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    Peak to Plate » All Wild Game » Fish

    Beer-Battered Halibut Sandwiches with Lemon Dill Sauce

    Published: Mar 28, 2023 by Annie Weisz · This post may contain affiliate links.

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    Get ready to dive into a mouthwatering meal with these beer-battered fish sandwiches! Picture this - tender, juicy halibut filets coated in a delicious beer batter, fried to crispy golden-brown perfection. These bad boys are served up on soft brioche buns, with a generous dollop of tangy lemon dill sauce, crisp lettuce, and juicy tomatoes. So get your taste buds ready and give them a try today!

    hands holding beer-battered halibut sandwich.
    Jump to:
    • Why This Recipe Works:
    • Ingredient Notes:
    • Equipment Notes:
    • Step by Step Instructions:
    • More Recipes You'll Love:
    • Putting it All Together:
    • Recipe FAQ's:
    • Other Recipes to Try:
    • Recipe:
    • Beer-Battered Halibut Sandwiches with Lemon Dill Sauce

    Why This Recipe Works:

    Halibut is a very versatile fish that can be used in a variety of recipes like this easy broiled miso halibut or halibut green curry. Beer-battered halibut sandwiches are a classic fish recipe. The use of beer in the batter enhances the flavor of the fish and adds a distinctive taste and lightness to the crispy breading.

    The crispy golden-brown texture of the battered halibut filets pairs well with the soft bun and toppings, creating a perfect balance of flavors and textures. The combination of fresh lettuce, juicy tomatoes, and tangy lemon dill sauce makes every bite perfect. These beer-battered halibut sandwiches are a satisfying and flavorful dish that is perfect for any seafood lover!

    Ingredient Notes:

    beer-battered halibut sandwich ingredients with labels.
    • Halibut: Any white-fleshed fish can be used in place of the halibut in this recipe. Halibut filets work well because of their size and shape. Cod, haddock, rockfish, etc. will all work.
    • Beer: A light beer like a lager works well for beer-battered fish because it adds a light beer flavor without weighing it down. Any light, non-hoppy beer will work.
    • Peanut Oil: Peanut oil is great for frying but other oils like sunflower, canola, safflower, etc. will work.
    • Lemon Dill Sauce: This recipe uses a homemade lemon dill sauce, but you can use your favorite tartar sauce as well.

    Equipment Notes:

    • Deep Pan: A deep pan is necessary for frying to keep the oil from bubbling over the edge. Select a pan that is at least 3-4" deep since you will be using 1" of oil.
    • High-Temperature Thermometer: A high-temperature thermometer or candy thermometer is necessary to make sure your oil is at the proper temperature. If it's too cold, the breading will become soggy. If the oil is too hot, the filets will burn.
    • Filet Knife: You can cut fish filets with several types of knives, but a filet knife works best due to its unique shape.
    checking temperature of peanut oil for frying.

    Step by Step Instructions:

    How To Cut Halibut Filets for Sandwiches:

    Halibut filets for sandwiches should be cut in a specific way to ensure the perfect fish-to-beer batter ratio. Follow the simple steps below!

    halibut filet on slate board.
    Select a halibut filet that is either thick enough to cut into thinner pieces (about ½" thick) or a thinner filet that can be cut into squares. See below for more tips on how to select the perfect filet.
    removing halibut skin with filet knife.
    Remove skin with filet knife, if needed.
    removing bones from halibut filet with tweezers.
    Remove bones with tweezers, if needed.
    cutting halibut filet in half.
    Cut halibut filet into squares, about the size of a hamburger bun.
    cutting halibut filet into thinner pieces.
    Cut halibut filets into approximately ½" thick pieces.
    halibut filet cut into 4 thinner pieces.
    Repeat with remaining pieces.

    Pro Tip: Halibut filets need to be cut into thin pieces before frying. The batter puffs up and becomes thicker than you might expect so the filets need to be thin for the perfect fish-to-breading ratio.

    How To Make Beer-Battered Fish:

    Making beer-battered fish is a fairly simple process but there are a few key steps to ensure perfectly cooked, crispy, golden-brown filets. Follow the steps below and you're sure to succeed!

    salting halibut filet pieces for sandwiches.
    Salt fish filets 30 minutes before frying.
    checking temperature of peanut oil for frying.
    Add 1 inch of frying oil to a deep pan. Heat to 350-375 degrees F.
    mixing dry ingredients for beer batter.
    Mix together flour, baking powder, and seafood seasoning in a medium bowl.
    mixing beet batter with whisk.
    Whisk in cold beer.
    whisking beer batter in metal bowl.
    The batter should be the consistency of a thin pancake batter.
    dipping halibut filet into beer batter.
    Gently pat halibut filets dry with a paper towel and dip them into the beer batter. Let the excess batter drip off.
    adding beer-battered halibut filet to pan of hot oil.
    Gently lower the battered fish into the hot oil.
    beer-battered halibut frying in oil.
    Cook until crispy and golden-brown, about 6-8 minutes, flipping halfway.
    beer-battered halibut filets on wire rack.
    Place on a wire rack on a sheet pan to let excess oil drip off. The wire rack also keeps them from getting soggy.
    beer-battered filets on wire rack in oven.
    If you're making a big batch, place the pan in a warm oven while you fry the other filets.

    Pro Tip: Use cold beer for your beer batter. The shock of the cold batter hitting the hot oil is what gives beer-battered fish its signature light and crispy texture.

    How To Make Lemon Dill Sauce for Fish:

    This lemon dill sauce is bursting with bright flavors from the lemon zest and juice, and fresh dill. The tanginess in the sauce perfectly balances out the rich flavor of the fried fish. It's a must-have for these beer-battered fish sandwiches!

    lemon dill sauce ingredients in small bowls.
    Gather ingredients: dill, sour cream, mayo, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, and pepper.
    mixing lemon dill sauce with small wire whisk.
    Add it all to a bowl and stir to combine. Refrigerate until ready to use.

    Pro Tip: Prepare the sauce a few hours in advance, allowing the flavors to blend and develop to perfection.

    Selecting Halibut Filets for Sandwiches:

    Fish filets must be a specific shape and size to work well for sandwiches. You can either select a thick filet and cut it into thinner pieces, or select a thin piece about ½" or so thick. Try to select uniform halibut filets that will cut into sandwich-size squares easily.

    You can use the triangular tail-ends of the filet as well, but the squares will give you a more uniform sandwich. The pieces need to be cut into fairly thin pieces because the beer-batter puffs up quite a bit during the frying process and gives you a nice size piece of fish for your sandwich.

    salting halibut filet pieces for sandwiches.

    More Recipes You'll Love:

    • Beer-Battered Rockfish Tacos
    • Miso Halibut
    • Halibut Curry

    Putting it All Together:

    Once you have your perfectly cooked beer-battered fish, and delicious lemon dill sauce, all that's left to do is assemble your sandwiches and dig in! Dollop a generous scoop of the lemon dill sauce on your sandwich and spread it on both halves of the bun. Add your halibut filet, a piece of lettuce, and sliced tomatoes, and dig in! Serve with some homemade potato chips and enjoy!

    beer-battered halibut sandwich with wood pick.
    hands holding beer-battered halibut sandwich.

    Recipe FAQ's:

    What flavors go well with halibut?

    Halibut is a very versatile fish that pairs well with many flavors. But, classic flavors like lemon and dill complement this delicious, flaky fish very well.

    What beer is best for fish batter?

    A light beer like a lager works best for beer-battered fish. But, any light, non-hoppy beer will work. Avoid dark beers like stout, porter, brown ale, etc.

    Should fish batter be thick or runny?

    Beer batter should be on the thinner side. It needs to be thin enough to coat the fish but not so thin that the batter runs off the fish. It can take a few tries to learn the perfect consistency.

    What fish works best for beer-battered fish?

    White-fleshed fish like halibut, cod, haddock, rockfish, etc. work best for beer-battered fish.

    Other Recipes to Try:

    • beer-battered rockfish tacos with cilantro lime slaw.
      Beer-Battered Rockfish Tacos with Cilantro Lime Slaw
    • potato chips in bowl with some spilling out.
      Homemade Potato Chips
    • smoked trout BLT sandwich on plate with outdoor background.
      Smoked Trout BLT Sandwich
    • miso halibut with shiitakes and green onions.
      Easy Broiled Miso Halibut

    If you make this recipe, please leave a star rating at the bottom of the page! This provides helpful feedback to me and fellow readers. And if you want more delicious, wild game recipes you can subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Instagram and Pinterest!

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    Recipe:

    hands holding beer-battered halibut sandwich.

    Beer-Battered Halibut Sandwiches with Lemon Dill Sauce

    Annie Weisz
    Tender, juicy halibut fillets coated in a delicious beer batter, fried to crispy golden-brown perfection. Served on brioche buns with a generous dollop of tangy lemon dill sauce, crispy lettuce, and juicy tomatoes.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 minutes mins
    Cook Time 15 minutes mins
    Course Main Course, Sandwich
    Cuisine American
    Servings 4
    Calories 554 kcal
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Equipment

    • filet knife
    • high temperature thermometer or candy thermometer
    • deep pan for frying

    Ingredients
      

    Beer-Battered Halibut

    • 1 lb halibut filet
    • 1 cup all-purpose flour
    • 1 cup + 2 tablespoon lager beer
    • 1 ½ tablespoon seafood seasoning (Old Bay)
    • ½ teaspoon baking powder
    • salt, to taste
    • peanut oil, for frying

    Lemon Dill Sauce:

    • ¼ cup sour cream
    • ¼ cup mayonnaise
    • 3 tablespoon fresh dill, finely chopped
    • 3 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
    • 2 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
    • 1 tablespoon stone ground mustard
    • ⅛ teaspoon salt
    • ⅛ teaspoon black pepper

    Other Ingredients:

    • 4 brioche hamburger buns
    • 8 slices tomato
    • 4 pieces leaf lettuce

    Instructions
     

    Lemon Dill Sauce:

    • Combine all sauce ingredients in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

    Beer-Battered Halibut:

    • Remove skin and bones from halibut filet, if needed.
    • Cut the halibut filet into 4 pieces, about ½" thick and the size of your hamburger buns. The size and shape of your filet(s) will determine how you cut the pieces for sandwiches. If your filet is around 1-1.5" thick, cut it in half to make it thinner. If your filet is already ¾" thick or thinner, don't cut it in half to make it thinner. See recipe post for examples.
    • Season halibut pieces with salt on both sides for 30 minutes before cooking.
    • Combine flour, seafood seasoning, and baking powder in a medium bowl. Slowly add beer to the batter and stir with a whisk. The batter should be the consistency of a thin pancake batter. It needs to be thin enough to coat the fish well but not so thin that it doesn't stick.
    • Add enough peanut oil to a deep skillet to make it about 1" deep. Heat over medium-high heat to 350-375°F.
    • Lightly pat halibut filets with paper towel if moisture has accumulated on the surface.
    • Dip halibut pieces in batter and let excess drip off. Add to pan of oil and cook for 6-8 minutes, flipping halfway, until internal temperature reaches 145°F and breading is golden brown and crispy.
    • If cooking larger batches, preheat oven to 200°F. Place a wire rack on a sheet pan. Once one batch of fish is finished cooking, place it on the wire rack in the oven to keep it warm.

    Assembly:

    • Spread lemon dill sauce on top and bottom buns. Place halibut on the bottom bun. Top with lettuce and tomatoes. Add the top bun and enjoy!

    Reheating Instructions:

    • This beer-battered fish reheats really well in the oven.
    • Preheat oven to 375°F. Place a wire rack on a sheet pan. Place halibut pieces on wire rack. Bake for 10-15 minutes, flipping halfway, or until breading is crispy and fish is heated through.

    Notes

      • Any white-fleshed fish can be used in place of the halibut in this recipe. Halibut filets work well because of their size and shape. Cod, haddock, rockfish, etc. will all work.
      • A light beer like a lager works well for beer-battered fish because it adds a light beer flavor without weighing it down. Any light, non-hoppy beer will work.
      • Peanut oil is great for frying but other oils like sunflower, canola, safflower, etc. will work.
      • This recipe uses a homemade lemon dill sauce, but you can use your favorite tartar sauce as well.
      • A deep pan is necessary for frying to keep the oil from bubbling over the edge. Select a pan that is at least 3-4" deep since you will be using 1" of oil.
      • You can cut fish filets with several types of knives, but a filet knife works best due to its unique shape.
      • A high-temperature thermometer or candy thermometer is necessary to make sure your oil is at the proper temperature. If it's too cold, the breading will become soggy. If the oil is too hot, the filets will burn.
    •  
    •  
    •  

    Nutrition

    Calories: 554kcalCarbohydrates: 39gProtein: 28gFat: 30gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 12gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0.03gCholesterol: 70mgSodium: 674mgPotassium: 748mgFiber: 2gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 747IUVitamin C: 14mgCalcium: 122mgIron: 3mg
    Nutrition Information Disclosure
    Love this recipe?Mention @peak.to.plate on Instagram and tag #peaktoplate

    More Recipes:

    • halibut green curry in white bowl with wood spoon.
      Halibut Green Curry
    • whitefish curry with basil in white bowl.
      Mountain Whitefish Curry
    • smoked trout in bowl with honey dipper and salmon colored cloth.
      Honey Smoked Rainbow Trout with Dry Brine
    • trout taco on blue plate.
      Brook Trout Tacos with Chipotle Avocado Crema

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    Comments

    1. Mary says

      April 01, 2023 at 6:01 pm

      Every single one of your recipes looks amazing. I can hardly wait to try one! The difficulty lies in which to try first. You make me hungry for fish!
      Thank you, madam or sir

      Reply
      • Annie Weisz says

        April 02, 2023 at 6:50 am

        Thank you for your kind words! I hope you enjoy the recipes!

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Annie! I'm a wife, mom of 2 boys, Registered Dietitian, Wyoming native, lover of all things food, and the creator of Peak to Plate. I believe that preparing delicious meals and enjoying them mindfully is the best way to pay respect to animals harvested for our consumption. I hope to inspire you to take your cooking skills to new creative heights.

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