Fish and Chips Recipe

A platter of beer battered fish and chips.

5 from 1 vote

This beer battered fish and chips recipe tastes just like the kind you'd get at an English pub. The fish is flaky in the center with a light, airy batter and crispy golden ridges, while the chips are deeply golden with fluffy interiors and crisp edges. Paired with homemade tartar sauce and UK curry sauce, it delivers the perfect combination of savory flavors and pure comfort in every bite!

Prep Time1 5

Cook Time30

Total Time1 35

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: English

Keyword: beer battered fish and chips recipe, fish and chips recipe, homemade fish and chips

Servings: servings

Equipment

1 Dutch Oven
1 Deep Fry Thermometer
1 Wire Rack
1 Large Mixing Bowls
1 Whisk
1 Colander
1 Sharp Knife
Paper Towels
1 Pair of Tongs or Spider Strainer

Ingredients

For the Batter:

1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup arrowroot or ½ cup (96 gram) potato starch
1 teaspoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon white pepper
½ teaspoon mustard powder
pinch paprika
¾ cup cold lager beer
1 cup ice-cold sparkling water
4 fillet cod or haddock

For the Chips:

4 russet potato
salt

For Frying:

2 quart neutral oil
1 cup beef tallow

For the Tartar Sauce:

¾ cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon cornichons minced
1 tablespoon capers minced
1 tablespoon shallot finely minced
1 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped
2 teaspoon lemon juice
zest of one lemon
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon white pepper

For the UK Curry Sauce:

¾ cup mayonnaise
1½ teaspoon mild curry powder
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon honey
pinch salt

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Prepare the Potatoes:

Peel the potatoes and cut them into ½-inch (1.2 centimeter) batons. Try to keep them uniform, but don’t worry about perfectly even cuts.
4 russet potato
Rinse in a colander until the water runs clear.
Transfer to a bowl of cold water and soak for at least 30 minutes.

Heat the Frying Oil:

Heat two quarts of neutral oil and one cup beef tallow in a dutch oven fitted with a thermometer to 300°F (148°C).
2 quart neutral oil, 1 cup beef tallow

First Fry the Chips:

Working in batches, fry the potatoes for five to six minutes, just until cooked through without browning.
Transfer to a wire rack and cool for at least 15 minutes.

Make the Batter:

Whisk together the flour, starch, baking powder, salt, white pepper, mustard powder, and paprika.
1 cup all-purpose flour, ½ cup arrowroot, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon white pepper, ½ teaspoon mustard powder, pinch paprika
Increase the oil temperature to 325°F (162°C).
Add the cold lager and sparkling water to the dry ingredients and whisk until smooth. The batter should be slightly thicker than heavy cream. It should coat the back of a spoon and drip slowly.
¾ cup cold lager beer, 1 cup ice-cold sparkling water
Rest for five minutes.

Prepare the Fish:

Pat the fish dry with paper towels and season lightly with salt and white pepper.
4 fillet cod or haddock, salt
Dust each piece lightly with potato starch.

First Fry the Fish:

Dip the fish into batter and let excess drip away.
Carefully place fish into the hot oil away from you.
Cook in batches for two to three minutes to set the structure without adding much color.
Transfer to a wire rack and rest for at least five minutes.

Second Fry the Fish:

Increase the oil temperature to 350°F (176°C).
Fry the fish a second time for two to three minutes or until deeply golden with defined ridges.
Transfer to a wire rack and season immediately with salt and black pepper. Cool slightly.

Finish the Chips:

Ensure the oil is at 350°F (176°C), and return the potatoes to the pot.
Fry for three to five minutes or until deeply golden and crisp outside with fluffy interiors.
Transfer to a wire rack and salt immediately.

Make the Tartar Sauce:

Combine all tartar sauce ingredients in a bowl and stir well.
¾ cup mayonnaise, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon cornichons, 1 tablespoon capers, 1 tablespoon shallot, 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, 2 teaspoon lemon juice, zest of one lemon, ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon white pepper
Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Chill until serving.

Make the UK Curry Sauce:

Stir together mayonnaise, curry powder, lemon juice, honey, and salt.
¾ cup mayonnaise, 1½ teaspoon mild curry powder, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon honey, pinch salt
Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Chill until serving.

To Serve:

Arrange the fish slightly upright to show off the crispy ridges.
Pile chips alongside the fish pieces.
Add mushy peas on the side. Top with lemon wedges, and serve alongside tartar sauce, UK curry sauce, and malt vinegar.

Video

Notes

*Adjust the ingredient amounts in the recipe instructions accordingly if doubling or tripling the recipe.

*Nutrition information does not include tartar sauce or UK curry sauce.

Storage: Fish and chips are definitely best served fresh, but leftovers can still be saved and reheated well with a few tricks.
- Refrigerator: Store leftover fish, chips, tartar sauce, and curry sauce separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to three days.
- Reheating Fish: Reheat the fish in the oven or air fryer at 400°F (204°C) for eight to ten minutes or just until it's heated through and crisp. Avoid microwaving, which can make the coating soggy.
- Reheating Chips: Reheat chips in the oven or air fryer at 400°F (204°C) for five to eight minutes or until crisp, shaking halfway through.
- Freezer: The fried fish can be frozen for up to two months. Let it cool completely, wrap it tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil, and store it in a freezer-safe container. Reheat straight from frozen in the oven or air fryer

Nutrition