistency based on the 1/2 cup water and 1/2 cup milk. Second: The taste was bitter and overpowering of flour. I think the amount of flour should be reduced. Third: The batter turned a beautiful golden brown. But the appearance was misleading. Worst batter recipe I've found so far.
I have tried this recipe several times and it was ok. Then I really read the reviews. I saw that you had to reduce the baking powder but I didn't read on how much. I reduced the baking powder to 2 Tbsp as suggested this time and it was terrific. My husband even asked this morning how I did it! Too bad 'All Recipes' doesn't edit it.
I thought this recipe was great!! I have never made my own batter before, this was so easy. I did reduce baking powder to 2 tbsp, added paprika, onion powder & black pepper. I had approx 2 lbs of catfish and exactly enough batter for the batch. Melts in your mouth, thanks for all the tips from the reviews (and the recipe poster as well). I'm going to try shrimp with this next, and maybe some onion rings!!
I have never had a fish batter as good as this one. I made it last night and my husband loved it. It was so simple to prepare and the fish was wonderful. I did however add 1tsp each of onion and garlic powder and a 1/4 tsp of chili powder.
So light and crispy. The batter was a little thick so I thinned it with a bit of water. I added just a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. I patted dry the fish fillets and then dredged them with a seasoned flour mixture. The batter didn't separate from the fish. Will use this again. EXCELLENT!!
People, this is a basic recipe for crispy batter when deep fried. It's very versatile, can be made into Beer Batter, Curry Batter, fried cakes (add sugar or honey), all you need is an imagination and some seasoning. I USED 2 TABLESPOONS OF BAKING POWDER RATHER THE 1/4 CUP AS THE RECIPE CALLS FOR.
this batter was good I gave it a 3 stars because I modified the recipe. I reduced the baking powder to 2 TBSP and increased the milk and water ( Batter was thick) I also added spices to give it more flavor...
I don't see where all these good reviews are coming from...okay it tastes good HOWEVER when I went to lift the basket from my fryer all the breading had dissconnected from the fish. I am so disapointed :( I too used the 2 T. baking powder as recommened by other reviews.
The biggest mess I have ever had frying fish. No Batter stayed on the fish. Had no flavor.
Reduced the baking powder too! Wonderful! As a brit in north america I'm always looking for a good fish n chip batter - this was the best we've had! We deep fried thin fillets of sole. looking forward to experimenting with other foods.
Oh my gosh soooo crunchy but still melts in your mouth! I added my own blend of herbs in the batter to make it taste ... Try adding dry parsley , sage, fine herbs, garlic powder, thyme, celery salt , and salt and pepper. Every one loved it!
Yummy, like Mama used to make!! Light crispy and delicious!! Oh, I cut the baking powder too. Thank-you to all the reviews before, so I knew what to do!!! MMmmmmm
Just tried it, was very good. After reading about the amount of baking power and the bitterness it causes in the recipe I only put 1 tblsp in and also added some garlic power and a pinch of italian herb seasoning. Turned out great, light and crispy! will use it again, ty for the recipe :D
Best batter ever!!! Made it as the recipe called for first. Awesome. Made it without as much baking powder, Awesome. Made it without any salt, Awesome. No matter what I did it always came out great! Cooked in oil at 375-400 for 4-5 minuets. Great for veggies too! Next time I'm going to use less water for a thicker batter. Can't wait I know it will be.... Awesome!!!
it was perfect. i did follow other reviews and only used the 2tbls of baking powder.
Great batter! We used it on Halibut and on cooked chicken breast - made great chicken balls.
Makes the best, lightest and nicest batter for fish. My husband even goes to the store to buy fish just so I'll make fish and chips for him using this batter! I've used this recipe several times now - never fails - although half the recipe is usually plenty.
we add a bit of garlic powder it adds an extra kick of flavor. LOVE this recipe though.
Hey everyone, it should be 1/4 TEASPOON baking powder, NOT 1/4 cup!!!!!! Otherwise, great, simple light batter for fish. Add other stuff for flavoring if you like. Sprinkle with lemon or lime juice just before serving. I'd give it 5* but for the typo. From the other reviews, it seems some people actually used 1/4 cup baking powder...
Wonderful recipe. I allowed the kids to handle this one. I did notice that there was some sticking as we cooked more and more in the same pan. The family loved it and thats what really counts for me! Thanks!
I followed others directions and cut the baking powder to 2 T..no bitter taste. Coats nicely. I used the leftovers for thick onion rings. Yummy! BTW I am gluten free so I used my homemade GF flour and it was fine.
Wow! It can't be this easy! I also read the previous reviews and cut back to 2 Tbsp of baking powder, I used B/C Better for Bread flour and I left out the salt but added 1 tbsp of Everglades Seasoning and 1 tsp of McCormicks Italian Herb mix...on my taste buds, it's a keeper!
Made this tonight. Really liked it. Because of other reviews I reduced amount of baking powder I used to just over half called for. The batter is easy, uses few ingredients, and cooks up fluffy and crisp. I'd recommend to anyone wanting a quick easy batter recipe.
First time I made fried fish - this batter is excellent. I went with the other reviews and only used 2T of baking powder, which eliminated the after taste. Make sure to seasoning the batter to your menu or taste. I used garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Next time I think I'll add some beer in place of the water. Did also need to add more water, as the batter was too thick with the amounts they recommend. Overall it was light and perfect! Will make this again. My Southern husband is pretty impressed with his Yankee wife's fish frying abilities now!
Fantastic! I followed the recipe as-is except used half and half because I was out of milk. So crispy and light! Like a previous reviewer,I had a problem with the fish sticking to the bottom of the pan, which I blame on the oil not being deep enough. So I know better for next time, and there WILL be a next time!
This is the BEST batter if you do 2 things! Add garlic powder and some smoked paprika for flavor AND THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS LET THIS BATTER SIT FOR 1/2 AN HOUR!!! DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP!! You will have the lightest, crispiest batter you have ever had. Use it for fish, cheese curds, onion rings or really anything you want to fry.
perfect batter...I added lemon pepper to it and my husband said it's the best ever. We are fish eaters...former fishing guides from Alaska and have tried many different batters, but this one is easy and very tasty.
They made a mistake it is suppose to be 1Tbl spoon of baking powder. Also i added 4 table spoons of corn starch. Makes it extra crispy and tender inside. Along with onion ,garlic powder 1tbls of each and i used black pepper,salt 1Tspn. Patted the fish dry .rolled in some flour and dipped it in the batter. Shook off and extra and fried 5min on each side. Then put on wire rack not paper towels. They hold the grease in. Also use wesson oil. I find it works the best. Good eating everyone.
the best ever. cut way back on BP.. surprising how such little ingriendients gives you the best products!
LOVE,,,,,LOVE......LOVED THE RESULTS!!!!..used self rising flour which had baking powder and salt and added an additional (2) tsp baking powder for additional lift in the batter.....season the flour with spices of your choice....if using self rising flour OMIT THE SALT or add 1/2 tsp salt or less if you like it slightly salty...the batter fries and puffs up to a crispy texture that remains so over 1 hour plus after frying....deep fried in olive oil, make sure you have enough oil in pan, turn frequently until both sides golden brown ....YUMMY!....CRISPY!!!!!
I will never buy a pre-made box of batter ever again! So easy, So inexpensive, So fabulous! I can't stand thick batter on anything, it takes away from the taste of the main ingredient. This coating is light, crispy and absolutely delish. I reduced the amount of the baking powder to 2 TBL and coated the fish with flour before dipping per previous reviews. I added just a smidge more milk to thin the batter, then seasoned with 1 tsp each of Old Bay and garlic powder. The recipe is so simple, I really didn't have much faith in it. I was completely wrong. It's a must try, you'll impress everyone.
If you decrease the baking powder this is a winning recipe. We make the first batch then tasted it and we felt it was a little bitter. Decreased the baking powder to about 1/16 and it was perfect for me but my husband liked the crispness of the first batch. In the end we decided we would try 1/8 c next time.
Converted this to gluten free and I must say it turned out fabulous or in the words of my 7yo daughter "phenomenal, I could eat this all the time". I took the advise of others on increasing liquids and I added some spices, changes are as follows: 1 c. gluten free flour, 3/4c. milk and water, 1 TBSP gluten free baking powder, 1 tsp. salt, 1 tsp. garlic powder, 1/2 tsp. pepper, 1/2 tsp. paprika, *used organic coconut oil to fry in. It's not often that typical recipes convert well to gluten free but this one is a winner, we are going to try this as a coating for chicken nuggets as well.
I read and followed the recipe AND the tips and this fish came out AMAZING....the fish was supposed to be for fish tacos, but it was so good that I just ate the fish alone (with tartar sauce). Definately my new go to recipe for fish!! Crispy, Light, Quick and Easy.....Pretty and most importantly YUMMY!!!
awesome batter but i also only used 2T of baking powder....very crispy though and light! Will use it for all my battering in the future!
Very Crispy Fish.. Uses cod...cut down baking powder to 2 tblspoons. added a bit more liquid. Delicious. Go to Batter recipe!
This batter was great on cod and I had enough left over for fried zucchini. I upped the salt and thinned out the batter just a bit. As per other reviewers, I decreased the baking powder to two tablespoons. My family was thrilled with this batter. My son actually said it looked like fish served at a popular place in the Seattle/Tacoma area. I think I would leave the batter thicker with the zucchini. I dried my fish pieces really well, so had no problem with the batter coating the fish. Thanks Marge for an easy and delicious batter for deep frying. I don't fry often but when I do, this will be my go to recipe.
Tasteless - soggy even on high heat - allows alot of oil to saturate the meat - leaves much to be desired. Would not use again.
I followed the recipe and all the recommendations for alleviating that "bitter" taste with no fortune. I'm giving it 2 stars because it was too bland and bitter, but had a great crisp texture.
A great base for a batter without egg. I don't keep milk in the house but I did have dried milk, so I just added beer instead of water for liquid, did not add salt just Old Bay by taste. I fried shrimp and tasted one before fully seasoning. Took the advise of others and only added 1T of baking powder. So crispy and delicous!!!!
Great flavor and lightness. I used it on fish and onion rings! Yum!! My problem wasn't the batter but my ability to deep fry!
Awesome!! I scaled back the baking powder to 2 T. I also sprinkled some dill in the batter. The consistency of the batter is similar to pancake batter. It coats the fish perfectly. It turned out light and crisp.
A very good and fluffy batter. Best if used the first day. Not super great from the fridge to the microwave on the second day.
I tried within 10 minutes of reading it. The recipe is simple, quick, inexpensive, tasty, is not too oily, and does not leave dirty used oil behind. Individual can always tweak it further. Thanks for "old is gold" recipe.
I think the 1/4 cup baking powder was a typo. I used self rising, and omitted the powder. To the recipe, I added an egg, and creole seasoning. We used it for perch, and it was excellent.
My girl freind and i tried this recipee and we loved it. this isent the thinnest batter but we had thick fillets of northern and it worked out terrific with a great taste. i am keeping this recipee forever.
I thought this was more like pancakes with fish inside. The texture was totally wrong for what I was expecting.
When I first read the recipe, The baking powder amount scared me, but I tried it anyway, and it was wonderful. I did not detect the bitterness others have mentioned, maybe a tiny bit salty for me, but all in all, GREAT! I intend to use it again and again.
Even though I had to use corn meal flour and i did cut down the bakeing powder Its a great batter I know it will be awsome with plan flour and add some seasonings and your set.
As a Brit living in the US I hanker for “real” fish and chips. Yesterday I cooked two Costco Cod loins with this batter and it was absolutely as good as anything I’ve eaten in the UK. I used half the amount (same ratio) with a splash more milk as it comes up a little thick. I also coated the dried fish with flour to aid adhesion. Tiny hint...use a fork not your fingers to drench the fish... it prevents your fingers from creating a gap in the batter.
way too much baking powder didn't adhere that well to fish. Will try again with less baking powder.
I used this batter for fried jalapinos because I was out of eggs to use my regular recipe. I will use this from now on for all fried vegies.
I tried this recipe last night, keeping in mind others' reviews and didn't put in as much baking powder. I was so impressed at the outcome! Not overly greasy, very crispy. My family now wants everything fried in this batter! LOL
This is a good crispy and light batter. It's very easy to prepare and I will definitely use it again!
Excellent batter. I amended with 2 tbsp of baking powder, as recommended in previous reviews, and turned the milk to buttermilk. Crispy, light and wonderful. Best yet.
Great batter! Adjust/add seasonings to your liking and reduce baking powder to 1/4 tsp and its PERFECT!
Really easy... really light and crispy worked really good with Haddock... even pimped it up a bit with a tsp of All Purpose Seasoning... Good Times...
What I love about this batter is that it actually stays on the fish! It's crispy with a great flavor. I've made it several times using snapper, rock fish, and sole; and I cook it in coconut oil. My family loves it.
Simple but good. Better to make it a little thicker and flour the fish or whatever you are using first.
This is such a simple recipe and WOW what a great crispy coating on my fish. I did drop back to 2 tablespoons of Baking Powder. It was a thick batter but it fried up golden brown and crispy.
Good fish batter. I liked the thickness and consistency and didn't taste the baking powder taste myself. I do think I could have added more salt and maybe some other seasoning to make it more flavorful...? Who knows! I liked how easy it was and that all the ingredients were already in my cupboard.
I liked the taste of this recipe with the reduction in baking powder (2 tablespoons). It was used to coat catfish nuggets because I ran out of cornmeal. The recipe worked with the catfish but the consistency reminded me of glue and seemed to like my fingers more then the fish.
this was very good and thick. Added some old bay seasoning and only did 2 tbp of bkng powder. can totally used this for other recipes as well not just fish.
This is a great light batter. I dont like a lot of batter around my fish so I added another 1/4 cup milk and water and only used 1.5 TBSP baking soda. I saved half the batter and dipped my fish in the batter and placed it in a glass dish..single layer and put it in the fridge for a few hours. I added 2 TBSP old bay seasoning and pepper to taste when I re-dipped before I deep fryed...everyone loved it! I thought it was better then the fish and chips I had at a local restaurant last week!!
This is a great recipe. Its quick and easy and light and crispy. Definately going to make again and again.
This was an unbelievably simple recipe, but it was wonderful. I had to add a little water later as the batter thickened as I fried the fish. That was to be expected, though.
WOW! Good batter, I used it with shrimp and cut up tilapia as well. Tasted like the restaurant. Should be eaten quickly however or better will soften up, but that's with any fried fish. Great recipe, will keep in my cookbook.
I tried this batter, it is a good basic crispy batter! I used 3 TBS. baking powder and had to double the water because its was too thick. Also added garlic powder, old bay to the dry ingredients before adding liquid. Also floured fish before dipping in batter. Yum!
This worked wonderful with my tilapia tonight. One of the best batters I've made.
This fish batter is really unbelievable. Love it! I've been on this site for a while and never once left a review. I had to review this however because of its amazingness. A keeper for sure!
This recipe was great (with the 2 tbsp baking powder alteration). I chose the recipe on short notice when the first recipe I picked didn't turn out and it was awesome.
This batter is great with yellow perch. Its the only way I can get my kids to eat fish.
Nice thick batter that really sticks to the fish. I knew this batter didn't need 1/4 cup of baking powder, heck, not even cake batter calls for that much. I added two tsp. and it was very good. However, next time, I will only use 1 tsp. This will be my go to recipe until/unless I ever find something even better. :)
This recipe was fantastic and my family raved about it. I battered 100 shrimp and had plenty left over. After reading several other reviews I decided to used 3/4 cup milk and 3/4 cup water. I also used Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and old bay seasoning. I will definitely save this recipe for future use.
