Tried it? Be the first to rate this recipe
Proper chip-shop fish and chips: cod in a light, crisp beer batter with thick-cut chips.
There is a real knack to making chip-shop fish and chips at home, and it comes down to two things: a batter kept properly cold and oil kept properly hot. Get that right and you get a thin, crackling shell around soft, flaky cod. The thick-cut chips do their own work alongside, fluffy in the middle with crisp edges.
Jump to recipe
Prep 20 min
Cook 25 min
Total 45 min
Medium
Scale:
- 4, skinless Cod or haddock fillets
- 200g, plus 2 tbsp to dust Plain Flour
- 50g Cornflour
- 1 tsp Baking Powder
- 300ml Cold beer or lager
- 1kg, cut into thick chips Maris Piper potatoes
- for deep frying Vegetable Oil
- to taste Salt
- to serve Malt Vinegar
Tags:
fish seafood fried british takeawayPreparation
- Rinse the chips and pat them really dry. Heat the oil to 140C and fry the chips for 6 to 7 minutes until soft but still pale. Lift them out and drain.
- Whisk together the flour, cornflour, baking powder and a pinch of salt, then pour in the cold beer, whisking to a smooth batter about as thick as single cream. Keep it cold.
- Bring the oil up to 190C. Pat the fish dry, dust each piece lightly with the extra flour, then dip into the batter and let the excess run off.
- Lower the fish gently into the oil and fry for 6 to 8 minutes, until deep golden and crisp. Drain on kitchen paper and season with salt.
- Return the chips to the 190C oil and fry for 3 to 4 minutes until golden and crisp. Drain, salt generously, and serve with the fish and a good splash of malt vinegar.
Tips from the ZestyPlate Kitchen
- Mix the batter just before frying and keep it fridge-cold; the cold beer hitting the hot oil is what gives you that brittle crunch.
- Fry the chips twice, gently at a low temperature first and then hot to finish, so they end up fluffy inside and crisp outside.
- Give the pan room. Frying in batches keeps the oil temperature up, which stops everything turning greasy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Cod and haddock are the traditional choices, though any firm white fish like pollock will batter and fry just as nicely.
You can. Swap in cold sparkling water and the fizz will still give you a light, crisp coating.
Sit fried pieces on a wire rack in a low oven rather than stacking them on a plate, which traps steam and softens the batter.
Save this recipe, join ZestyPlate free
- Save your favourite recipes
- Build your own cookbooks
- Track what you've cooked
- New recipes in your inbox
Create free account
Already a member? Log in
Ratings & Reviews
Log in or create an account to rate this recipe.
No reviews yet, be the first to rate this recipe!
Comments (0)
Log in or create an account to join the conversation.
No comments yet, start the conversation!