Beer-Battered Shrimp

Delectable and crispy, with a hint of spice – these Beer-Battered Shrimp are a perfect, light addition to any gathering.

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I am a bit picky when it comes to seafood, but when I do find a seafood dish I love, I fall really hard for it. When summer rolls around and beach visits are frequent, I have a Pavlovian reaction to seafood. I feel summer, I see waves, I salivate, and crave certain seafood meals. And lately, these beer-battered shrimp are the star of my cravings.

I don’t think I enjoyed beer-battered shrimp until I was in my twenties. For one, I do not care for anything too fishy, and two I don’t like the taste of beer. So, nothing was appealing to me here. Just in case you are in the same boat, let me tell you something INSANE: beer battered shrimp does not taste like beer or fishy! What?! Historically, the fish in fish and chips were the first things to be beer-battered. I am like 50/50 with fish and chips. I have loved them in London and some spots on Long Island, but I feel like they are really hit or miss. Ok. Enough about me, back to the beer-battering.

To ensure that this beer-battered shrimp comes out as tasty as I am raving about, you need to use FRESH, LARGE, shrimp. That’s the key, the rest just comes together. Aside from being simply fresh, crispy, light, and delish (as if that is not enough), this recipe for beer-battered shrimp is ridiculously easy. Seriously, just combine the spices and flour, add the beer, coat the shrimp, fry for a couple of minutes, and BOOM, we have a scrumptious snack or light meal.

Is Beer-Battered Shrimp Healthy?

Shrimp contains a good amount of protein, antioxidants, and selenium, which are all healthy. Selenium is great for your immune system, may be beneficial for cognitive health, and helps your thyroid and metabolism. Yes, please! However, the fried part may not be considered healthy, but there are certainly worse things for you. So enjoy! Everything in moderation, right?

Can we talk about beer batter?

Why would they coat shrimp in beer? Since the beer flavor and the effect of the alcohol don’t come through, what’s the point? There is a whole science behind this, so get ready to learn! When making beer-battered shrimp or anything beer-battered, using beer helps the batter stick better and the airiness contributes to that crispy texture. Even more interesting, the carbonation in the beer also helps regulate the internal temperature. Who does not love a science lesson with a side of crispy shrimp?

INGREDIENTS

1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup light beer
Vegetable oil for frying

INSTRUCTIONS

Prepare

Whisk together dry ingredients and beer to make batter.

Fry

Dip shrimp in batter and fry until golden.

Serve

Drain on paper towels and enjoy hot.

Devour!

FAQs & Tips

How to Make Ahead and Store

If you need to make your beer-battered shrimp ahead, you can, and then store it in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 days. However, if you only have time to make the batter ahead, that’s fine too, just dip and fry the shrimp when you are ready to serve and enjoy. For leftovers, reheat the shrimp for 10 minutes in the oven at 400 degrees.

What Kind of beer should I use?

I recommend a light beer like a lager or pilsner. While you don’t really get the beer flavor after the shrimp is cooked, you will notice a difference if you use a light beer, a super dark, or hoppy IPA.

Help! My batter is falling off?

One culprit could be the temperature of your oil. Check and be sure the oil is about 375 degrees before frying. Also, be sure your batter is mixed well, and shake off any excess before frying.

Serving Suggestions

Beer-battered shrimp is not only delish, it’s quite versatile too! I have served it as an appetizer with a tasty dipping sauce like the Tropical Sauce from this Mahi Mahi recipe. You can also try this smokey Chipotle Sauce or mix it up with this sweet and spicy Onion Ring Sauce.

As a main, serve your beer-battered shrimp over Latin Yellow Rice, on top of this super healthy Cauliflower Rice Burrito Bowl, or this Southwest Quinoa Salad.

Let’s not forget about the picky eaters. Skip the struggle at dinner and serve up your shrimp with Homemade French Fries or Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes.