Miss Raven's Kitchen

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A fish sandwich is nothing without a slaw on it! Beautifully fried cod, battered with beer, is placed between a roll slathered in tartar sauce and topped with freshly cut tomatoes, a tangy pickled shredded broccoli and carrot slaw; it just can’t be beat! Enjoy this sandwich poolside with a side of crunchy, salty potato chips and a crisp white wine!

Table of Contents:

1. Table of Contents:
2. Why You’ll Love This Recipe
3. Ingredients:
4. Tips & FAQs:
5. Recipe:
6. Check out these other great recipes!

I AM SO HAPPY, GUYS!

January 29th, 2026, was an amazing night. Jeff Mauro, food network chef and one of the hosts of The Kitchen, which I watched religiously every weekend morning, was performing here in Pittsburgh! I am forever grateful for my mom paying for the tickets and the cookbook so he could sign it. Happy very early birthday to me!

I missed the meet & greet before the show, unfortunately, but I was one of the lucky people to GET ON STAGE with Jeff Mauro! I was shaking uncontrollably because I was standing next to JEFF MAURO. He asked Pittsburgh what the best sandwich was on his Instagram story, and he stated that everyone who responded had told him to go to Primanti Bros. I did a taste test with two other women, and all I tasted was coleslaw…there was so much coleslaw on the sandwich. I could not speak like a normal human being, so all I said was “I taste the coleslaw, that’s pretty much it”. Everyone got a kick out of it, even him! I was so embarrassed. I was on stage, looking at a sea of people, thinking, “This was my only chance to showcase my knowledge of taste testing things because I run a recipe blog and I BLEW IT”.

I did end up getting my book signed and meeting him after the show. I was so ecstatic that I couldn’t even fathom the fact that I got on stage and met him afterward. Jeff Mauro, if you happen to be on my blog since you asked me to send the link, THANK YOU SO MUCH for allowing me to even be in your presence on stage and being one of the many influences of this blog (and this post, because of the slaw and it’s a sandwich recipe).

OK, but enough about how much fun I had with Jeff Mauro’s show (although I could just keep writing about it). On to this delicious fish sandwich. I really wanted to make this for the summertime, but my husband pressured me to test this recipe because of Jeff Mauro’s show. I am so glad I tested this earlier than July. The slaw was super simple but absolutely made this sandwich top-tier. Plus, Jeff Mauro is the sandwich king. I am not trying to take his place, but I dare say this sandwich might join him as a 2nd ruler.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Fried fish and a pickled slaw. Must I explain further on how superior this sandwich is to others out there? You get the fried fish, which is dredged in a beer batter made from a combination of flour and cornstarch to create a crispy coating, seasoned with typical pantry ingredients, and fried to utter crave-worthy perfection.

Next, you have the slaw, which is made up of shredded broccoli and shredded carrots, which are then pickled with red wine vinegar, salt, and some sugar just for some sweetness. I feel that anything pickled needs a touch of sweetness to balance out the tang from the vinegar, even pickles, but that’s just personal preference.

Prepping for this took no time at all, making this an easy dinner that can come together within 30 minutes max. The slaw was pickled within an hour, but I am looking forward to tasting it the next day to see how much better it is. I used a Kaiser roll for my sandwich, but a brioche bun would be just as delicious.

Ingredients:

• Cod: Cod is a milder fish and is my main choice for fried fish. Flounder is also pretty mild, but it flakes too easily when cooked, so it’s not recommended. Try to find thick filets if possible. This recipe works with a regular-sized, flat filet.
• All-Purpose Flour, Cornstarch, Salt, Black Pepper, Paprika, Baking Powder: The dry ingredients for the dredging. The flour and cornstarch, when mixed together, do different jobs. The flour adds the structure, promotes browning, and has a softer crunch. The cornstarch dries the surface, which leads to better crisping, stays crisp longer when sitting out, and creates a lighter crackle like you would get with tempura. When frying fish, always remember: 2 parts flour, 1 part cornstarch.
• Light Beer, Hot Sauce, Egg: The wet ingredients for the dredge, which are mixed into the dry ingredients. The beer has some carbonation, so it creates tiny bubbles, which leads to a more open, airy crust. It also enhances the browning because beer contains sugar and proteins. When beer-battering fish, you want a light lager, pale mild ale, or wheat beer. I used Bud Light for this. Avoid IPAs and strong/sour/yeasty beers. They’re extremely bitter and will overpower everything. The egg helps bind the coating together when frying.
• Shredded Broccoli Stems, Shredded Carrots, Red Onion, Red Wine Vinegar, Salt, Sugar: The slaw ingredients for this recipe. It’s so simple, yet each bite begs you to come back for more. Loading the fish sandwich with this slaw brings everything together. You have creamy tartar sauce, tangy pickled slaw, refreshing tomatoes, and crispy fish, in between a sandwich roll. You really can’t get anything better than that.

Tips & FAQs:

• Storage: Store everything separately. If you make a full sandwich and store it, the bread will be soggy from the slaw, and the fish won’t be as crispy. You’ll have a sad sandwich instead of a happy sandwich. The slaw can be stored up to 5 days. The fish can be stored for up to 2 days. I recommend crisping it in some oil or the air fryer. I do not recommend freezing the fish.
  • Make Ahead: The slaw can be made up to 24 hours in advance. The fish cannot be made in advance. It’s best served right away.
• Try to find thick center-cut cod. It stays juicy and flaky instead of drying out. Make sure you pat it dry before dredging, too! Any moisture will result in a soggy crust. Haddock can work as well for frying. Try to avoid oily fish or fish that will flake very easily, such as flounder.
• Use a soft bun for assembly. A softer bun, such as potato, brioche, or even milk bread, will work. A soft bun with a crunchy protein matters. You can toast the bread lightly before spreading tartar sauce or mayo on it to prevent sogginess. Assemble the sandwich right before eating! Fried fish waits for no one.
• What’s the best type of batter for frying fish? Flour + cornstarch with a cold beer or club soda gives the best crunch. This works for chicken thighs, too! I add an egg to help keep the dredge together while frying, especially in my Nashville Hot Chicken recipe. Fry the fish between 365F and 375F. If it’s too cool, it’ll just be greasy. Too hot, and you’ll have a burnt crust and a raw center. Keeping the temperature is key, so I recommend investing in a candy thermometer. It’ll withstand the heat and give you an accurate temperature at all times so you can adjust the heat as needed.
• Can I pan-fry instead of deep-frying? Yes, but there are some things to keep in mind. You will need to use a thicker coating as opposed to a wet batter. Meaning, you’ll need a classic breading station lined up in this order: flour, egg wash, then flour again. You would also need to shallow fry with a neutral oil and flip only once.
• Why a pickled slaw and not creamy? Fried fish needs acid, not more fat. Think of the classic combination of fish and lemon. The pickled slaw cuts through the grease and keeps the sandwich lively.
• Variations:
  • Add different seasonings to the batter to create different flavor profiles. Cumin and coriander for a Baja-style fish. Cayenne, paprika, and garlic powder for a southern-style fried fish, etc. Play with the seasonings!
  • Swap the cod for haddock or pollock for the best substitutes. Upgrade to halibut, sea bass, or monkfish. They will be the best for the structure since they hold together well. Avoid salmon, tuna, catfish, and tilapia.
• Wine Pairings:
  • I would pair this with an Albariño. It’s citrusy, crisp, and loves to be served with fried foods and anything with vinegar. This is my top pick.
  • A Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand or a Sancerre-style has a bright acidity with herbal notes, which pairs with the slaw perfectly.
  • For roundness, I would go with a Chablis, which is an unoaked Chardonnay. The clean taste works for this fish sandwich if you want elegance without butter.
  • A sparkling wine always works! Cava, Cremant, or a Brut Prosecco are the ways to go. Avoid sweet style wines.

Recipe:

Check out these other great recipes!