Sourdough Fish Batter Recipe (Made with Sourdough Discard) - Truesourdough.com (2024)

Sourdough Fish Batter Recipe (Made with Sourdough Discard) - Truesourdough.com (1)

This recipe is a brilliant and different way of using up your leftover sourdough starter. The idea was given to me by one of my very first sourdough workshop students, and I love it because it is super easy and quick to make. (For more ideas on using up leftover starter, check out my article “16 Inventive Ways to Use up Sourdough Discard”)

Nothing beats traditional British fish and chips…….except for a sourdough version of traditional British fish and chips! What better way to relieve the guilt of eating deep fried battered fish than to make a healthier sourdough version!

I made this fish along side carrot fries and tomato sauce and it was delicious! A gorgeous tasting crispy fried batter with a juicy moist white fish inside.

It’s a quick go-to recipe that is easy and simple to make. And as it was such a big hit with my family, I’m sure I’ll be making it a regular week night dinner.

As with all sourdough discard recipes, you may have to tweak how thick or thin you need to make the consistency, as it depends on how you like to keep your starter. For this particular recipe, you need a fairly thick batter to coat the fish evenly. So add flour or water accordingly, until the consistency is like thick pancake batter.

Make sure the fish you use has been dabbed with kitchen paper to take off all the excess moisture, because if it is too moist, all the batter will slip right off!

I shallow fried my fish, but deep frying would work even better as there is no need to flip the fish to cook the other side. If you decide to shallow fry like I did, make sure you don’t flip too early, or you risk damaging some of the crispy even coating. Be sure the batter is crispy before turning over to cook the other side.

The fish will cook through very quickly once it hits the oil, but there’s very little danger of it overcooking. This is a pretty forgiving recipe. The fish stays nice and moist because the batter acts as a protective barrier during the cooling process.

Once the batter has formed and become crispy on both sides it is ready to be drained.

It’s important to note that you do need to drain it REALLY well to get that crispy finish. I left mine to drain on a cooling rack with a good few newspaper sheets underneath to catch the oil.

Be warned, you’ll be surprised at how much oil comes out of the fish while it is draining! (Don’t worry, once you taste it, all you’ll be thinking about is how tasty it is!)

This fish is best eaten fresh while it’s still warm, but had enough time to drain (although in my opinion it still makes pretty tasty leftovers).

I fried the fish first, then left it to drain while I made the fries. So all in all, it must have been draining for about 15 to 20 minutes, by which time, the fish was just about ready to eat.

This recipe will work with any type of white fish such as cod, pollock, haddock, etc. I bought frozen haddock fillets and left them out to defrost on the counter top. As long as the fish has been filleted and deboned, it will be fine for this recipe.

Pair this fish with some homemade potato wedges and mushy peas for a really tasty traditional British lunch!

QUICK TIP: If you have any leftover unused batter, this makes some amazing onion rings! Simply slice some onions and seperate them into rings. Dip them completely into the batter, take out and deep fry. Heavenly side dish. (Don’t forget to drain!)

Ingredients

2 cupsSourdough Starter
1 teaspoonTurmeric
1/2 teaspoonPaprika
1/2 teaspoonBlack Pepper
2 teaspoonsSalt
1 teaspoonBaking powder
4 fresh filletsWhite fish (I used haddock, but cod, pollock or any other white fish will work fine)
2 cupsCooking oil suitable for frying (e.g. canola oil)

Instructions

In a large mixing bowl, add the starter, turmeric, paprika, pepper and salt and mix until all ingredients are combined well.

Sourdough Fish Batter Recipe (Made with Sourdough Discard) - Truesourdough.com (2)

Dry the white fish with a paper towel to remove excess moisture.

Heat the oil in a pan on medium heat until it reaches about 375F (190C). This is perfect frying temperature to get just the right texture for the batter.

QUICK TIP: If you are not sure about the oil temperature and don’t have a suitable thermometer to hand, place a small amount of the batter in the oil using a teaspoon. If it sizzles, the oil is ready for frying.

Once the oil is ready, add baking powder to the batter mixture and stir well. You will notice it bubbling and increasing in size. (Hope you used a large enough bowl!)

Time to Fry the Fish…

Grab the tail end of the fish with one hand, and dip the whole fish into the batter, making sure it is completely submerged.

Sourdough Fish Batter Recipe (Made with Sourdough Discard) - Truesourdough.com (3)

Take out of the batter and immedietely place into the hot oil to fry.

Leave the fish in the oil to cook without moving it (this will give you a neat even coating).

After 2 – 3 minutes (or once the batter has become crispy on one side), carefully turn the fish over.

Cook for a further two minutes or so until the batter is a nice golden colour.

QUICK TIP: Don’t move the fish when it goes into the oil until it has formed the crispy batter. If it is moved before the batter has set into place, you’ll get messy looking fish with an uneven coating.

Once the fish has fried, take it out of the oil and place on a cooling rack to drain.

Leave to stand for 15 minutes so the oil has a chance to drain well.

Serve while still hot with fries and tomato sauce.

Want to learn to make amazing soft, fluffy sourdough bread? I’ve just released my brand new online sourdough bread baking course! You can check it out here.

Sourdough Fish Batter Recipe (Made with Sourdough Discard) - Truesourdough.com (4)

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Sourdough Fish Batter Recipe (Made with Sourdough Discard) - Truesourdough.com (2024)

FAQs

Can I use sourdough discard instead of starter? ›

You can use sourdough discard in any recipe calling for “unfed” or “discard” sourdough starter, but it can also be used in recipes that don't call for it. Because sourdough starter is made of flour and water, think of it as a replacement for some of the flour and water (or milk) in your recipe.

How do you use old sourdough discard? ›

Savoury options include English breakfast muffins, pretzels, caramelised onion biscuits, and sourdough pizza dough. For those with a sweet tooth, you may prefer pancakes, muffins, pumpkin bread, or chocolate cake. Keep reading for our favourite sourdough discard recipes below.

When can I use sourdough starter discard in recipes? ›

Remember, you can't use the discard from your homemade sourdough starter for the first 7 days. You can use sourdough discard in all kinds of sourdough discard recipes, including these no wait sourdough recipes, overnight sourdough discard recipes and sourdough discard recipes that use up a lot of discard.

What is the benefit of baking with sourdough discard? ›

Benefits of using sourdough discard

Flavor: Sourdough adds a delicious, nuanced flavor to desserts and savory baked goods. It adds a slight sour flavor without making them taste too off putting or acidic.

How to tell if sourdough discard is bad? ›

You can store mature sourdough discard in the refrigerator indefinitely. As long as there is no mold, it is good to use. It may develop a grayish liquid on top called “hooch” which can be poured off before use or stirred in. If you stir it in, the flavor will become more sour.

When should you not use sourdough starter? ›

After a few days, your daily 1/4 cup flour and water won't be enough to sustain your entire jar of starter, and your starter will be slow and sluggish, not much better than discard itself. But that's not necessarily a bad thing, depending on what you want to bake with it.

Can you use 2 week old sourdough discard? ›

Yes! Using a sourdough starter cache, as I like to call it, is a way to store starter discard through the week or two and use it in recipes when convenient.

Can I use sourdough discard straight from the fridge? ›

Yes you can use sourdough discard straight from the fridge, you don't need to let it come to room temperature if you don't want to. What is this? If you are using it straight from the fridge it may be a little stiff or thick, so you'll need to ensure you mix it really well.

How long can sourdough starter discard sit out? ›

As long as your kitchen isn't too warm (I'd say 78°F or higher) your starter/discard will be fine stored at room temperature for at least a few days without feeding. The flavor will get more acidic the longer it sits.

Do I need to feed sourdough discard before using? ›

Absolutely! A jar of sourdough discard serves as an insurance policy against starter death. If you have some discard on hand, remove a spoonful of it and feed it fresh flour and water in a clean jar. You should have a bubbly starter ready to bake with after a couple of feedings, depending on the discard's condition.

Can I feed my sourdough starter without discarding any? ›

If your recipe calls for more than 227g (about 1 cup) of starter, feed it without discarding until you've reached the amount you need (plus 113g to keep and feed again).

Is sourdough discard healthy? ›

Sourdough discard recipes not only reduce waste but also offer health benefits, making them a wonderful addition to a balanced diet. The fermentation process of the sourdough starter increases the availability of certain nutrients and can help improve digestion.

Can you do anything with sourdough starter discard? ›

You can always use this discard by directly mixing it into a dough for baking. Your discard, as long as it's in good shape, will leaven any bread dough just as well. The discard is just like a levain you would make for a recipe. The only difference is it's the same makeup as your starter.

What can I do with a lot of sourdough discard? ›

What to do with sourdough discard? Don't throw it away! Instead, use it to make delicious and nutritious treats like pancakes, waffles, muffins, and bread. Sourdough discard is a great source of natural yeast and flavor, and can add a unique tangy taste to your baked goods.

Should sourdough discard be at room temperature before using? ›

When you're ready to use it, let the discard come to room temperature before using it to bake. I will keep sourdough discard in the fridge for about one week. I do know others that keep it much longer. The longer you keep it, the higher the risk of the discard growing mold or bad bacteria.

Can I bake sourdough discard by itself? ›

#3 Sourdough Flavor, No Flour Added

Similar to case #2, above, discarded sourdough is used in recipes with no additional flour called for, so it can be baked immediately. The discarded starter's flour is already fermented and it adds sourdough flavor to the recipe.

How much starter to discard before feeding? ›

Remove and discard half of your sourdough starter from the jar. Feed what's left in the jar with equal parts flour and water by weight (1:1:1 feeding ratio). You need a digital kitchen scale for this. Because we all work with different quantities of starters, this 1:1:1 feeding ratio is best understood by example.

How to use sourdough discard to thicken soup? ›

Quickly whisk together the soup with the sourdough starter until combined. Pour this mixture into the soup and stir. The rye starter will flavor the soup and thicken the soup as it simmers. If the soup is too thick, add a little broth or water until it reaches the desired consistency.

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