Beer Battered Shrimp

I think that when you're a kid you assume that as you get older you will amass more and more knowledge with each passing year and will eventually know everything.  Like Mom and Dad.  What you don't realize, is that once you stop going to school your brain slowly releases all that information you once learned until you know less history than you knew in the fifth grade.  Foreign languages are a doosey in terms of brain hemorrhaging (I would also say that the spelling of "hemorrhaging" falls into this category, but I never knew how to spell that word until I typed it ten times into Blogger hoping it would eventually auto correct).  And last but not least, there is math.  Remember those times tables you memorized in the third grade?  Or was if forth (see, getting dumber by the second)?  Well I can barely remember what 7 x 8 is, and dont' even begin to ask me about those twelve times tables.

Oh math, I used to be so good at you.  We used to be pals and I never thought you'd fail me.  But perhaps I failed you such that I couldn't even count the weeks in June and realize that I don't have enough Fried Things posts to last the entire month.  Alas, dear readers, this is my last Fried Things post for the month because I clearly cannot count to five.  This post isn't even really a different recipe, but is more of an illustration of what you can do with your beer batter.

Not to go all Paula Deen on you, but you can really fry just about anything.  And if you're frying it in beer batter, all the merrier.  So long as your item can cook through in 5 minutes, you can fry it in beer batter (read: no pork or chicken).  Shrimp cooks up in a jiffy and tastes amazing in beer batter.  I also fried up some beer-battered zucchini slices that were absolutely incredible.

So while you have managed to lose all your knowledge of world history, the Spanish language, and simple math, at least you have become more proficient in the kitchen.  Right?

Beer Battered Shrimp

As many pealed, de-veined shrimp as you like - the batter will cover at least 30 medium shrimp
Enough canola oil to have at least 2 inches of oil

Batter:
1 bottle beer
1 1/2 cups flour
Couple shakes of kosher salt
Shake of garlic powder
Shake of black pepper
Shake of cayenne pepper
1/2 cup flour for dredging

In a large bowl, pour one bottle of beer.  Sift into the beer 1 1/2 cups flour and your spices.  Whisk together until just combined.  While the batter sits, heat 2 inches of canola oil in your dutch oven until 375 degrees.  Dredge shrimp in flour and shake of excess.  Dip in beer batter and fry in 375 degree oil, flipping occasionally, until browned evenly.  They should be fully cooked in 3-4 minutes.  Sprinkle with kosher salt when done and keep warm in a 225 degree oven until ready to serve.