Why Beer Batter Is The Absolute Best Choice For Frying Veggies

With the exception of starchy tubers like potatoes (hello, french fries), deep frying vegetables without batter can result in a mushy, oversaturated mess. Whether they're hearty or delicate, most vegetables benefit from a coating to create a crispy crunchy crust to contrast with a cooked, tender interior. That said, certain fry batters might do more harm than good by weighing them down and overpowering their fragile texture. That's why beer batter is the absolute best choice for frying vegetables.

Just as soda water is the secret ingredient in the fluffiest waffles and pancakes, beer provides the same airy element to frying batter. Beer introduces air bubbles into the flour and, along with baking powder, will help the batter puff up into a shatteringly crispy and light crust when fried. Any veggie you can fry is fair game for a light, bubbly beer batter, from meaty mushrooms, tender sweet onion rings, or more fibrous, chewy vegetables like okra or asparagus.

Beer is also a great flavoring agent, instilling subtle yet distinct and delicious malty tasting notes. Plus, you can choose different types of beer to use in your batter to bring out the flavor in a particular vegetable. For example, a nutty brown ale will bring a yeasty richness to complement savory vegetables like mushrooms while a sweet amber ale would work well with the robust taste of fennel. Of course, if you're more interested in its textural contribution, you can always opt for a more neutral inexpensive highly carbonated lager like Pabst Blue Ribbon or Bud Light.

Beer batter is a simple recipe that comes together in a matter of minutes and is much easier and more mess free than a dredging station. We have created a four ingredient eggless beer batter that pours a bottle of lager over flour, baking powder, and salt and blends into a thick smooth consistency. You can tack on any spices to bring more depth or complementary flavors to your veggies. Cayenne or even fresh cracked pepper will bring a spicy finish while garlic and onion powder are pungent aromatics that'll upgrade any vegetable. You can also replace half the flour with cornmeal for an earthier profile and delightfully grainy crunch.

Sifting the dry ingredients before adding your beer will ensure that the batter is smooth and clump-free. When you prepare your vegetables, ensure that you cut them into even sized chunks, florets, or rounds so they'll fry evenly. Pat them dry before coating them in batter for even and thorough adhesion that won't slip off when they hit the frying pan.

The best oil for deep frying beer battered vegetables is vegetable or canola oil, and the general consensus is to maintain oil temperatures between 325 and 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Cast iron skillets make good deep-frying vessels that'll keep temperatures constant for batch after batch of veggies.