Description
This Fish and Chips is all comfort and it’s a definite crowd-pleaser. This recipe makes the crispiest, crunchiest pub-style, battered fried fish. In fact, it’s so crispy that you can tap on it with the back of a spoon and it sounds like glass (check out the video in the post). Add a spice or two and a little cayenne pepper to make it extra spicy, or enjoy it just as it is.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 to 2 pounds of mild white fish fillets (haddock, flounder, pollock, cod, crappie, bass, etc.) (450-900g)
- 1 cup + 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour (plus more for coating fish) (130g)
- 1 1/4 cup light beer or ale (311g)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder (4g)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, or more to taste (6g)
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional) (5g)
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (optional) (1g)
- 4 Yukon gold potatoes, cut, rinsed, and patted dry
- peanut oil or vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
- Prep the fish. Blot the fish with paper towels to remove excess moisture then dredge each piece in the flour to coat all sides. Shake off the excess flour and set fish aside in a single layer until ready to dip it into the batter and fry.
- Fry the chips (french fries) (1st fry). While you make the batter, preheat a skillet or Dutch oven to 350°F/176°C with approximately 1 inch (2.5cm) of oil in it. Add cut potatoes frying in batches until they are “blonde” or very lightly colored, but not browned. Remove from the oil to a paper towel-lined platter while you prep the fish. *You can turn off the oil for a couple of minutes at this point while you prep your fish and make the batter just be sure to reheat to 350°F/176C before frying the fish.
- Make the batter. In a medium bowl, add 1 cup + 1 T flour (130g), baking powder, salt, cayenne pepper, and garlic powder, and whisk to combine. Add the beer and whisk gently just until there are no large lumps of flour visible in the batter. *Do not whisk too vigorously.
- Fry the fish. Working quickly and in batches, dip the floured fish pieces into the beer batter, gently shake off any excess batter by tapping the fish on the side of the bowl, and carefully place each piece into the hot oil making sure not to overcrowd the skillet. Fry the fish turning over occasionally to ensure all pieces are evenly browned, and remove them to a paper towel-lined platter and pop them into a preheated set to warmer function to keep hot while you finish the french fries.
- Fry the chips (french fries) (2nd fry). As soon as the fish has been cooked, place the chips back into the hot oil for the “2nd fry” and cook until crispy and browned (just a couple of minutes), or fry the french fries in a separate pot of oil while your fish is still cooking. Remove with a slotted spoon or spider whisk, salt immediately, and serve hot Enjoy!
Notes
- For a non-alcoholic batter, substitute sparkling water, seltzer water, or sparkling apple cider for the beer.
- When adding battered fish to the hot oil, place it into the oil in a direction away from your body so that if it splatters, it’s less likely to hit you.
- Use wooden chopsticks or tongs to move the fish around in the hot oil. This is less likely to puncture a hole in the batter which ensures the batter stays crispy and the fish moist.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Fish + Seafood
- Method: Deep Fried or Air Fryer
- Cuisine: British
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 pieces
