Campfire Fish Fry with Kathy Berget: Simple Outdoor Recipe

Transcript

Taryn Solie: Hello grillers! I hope you had a lovely Memorial Day weekend and kicked off grilling season with something delicious. My family camped over the weekend — I’ll share more in an upcoming What We’re Grilling episode — but today we’re talking with Kathy from Beyond the Chicken Coop about what she and her family cook while camping.

Before we start, if you enjoy these guest interviews please subscribe, rate and review the podcast — it helps others find the show. Now, let’s get into the episode.

Taryn Solie: Today we have Kathy Berget. Kathy is a former elementary school principal who loves cooking, gardening and being outdoors. Her blog, Beyond the Chicken Coop, focuses on homemade recipes using many ingredients from their small farm. Kathy, welcome.

Kathy Berget: Hi, thanks so much.

Taryn Solie: I’m excited to talk about fish fries — something I’ve never done. But first, tell us about your background with grilling and outdoor cooking.

Kathy Berget: I loved cooking and baking as a kid. As an adult my husband and I grill year-round — in summer and even through winter — because the flavors from the grill are unbeatable. In hot months we often cook outside to avoid heating the house.

Taryn Solie: What did you grill growing up?

Kathy Berget: My parents kept it simple with hot dogs and hamburgers. Now we grill everything — meats, vegetables, flatbreads — and my husband does a lot of smoking too.

Taryn Solie: Let’s get into the fish fry. How did it start?

Kathy Berget: About ten to twelve years ago two families combined camping and fishing on a weekend. We caught plenty of fish, cleaned and froze most of it, and decided to fry some right at camp. It became an annual event. We usually make beer-battered fish and serve it potluck-style with sides. This Memorial Day weekend we’re meeting again with six families for the fish fry.

Taryn Solie: For someone who’s never fried fish outdoors, what should they prepare and bring?

Kathy Berget: I prepare most things at home. For the beer batter I mix the dry ingredients — flour, corn starch, baking powder and seasonings — into a large resealable bag. At camp I add beer to the bag or mix everything in a large bowl until it’s slightly thinner than pancake batter but still coating. Bring a propane burner with enough heat output to bring oil up to frying temperature and a large stock pot that holds a few inches of oil. Bring long-handled tongs or a skimmer to remove fish, and extra oil — we once forgot the oil and had to drive 30 minutes to buy some.

Taryn Solie: What oil do you recommend?

Kathy Berget: Use a neutral oil with a high smoke point like canola, vegetable or peanut oil.

Taryn Solie: Do you need a frying basket?

Kathy Berget: Not necessarily. We keep things minimal and use long-handled tongs or a slotted spoon. A thermometer is optional — you can test oil temperature by dropping a bit of batter in: it should sizzle and float up quickly. If the oil is too hot the outside browns before the inside cooks; if it’s too cool the coating will be greasier. Expect some trial and error, and remember wind and ambient temperature affect oil heat outdoors.

Taryn Solie: What type of fish works best?

Kathy Berget: Any firm white fish that holds together — walleye (which we often catch), cod, lake trout (Mackinaw) or similar light-flavored fish. Avoid very oily or strong-tasting varieties.

Taryn Solie: What do you serve with the fish?

Kathy Berget: I make a homemade mayonnaise-based tartar sauce with very finely minced onion, chopped dill pickles, herbs, lemon juice, salt and pepper. We bring lemon wedges and serve potluck sides like coleslaw, pasta salad, a green salad, and sometimes a pot of warmed beans cooked in a cast iron pot over the fire. For large groups we usually serve the fish as it comes out of the fryer so it stays crisp.

Taryn Solie: Do you make the tartar sauce at home?

Kathy Berget: Yes, I usually make it at home and keep it in the cooler. If you’ll be camping a long time you can pack the components separately (onion, pickles, etc.) and combine them right before serving.

Taryn Solie: You mentioned stoves — do you bring more than one?

Kathy Berget: We use a dual-burner propane camp stove as our main cooking surface. I also bring a smaller Coleman stove for tabletop tasks like morning coffee. You don’t need both, but they’re helpful. The dual burner can handle grilling, frying, pancakes and more.

Taryn Solie: What about the stockpot size and preventing overcrowding?

Kathy Berget: We use a tall lightweight pot dedicated to frying. You only need a few inches of oil and enough room to fry a few pieces at a time — don’t overcrowd. Too many pieces lowers the oil temperature, making the fish greasy instead of crispy.

Taryn Solie: I’m gluten-free — have you or your readers tried a gluten-free batter?

Kathy Berget: I haven’t tried it personally, but it’s worth experimenting with gluten-free flour blends to see how they perform.

Taryn Solie: Any final tips for a fish fry?

Kathy Berget: Serve as fish comes out so it stays crisp, plan a backup meal in case you don’t catch fish (we pack hot dogs, canned goods or extra sides), and prepare as much as possible at home for easy assembly at camp. Above all, have fun with it — outdoor cooking is part of the experience.

Taryn Solie: One last question I ask every guest: what’s a current favorite grilling recipe?

Kathy Berget: Lately I’ve been making honey-lemon marinated grilled chicken breasts. They grill quickly and are great as a main, sliced over salads or chopped for chicken salad. It’s simple and versatile — a go-to for warm weather.

Taryn Solie: Where can people find you online?

Kathy Berget: Find me at BeyondTheChickenCoop.com and on Instagram and Facebook at Beyond The Chicken Coop.

Taryn Solie: Thanks so much, Kathy. This was great.

Kathy Berget: Thanks, Taryn. I enjoyed it.

Taryn Solie: Ready for a fish fry? Kathy did a great job explaining the essentials — from the beer batter and equipment to sides and backups. Freshly caught, well-fried fish is hard to beat. Check the show notes for links to the beer-battered fish and tartar sauce recipes mentioned in this episode. Thanks for listening and until next time, keep grilling like a mother.