British fish and chips (Print version)

Golden battered fish served alongside thick-cut crispy fries, seasoned and golden brown.

# What You Need:

→ Battered Fish

01 - 4 skinless, boneless white fish fillets (cod or haddock), approximately 5.3 oz each
02 - 1 cup all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
03 - 2 tablespoons cornstarch
04 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
05 - 1 teaspoon sea salt
06 - 1 cup cold sparkling water or beer
07 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
08 - Sunflower or vegetable oil, for deep frying

→ Chips

09 - 28 oz russet or Maris Piper potatoes, peeled and cut into thick fries
10 - 1 teaspoon sea salt
11 - Sunflower or vegetable oil, for frying

→ To Serve

12 - Malt vinegar or lemon wedges
13 - Tartar sauce (optional)
14 - Peas or mushy peas (optional)

# How to Make:

01 - Submerge the cut potatoes in cold water and soak for 15 to 30 minutes. Drain and thoroughly pat dry with a clean towel. Heat oil in a deep fryer or heavy pot to 300°F. Fry the potatoes in batches for 4 to 5 minutes until tender but not browned. Remove and drain on paper towels.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, sea salt, and black pepper. Gradually add cold sparkling water or beer while whisking until the batter achieves a smooth, thick consistency that coats the back of a spoon.
03 - Increase the oil temperature to 375°F. Fry the partially cooked chips in batches for 2 to 3 minutes until golden and crisp. Drain on paper towels and season immediately with sea salt.
04 - Pat the fish fillets dry and lightly dust each with flour. Dip fillets individually into the batter, allowing excess to drip off. Carefully submerge in hot oil and fry for 5 to 7 minutes, turning once, until the coating is golden and crisp. Cook in batches as needed. Drain on a wire rack or paper towels to remove excess oil.
05 - Present the hot battered fish alongside the freshly cooked chips. Add malt vinegar or lemon wedges, and offer tartar sauce or mushy peas if desired.

# Expert tips:

01 -
  • The double-fry method creates chips that are impossibly fluffy inside and shatteringly crisp outside, the kind that make you eat far more than you intended.
  • A beer batter (if you choose it) adds a subtle flavor complexity that plain water simply cannot match, making the fish taste somehow more itself.
  • This is genuinely achievable at home with just a pot and a thermometer—no special equipment required, only confidence and oil that's hot enough.
02 -
  • The oil temperature is everything—use a thermometer and don't guess. Too cool and you'll get greasy, soggy results; too hot and the outside burns before the inside cooks.
  • Serving immediately isn't optional; fish and chips begin their decline the moment they stop steaming, so plate everything hot and eat at once, the way it's meant to be.
03 -
  • If you can't find Maris Piper potatoes, Russet works beautifully, but avoid waxy varieties like fingerlings; they'll stay too moist and won't crisp properly.
  • Beer batter genuinely makes a difference—it adds flavor and creates a lighter, airier crust that stays crisp longer than water-based batter alone.
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