Beer-Battered Halibut Fish Sandwich

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Heavy Dutch oven or deep skillet (at least 5-quart)
• •Deep-fry or candy thermometer
• •Wire cooling rack
• •Spider strainer or slotted spoon
• •Rimmed sheet pan

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the tartar sauce

   Stir together the mayonnaise, pickle relish, chopped capers, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, and minced dill in a small bowl. Taste it. Adjust the lemon or add a pinch of salt if needed. This should be tangy enough to cut through the richness of fried fish. Refrigerate while you prepare everything else.

   Tartar sauce improves after an hour in the refrigerator. The flavors meld and the relish softens. Make it the night before if you're planning ahead.
2. 2

   Prepare the slaw

   Toss the shredded cabbage with the mayonnaise, cider vinegar, and celery seed. Season with salt and pepper. The slaw should be lightly dressed, not swimming. It needs to stay crisp on the sandwich, providing contrast to the soft bun and tender fish. Set aside at room temperature.

3. 3

   Prepare the halibut

   Pat your halibut portions completely dry with paper towels. Moisture is the enemy of crisp batter. Each piece should be roughly the size and shape of your bun, about three-quarters of an inch thick. If your fillets are uneven, pound the thicker end gently with your palm to even them out. Season lightly with salt on both sides.

4. 4

   Heat the oil

   Pour oil into a heavy Dutch oven or deep skillet to a depth of three inches. Attach a deep-fry thermometer and heat over medium-high until the oil reaches 375 degrees. This takes longer than you expect. Be patient. The temperature will drop when you add the fish, so starting hot is essential.

   A cast iron Dutch oven holds heat better than thin stainless steel. The thermal mass keeps your oil temperature stable throughout frying.
5. 5

   Mix the batter

   While the oil heats, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, black pepper, and cayenne in a medium bowl. Make a well in the center and pour in the cold beer. Whisk from the center outward, incorporating flour gradually until you have a smooth batter the consistency of heavy cream. A few small lumps are fine. Do not overmix.

   The beer must be cold. Warm beer loses its carbonation, and carbonation is what makes the batter puff and crisp. Some cooks even add an ice cube to the batter to keep it cold.
6. 6

   Dredge and batter the fish

   Place the half cup of flour for dredging in a shallow dish. Working with one piece at a time, dredge the halibut in flour, shaking off the excess. The flour coating helps the batter adhere. Dip the floured fish into the batter, letting the excess drip back into the bowl for a count of three.

7. 7

   Fry until golden

   Carefully lower the battered fish into the hot oil, laying it away from you to prevent splashing. Fry two pieces at a time to avoid crowding and dropping the oil temperature. Cook for four to five minutes, turning once halfway through, until the batter is deeply golden and the fish is cooked through. The coating should sound hollow when tapped with tongs.

   If the batter browns too quickly, your oil is too hot. If it stays pale and absorbs oil, the temperature has dropped. Adjust your heat between batches.
8. 8

   Drain and rest

   Transfer fried fish to a wire rack set over a sheet pan. Season immediately with a pinch of salt while the coating is still hot and can absorb it. Let rest for two minutes. This brief rest allows the internal steam to escape and the crust to firm up. A paper towel-lined plate traps steam and makes the bottom soggy.

9. 9

   Toast the buns

   While the second batch fries, split the buns and spread the cut sides with softened butter. Toast in a dry skillet over medium heat until golden brown, about one minute. The butter creates a moisture barrier that prevents the tartar sauce from making the bun soggy.

10. 10

    Assemble the sandwiches

    Spread a generous tablespoon of tartar sauce on the bottom bun. Pile a mound of coleslaw over the sauce. Set the hot fried halibut directly on the slaw, allowing the slaw to cushion and support it. Add another dollop of tartar sauce to the top bun if you like. Close the sandwich. Serve immediately with lemon wedges alongside.

Chef Tips

• •Halibut commands a premium price. Ask your fishmonger for end cuts or belly pieces, which fry beautifully and cost less than center-cut portions. Pacific halibut is sustainable when caught by hook; Atlantic halibut is overfished.
• •The sandwich travels better than you'd think. Wrap the fried fish separately in foil and the dressed buns in wax paper. Assemble at your destination. The fish stays crisp for twenty minutes this way.
• •Cod, haddock, or lingcod work if halibut is unavailable. The technique is identical. What matters is firm, white-fleshed fish that flakes but holds together under the batter's protection.
• •Leftover tartar sauce keeps refrigerated for a week. Spread it on any fish, use it as a dip for fries, or thin it with lemon juice for a quick salad dressing.

Advance Preparation

• •Tartar sauce can be made up to three days ahead and refrigerated. The flavors improve with time.
• •Coleslaw can be prepared up to four hours ahead. Dress it lightly and add more mayonnaise just before serving if it looks dry.
• •The batter should be mixed just before frying. It loses its lift if it sits too long.
• •For outdoor dining, transport components separately: fried fish wrapped in foil (stays crisp for twenty minutes), toasted buns in a paper bag, slaw and tartar sauce in sealed containers. Assemble on site.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 sandwich (about 430g)