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Main · British

Fish and chips

Beer-battered cod, twice-fried chips, lemon and malt vinegar. Friday-night canon.

70 min 55 min hands-on Serves 4 British Kid friendly

Fish and chips pairs flaky white fish in a crisp batter with thick-cut fried potatoes, the classic British takeaway made at home. A light, well-rested batter and hot oil are what give that signature crunch. It is a treat-night project that rewards a little attention to temperature.

Ingredients

  • 1 kg potatoes, floury, such as Maris Piper
  • 2 L neutral oil, for deep-frying
  • 4 cod or haddock fillets, skinless, about 150g each
  • 175 g plain flour, 150g for the batter, 25g for dusting
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • salt, for the batter and fish, and to taste on the chips
  • 200 ml beer, ice-cold lager, or sparkling water
  • 1 lemon, cut into wedges
  • malt vinegar, to serve (optional)

Method

  1. Heat the oven to 120°C (100°C fan), to keep things warm later. Peel the potatoes and cut them into chips about 1.5cm thick. Rinse them in cold water to wash off the surface starch, so they crisp rather than stick together, then dry them very well on a clean tea towel.
  2. Before the oil goes on, make the batter: whisk the 150g flour, baking powder and a good pinch of salt in a bowl, then whisk in the cold beer until smooth and as thick as double cream. A few small lumps are fine, and a light hand keeps it airy. Let it stand while you fry the chips. Pat the cod dry and season it.
  3. Pour the oil into a large, deep, heavy pan, no more than a third full, and heat it to 140°C, about 10 minutes (no thermometer: a cube of bread browns in 60 seconds). Fry the chips in two batches for 6 to 8 minutes each, until soft right through but still pale, letting the oil recover between batches. Lift onto kitchen paper.
  4. Heat the oil to 180°C (a bread cube browns in 30 seconds). Dust each fillet in the remaining flour, dip it in the batter and let the excess drip off. Lower it in away from you, two at a time, and fry for 5 to 7 minutes, turning once, until deep golden and the flesh flakes at the thickest point. Keep each batch warm in the oven.
  5. Let the oil come back to 180°C, then fry the chips again in batches for 2 to 3 minutes, until golden and crisp. Drain on kitchen paper and salt them straight away, while the salt still sticks.
  6. Serve the fish and chips straight away, while the batter is crisp, with lemon wedges for squeezing over and malt vinegar for sprinkling on the chips. Mushy or garden peas are the classic side.

Tips

  • Use very cold sparkling water or beer in the batter for lightness, and do not overmix it.
  • Fry the chips twice, once gently to cook through and once hot to crisp, for the best texture.
  • Keep the oil at the right temperature and fry in batches so it does not cool and make the food greasy.

Common questions

What fish is best for fish and chips?

Firm white fish such as cod, haddock, or pollock works best because it stays flaky and holds together in the batter.

How do I keep the batter crisp?

Use ice-cold liquid, fry in hot oil at around 180C, and serve straight away. Sitting in steam softens the crunch.