How to Make Beer Battered Fish and Chips

This recipe for beer battered fish and chips will serve four people.

Using a variety of ingredients that you might already have in your kitchen, and with perhaps less than an hour of preparation time, you can make beer battered fish and chips at home. Many recipes are available in cookbooks or online. Here is one such recipe. This one will serve four people.

Things You'll Need

• (For the Fish)
• 2 pounds white cod fish fillets
• 4 cups flour
• 2 eggs
• 2/3 cup milk
• 1 cup good-quality beer
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 6 cups vegetable oil
• Malt vinegar, to taste
• Lemon or lime wedges, for garnish
• (For the Chips)
• 8 Idaho potatoes
• 4 cups vegetable oil
• Salt, to taste

Instructions

1. For the Chips: Wash and scrub clean the skin and discard any "eyes" on the potato. It's up to you whether to keep the skin. Slice potatoes lengthwise into 1/2-inch-square strips thickly sliced. Transfer to large deep bowl or pan filled with cold water. Soak potatoes for 30 minutes to reduce starch before frying.

   Note that the secret to crispier chips is to soak the potatoes in cold water before frying. The soak time depends on the kind of potato you use, e.g. high or low in starch. For Idaho kind called for this recipe, we only need 30 minutes. For the baking kind, such as russet, it will need at least four hours.

2. Heat 4 cups vegetable oil to 350 degrees F in a deep-fryer or heavy nonstick skillet. While oil is heating, hold potatoes in paper towels and squeeze out excess water.

3. Deep-fry potatoes in batches until golden; each batch takes about six minutes. Remove using slotted spoon or a skimmer, transfer to paper towel and drain. Sprinkle with salt, to taste. Set aside but keep warm.

4. For the fish, remove any small bones on the fish, then slice the fillets into 1-1/2-inch x 4-inch strips. In the same deep fryer or skillet, heat 6 cups new vegetable oil.

5. Meanwhile, in bowl, mix well the salt and flour. Blend in milk, then add slowly the egg, one at a time, stirring before each addition. Beat until batter is aerated. Reserve.

6. Add beer to batter, stirring. Once the oil is hot (about 400 degrees F), dredge and coat fish fillets with batter and gently slide into oil. Keep turning the fish to fry evenly. Deep-fry until golden.

   Remove from heat when done. Place on paper towels to drain.

7. Transfer fish and chips to a platter. Garnish with lemon wedges. Serve with ketchup or mayonnaise. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, if desired.

Tips & Warnings

• Only use white cod fillet, which will give you that deep-fried flaky fish texture.

References

• FoodNetwork.com: Beer Battered Fish and Chips