Beer Battered {Pub Style} Fish and Chips
This is a family favorite around here. Everyone goes kind of crazy when they find out I’m making fish and chips. The kids eat a tons of it, Mr. Chemist eats tons it and I eat as much as I can. Then my oldest, Linus and Mr. Chemist argue about who gets the leftovers (if there are any).
Mr. Chemist and I were able to spend some time in the London area a couple years ago on our way to Italy, where we met up with my brother-in-law’s mum and she took us to Windsor Castle and out for real English fish and chips. It was quite a treat and we thoroughly enjoyed it. I have to say, these stand up pretty well though!
Traditionally these are served with malt vinegar, but we prefer them with homemade tarter sauce which is pretty quick and easy to whip up.
- 1 cup flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg, separated
- ¼ cup beer, flat and at room temperature (if the batter is too thick add more beer)
- ¼ milk or water (this depends, if you are using a dark stout then use the water, if you are using a pale ale or lager then add milk)
- 2 pounds russet potatoes
- oil for deep-frying
- 2 lbs cod filets
- I like to start getting my oil hot first, so go turn that on and come back (if you are making your own tarter sauce, now is the time to get that ready as well).
- Then make the batter. In a medium bowl combine flour, salt, egg yolk, beer and milk or water. Stir to combine with a whisk. Set aside.
- Scrub the potatoes and cut into strips, whatever size you want your fries to be. Rinse them and pat them dry. At this point the oil should be hot, about 375º.
- Preheat your oven to 200º. Put half the potatoes into the hot oil very carefully! Allow to fry until cooked through and soft and golden.
- While they are frying, prepare a rimmed baking sheet by putting some paper towel in the bottom and then a wire rack so the fries can drain.
- Using a slotted spoon remove the fries and put onto the wire rack in the baking sheet, sprinkle with kosher salt (or regular, but I like the flavor of the salt to shine through more) and stick in the oven while you fry the other half.
- Once the fries are all cooked and keeping warm in the oven, beat the egg white until soft peaks form. Gently fold into the batter.
- Pat the fish filets dry with a paper towel and dip, one at a time, into the batter. Coat it well and carefully drop into the hot oil and allow to cook until golden and crispy, about 6-7 minutes (maybe less, I am at high altitude remember so things take longer up here, you might want to only do about 4-5 minutes) depending on the size of your pot, do about 2-4 pieces at a time, you don’t want to crowd them!
- Serve piping hot!
- Serves 4
Recipe from: The Fearless Frying Cookbook
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