Fish and Chips - home made - tips

[miss direct]

I'd like to make fish and chips at home. Does anyone have any tips? Do I have to use beer for the batter? (It's pricey here so would prefer a cheaper alternative as long as the taste is good).

 

[Grace Johnson]

I'd like to make fish and chips at home. Does anyone have any tips? Do I have to use beer for the batter? (It's pricey here so would prefer a cheaper alternative as long as the taste is good).

Sparkling water works well instead of beer.

 

[Calamity1971]

Soda water works well. Makes nice potato scallops.

 

[Saul Goodman]

You really don't need beer or sparkling water. When did you last see a chippie using either?
Add a little cornflour and baking soda to the batter mix. That'll sort it out.
As for the chips, twice fried. But you have to bring them to the edge of collapse on the first fry, then rough them up in a colander, and leave for a while before frying them a second time.

 

[Epona]

As Saul mentions, using a little cornflour and bicarb will make your batter a little lighter without having to resort to drastic measures.

You only need to use soda or sparkling water when you want tempura from delicate vegetables.

 

[platinumsage]

Can I do this in a wok, kind-of half way between shallow and deep fried? What fat to use? Rapseed oil?

 

[Badgers]

Can I do this in a wok, kind-of half way between shallow and deep fried? What fat to use? Rapseed oil?

Yeah. You want a high smoking point for the fish especially.

Corn or vegetable oil for a shallow fry.

Canola oil is better for a deeper fry. Also old school lard is pretty good. Although peanut, grapeseed, safflower, soybean, sunflower, canola, and extra light olive oil will be okay.

 

[dessiato]

Can I do this in a wok, kind-of half way between shallow and deep fried? What fat to use? Rapseed oil?

I use beer because it’s readily available and cheap, but sparkling water, soda water, all work as others have said. I deep fry in olive oil, again it’s cheap and readily available, and sunflower oil mixed. I fry in a wok filled to about one third full. Be careful with this, it could be dangerous if too full, and remember to allow for the oil rising when you add the fish/chips.

I triple cook the chips. First I microwave the potato to just cooked. I let it cool then cut and fry. I remove the chips and let them cool while I cook the fish then second fry the chips.

Its a lot of trouble but the flavour is great.

 

[danny la rouge]

I don’t have a chip pan, so it’s easier for me just to go to the chippie.

 

[miss direct]

I didn't have a chip pan either, just used a wok.

 

[platinumsage]

I did it in a steel saucepan in the end, it all seemed pretty straightforward compared to what I was expecting.

 

[UnderOpenSky]

I'm going to try this tonight.

What ratios of regular flour to corn flour and bi carb do you use? What's the best temp to have the oil? Do you double fry the fish like you would chips?

 

[miss direct]

Ahhh those fish and chips were so good. Not sure why I didn't share a recipe here and am not totally sure which one I used. Very unsure that I'd bother to do this in the UK where you can get fish and chips on every corner. But good luck and enjoy!

 

[UnderOpenSky]

Ahhh those fish and chips were so good. Not sure why I didn't share a recipe here and am not totally sure which one I used. Very unsure that I'd bother to do this in the UK where you can get fish and chips on every corner. But good luck and enjoy!

I totally get what you're saying, it's more that I fancy giving it a go. I've got the deep fat fryer, so feel that it should be done.

 

[dessiato]

I'm going to try this tonight.

What ratios of regular flour to corn flour and bi carb do you use? What's the best temp to have the oil? Do you double fry the fish like you would chips?

I've never double fried the fish. If I need to keep it warm I put it in a hot oven. I only do this if I'm cooking for four people because my wok is a bit too small for four decent sized portions.

 

[two sheds]

Have added cornflower and baking powder to the list but I'm fairly basic with cooking - I boil the fuck out of them then fry the fuck out of them just with butter and rapeseed oil. They turn out very nice and crisp and brown

 

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[UnderOpenSky]

It was pretty good. Main thing was just totally hot. Did double fry, but only because after the chips had their second go on the oil it made sense to drop it in for another 30 seconds to bring it back up to heat.