Crispy British Fish And Chips

 Crunchy outside, soft and flaky inside! This classic Fish & Chips recipe brings the taste of a British pub to your own kitchen. The secret? A light, crispy batter and hand-cut, double-fried chips. Let’s get started!

Ingredients:

For the Chips:

  • 3 pounds Russet potatoes (about 4 large)

  • 3 quarts canola oil (for frying) + ¼ cup more

For the Batter:

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour

  • 1 cup cornstarch

  • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

  • ½ teaspoon paprika

  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper

  • 3 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt

  • 2 teaspoons baking powder

  • Up to 3 cups cold beer (24 oz – any beer works except dark stout/ales. Non-alcoholic beer also fine)

For the Fish:

  • 1½ to 2 pounds of cod fillet (or other thick white fish like haddock or hake), cut into 3 oz pieces
    (Make sure fish is dried well with paper towels)

Instructions:

1. Prepare the Fish:

  • Cut fish into even-sized portions (around 2–3 oz each).

  • Pat dry with paper towels and keep in the fridge until ready to fry.

2. Prepare the Chips:

  • Peel potatoes and cut off the top and bottom ends.

  • Slice each potato lengthwise into ½-inch thick fries.

  • Soak the cut fries in a bowl of cold water for 30 minutes.

  • Drain and pat dry with paper towels.

3. First Fry – Chips:

  • Heat 2 quarts of oil in a heavy pot (like a Dutch oven) to 350°F.

  • Add fries to hot oil and turn heat to high.

  • Fry for 6–8 minutes, stirring often, until light golden and starting to brown at the edges.

  • Remove and drain on paper towels.

4. Make the Batter:

  • In a large bowl, mix: flour, cornstarch, cayenne, paprika, black pepper, and salt.

  • Take 1½ cups of this flour mix and place it in a separate dish for coating the fish.

  • To the rest of the flour mix in the bowl, add baking powder.

  • Pour in 1½ cups of cold beer and stir just until mixed (lumpy is fine).

  • Add more beer 1 tbsp at a time until the batter is thin but sticky and runs off the whisk in a thin stream.

5. Dredge & Fry the Fish:

  • Increase oil heat to 375°F (add remaining quart of oil if needed).

  • Dry the fish again with paper towels.

  • Coat each fish piece in the dry flour mixture, shake off extra.

  • Dip into the beer batter, let the extra drip off, then coat again in the dry flour dish.

  • Fry fish in hot oil for about 5 minutes, until golden brown and crispy.

  • Remove and place on a cooling rack or paper towels.

  • Adjust oil heat to stay between 375°F–385°F while frying.

6. Second Fry – Chips:

  • Add fries back into the hot oil and fry for 2 more minutes until crispy and golden brown.

  • Drain and season with sea salt or kosher salt.

Serving Suggestions:

  • Serve hot with malt vinegar, tartar sauce, and maybe a lemon wedge on the side.

  • Classic and comforting!

Tips & Tricks:

  • Keep finished fish warm in a 200°F oven for up to 10 minutes if cooking in batches.

  • This recipe makes a large amount of batter — feel free to cut it in half if needed.

  • If possible, use two pots of oil — one for the chips, one for the fish — to avoid flavor mixing.

 Fish & Chips (British Style)

 Time:

  • Prep Time: 40 minutes

  • Cook Time: 30 minutes

  • Total Time: ~1 hour 10 minutes

 Serves:

  • 4 to 6 people

Ingredients:

  • 3 lbs Russet potatoes

  • 3 quarts canola oil + ¼ cup

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour

  • 1 cup cornstarch

  • ½ tsp cayenne pepper

  • ½ tsp paprika

  • ¼ tsp black pepper

  • 3 tsp kosher salt

  • 2 tsp baking powder

  • Up to 3 cups cold beer (not dark or stout)

  • 1½–2 lbs cod (or haddock), cut into 3 oz pieces (dry well with paper towel)

Instructions:

  1. Prep the fish – Cut into even pieces and dry. Keep in fridge.

  2. Prep the chips – Peel and cut into ½-inch fries. Soak in water for 30 mins, dry well.

  3. First fry (chips) – Fry at 350°F for 6–8 mins until lightly golden. Drain.

  4. Make the batter – Mix dry ingredients, set aside 1½ cups for dredging. Add beer to rest until batter is smooth and runny.

  5. Coat the fish – Dredge in dry mix, dip in batter, then coat again in dry flour.

  6. Fry the fish – Fry at 375°F for 5 mins until crispy and golden.

  7. Second fry (chips) – Re-fry chips for 2 mins until crisp. Salt and serve hot.

Notes:

  • Fry chips and fish in separate pots to avoid flavor mixing.

  • Keep cooked fish in a warm oven (200°F) while finishing batches.

  • Reduce batter amount if making a smaller batch.

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