Instructions

Make the beer batter:

1. Add the flour, garlic powder, paprika and salt to a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Add in the beer combined with the beaten egg a little at a time and stir until it looks like a thick pancake batter. You might not use the whole cup, so add it in slowly. Next add in 2 tablespoons of the chopped thyme and stir. Set the batter aside for 20 minutes. As the batter sits it will get thicker so you may need to add a little more to get it to the right consistency.
2. Fill a deep heavy bottomed pot halfway to the top with the canola or peanut oil. Heat until the temperature reaches 375 degrees.
3. Remove the stems from the mushrooms and brush off any dirt with a damp paper towel. Dip the mushrooms in the beer batter, letting the excess drip off a bit and the carefully put into the oil to fry. You can use 2 forks to do this or a fry basket so you don’t burn your fingers.
4. Let the mushrooms fry for 5 minutes, turning, until they are golden brown. Remove to a paper towel lined plate and season immediately with coarse salt and the extra chopped thyme.
5. Fry the mushrooms in batches until all the mushrooms are fried.
6. Serve immediately with more fresh thyme on top.