# Fish'n'chips. How do I make them like this? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 10, 2009, 7:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fishnchips-how-do-i-make-them-like-this/480653 "2009-01-10T07:51:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2009, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fishnchips-how-do-i-make-them-like-this/480653/21 "2009-01-10T21:30:32Z")
> [@amarone](#): > > And the best place to eat them is on a bench on the sea-front bracing against the icy winds of what we locals call “summer”. On a bench? Nonsense. Sit on the beach itself, on the naturally-created seats of shelved shingle - another reason Aldeburgh’s the place to be 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![amarone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@amarone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarone)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2009, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fishnchips-how-do-i-make-them-like-this/480653/22 "2009-01-10T22:10:00Z")
> [@GorillaMan](#): > > On a bench? Nonsense. Sit on the beach itself, on the naturally-created seats of shelved shingle - another reason Aldeburgh’s the place to be 🙂 We have sandy beaches in Yorkshire, and while being sand-blasted adds to the pleasure of a day at the seaside, the crunchiness doesn’t enhance fish & chips. ---
**Author:** ![freckafree](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/freckafree/32/3050_2.png) [@freckafree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/freckafree)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2009, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fishnchips-how-do-i-make-them-like-this/480653/23 "2009-01-10T23:18:13Z")
> [@tr0psn4j](#): > > My favorite way to fry fish is with Keebler club crackers and eggs. > > Get two bowls. > Put eggs in one bowl. > Put keebler club crackers into a blender and mix until it’s a fine powder and put into a bowl. > Dip the fish into egg, then cracker, then egg then cracker then into a big pan with 2" or so of hot oil. Fry till golden brown. > > The crust becomes kind of sweet. It’s delicious, especially when you use trout. I can’t tell you how yummy this sounds for pan-fried fish. I think Club Crackers are like crack. I can’t keep them in the house. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2009, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fishnchips-how-do-i-make-them-like-this/480653/24 "2009-01-10T23:53:05Z")
[Slightly off topic but vaguely relevant thread I started a while back.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=492958) ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2009, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fishnchips-how-do-i-make-them-like-this/480653/25 "2009-01-11T01:12:19Z")
> [@Struan](#): > > No, this is the best chip shop in the world - run by Italians as God intended our fish to be. > Shit website admittedly. This place ain’t bad either… or at least it wasn’t 10 years ago. [http://flash.theashvale.co.uk/](http://flash.theashvale.co.uk/) ---
**Author:** ![Carson\_O\_Genic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cdc98d/32.png) [@Carson\_O\_Genic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carson_O_Genic)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2009, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fishnchips-how-do-i-make-them-like-this/480653/26 "2009-01-11T12:24:41Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > Could that be the magic ingredient I’m looking for? No, baking powder. ---
**Author:** ![Petrobey\_Mavromihalis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bcef8e/32.png) [@Petrobey\_Mavromihalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Petrobey_Mavromihalis)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2009, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fishnchips-how-do-i-make-them-like-this/480653/27 "2009-01-11T12:32:09Z")
> [@GorillaMan](#): > > On a bench? Nonsense. Sit on the beach itself, on the naturally-created seats of shelved shingle - another reason Aldeburgh’s the place to be 🙂 I prefer the sea wall behind the Cross Keys. That way I can have a pint as well. God, I might actually be missing England. ---
**Author:** ![GraceTX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c4cdca/32.png) [@GraceTX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GraceTX)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2009, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fishnchips-how-do-i-make-them-like-this/480653/28 "2009-01-11T16:02:37Z")
> [@amarone](#): > > They are also cod and the best fish and chips are made with haddock. Many (most?) Brits will disagree with me on that, but Yorkshire has the best fish & chips in my unbiased opinion, and it’s made with haddock. The best fish and chips come from the Black Country Living Museum near Birmingham. That’s where I had my first English fish and chips and none have been able to live up to that standard. ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2009, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fishnchips-how-do-i-make-them-like-this/480653/29 "2009-01-11T16:12:54Z")
> [@Struan](#): > > No, this is the best chip shop in the world - run by Italians as God intended our fish to be. > > [http://www.lalbadoro.com/chippy.htm](http://www.lalbadoro.com/chippy.htm) > > Shit website admittedly. At those prices it must cater to rich buggers, not your ordinary bloke like what I am. Fish 'n Chips from my local chippy costs £3:25 for generous proportions ---
**Author:** ![criminey.jicket](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@criminey.jicket](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/criminey.jicket)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2009, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fishnchips-how-do-i-make-them-like-this/480653/30 "2009-01-11T19:03:30Z")
Ai yi. \*\*Carson’s \*\*right, actually. I typed my beer batter recipe from memory…and forgot the baking powder. Eeeps, and apologies. How do you feel about [Alton Brown](http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/chips-and-fish-recipe/index.html)? ---
**Author:** ![BrandonR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@BrandonR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrandonR)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2009, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fishnchips-how-do-i-make-them-like-this/480653/31 "2009-01-11T19:09:49Z")
> [@criminey.jicket](#): > > How do you feel about [Alton Brown](http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/chips-and-fish-recipe/index.html)? I’ll second Alton’s fish n chips recipe. I’ve made it a few times and each time the fish comes out absolutely perfect and delicious… The reviews on the Food Network site seem to mirror my opinion. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2009, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fishnchips-how-do-i-make-them-like-this/480653/32 "2009-01-11T20:18:55Z")
> [@criminey.jicket](#): > > Ai yi. \*\*Carson’s \*\*right, actually. I typed my beer batter recipe from memory…and forgot the baking powder. Eeeps, and apologies. That’s OK. The batter didn’t turn out the way I’m looking for; but as I said, it’s the most successful batter I’ve made. (I think the problem I’ve had in the past was using milk as the liquid.) > [@criminey.jicket](#): > > How do you feel about [Alton Brown](http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/chips-and-fish-recipe/index.html)? I’ll try that next time. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Girl\_From\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3da27b/32.png) [@Girl\_From\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Girl_From_Mars)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2009, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fishnchips-how-do-i-make-them-like-this/480653/33 "2009-01-11T20:46:00Z")
This is Heston Blumenthal’s recipe - being Heston he used a soda syphon to add even more bubbles, but I imagine your local chippy isn’t doing that, so I think you can leave this step out. 200g plain flour 200g white rice flour, plus extra for dusting 1 tsp baking powder 1 tbsp honey 300ml vodka 300ml lager (Kronenbourg 1664 works well) 2-3 litres groundnut (peanut) oil 4 large fish fillets, 2–3cm thick Table salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 Tip the plain flour, rice flour and baking powder into a bowl. Put the honey and vodka into a jug, stir, then add to the flour to create a batter mix. Open the lager and stir it into the batter until just combined. It doesn’t matter if the consistency is a little lumpy. The most important thing is to open the lager just before stirring, to retain as many bubbles as possible. 2 In a large pan or casserole, put enough groundnut oil to cover the fish. Heat it to 220C/425F, using the digital probe to check the temperature. (It’s best not to use a deep- fat fryer for this, because the temperature fluctuates too much and has trouble reaching 220C/425F. 4 Rinse the fillets and dry them with paper towels. Season well, then dust with rice flour — this ensures the batter sticks to the fillets. Shake off any excess flour. Dip the fillet into the foamy batter. When it is completely coated, lower the fillet head first into the oil holding it by the narrow tail end to avoid splashes. 6 As the fish fries, drizzle a little extra batter over it, to give a lovely crusty exterior. When it has turned a light-golden brown, which will take 1-2 minutes, turn the fillet over and drizzle more batter on that side. 7 Let the fish cook for another minute or so, until it has coloured to a deeper golden brown, then remove it from the oil. Use the digital probe to check it is cooked: insert the probe into the thickest part of the fish — once it reads 40C/105F, the fillet should be set aside. The residual heat will cook it to a temperature of 45C/113F. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2009, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fishnchips-how-do-i-make-them-like-this/480653/34 "2009-01-11T22:11:57Z")
> [@Petrobey\_Mavromihalis](#): > > I prefer the sea wall behind the Cross Keys. That way I can have a pint as well. Ahhhh, but the problem there is that it’s either too cold to properly enjoy a pint outside, or too busy to spread out and enjoy the food fully. On the beach you’ll never struggle to find plenty of space, although you are at the mercy of the evil gulls. And then go to the pub 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Gorgonzola](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e480ec/32.png) [@Gorgonzola](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorgonzola)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2009, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fishnchips-how-do-i-make-them-like-this/480653/35 "2009-01-12T01:28:50Z")
A friend from the UK once told me that to get the proper look and feel of fish from a fish and chip shop, the fish actually has to be fried twice – though I confess I’ve never tried this. Deep fry at a high temperature, drain thoroughly, and fry again at high temp. Things will be very crisp indeed. ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Stilettos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/fbc32d/32.png) [@Red\_Stilettos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Stilettos)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2009, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fishnchips-how-do-i-make-them-like-this/480653/36 "2009-01-12T02:40:32Z")
I use [Tyler Florence’s](http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/english-style-fish-and-chips-recipe/index.html) recipe from Tyler’s Ultimate. It’s turned out well every time. As other’s have mentioned, the key is the rice flour. I’ve used other types of flour and none have been as light and crunchy as rice flour. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fishnchips-how-do-i-make-them-like-this/480653/37 "2009-02-08T04:22:28Z")
OK. A month later, and I wanted fish’n’chips again. I followed **criminey.jicket** ’s link to Alton Brown’s recipe. I cut AB’s recipe by about half, but I kept the tablespoon of baking powder. In fact, it was a heaping tablespoon. This time I used the porter as the beer. I ran into a little difficulty with the oil. I have an old electric stove, and before I moved here I always used gas. After five years I’m still not used to electric. I aimed to do the chips first and I overshot the temperature. I let it cool down and put in the potatoes, and of course the temperature plummeted. Well, the spuds are in; can’t take them out now. I did get the blanche done. Now I had to heat the oil to 375ºF. I didn’t turn the element all the way up, but just before I headed back to the kitchen to check the temperature I heard a noise. When I looked at the thermometer it did not have a solid red line in it. Yep, it got too hot and the bottom blew off. Great. Glass and some unknown chemical in the oil. New pan, new oil, and just guessed on the temperature (what I’ve done in the past for other things). Got the potatoes done. I covered the fish with corn starch and then dredged it heavily in the (modified) AB batter. The results? The batter puffed up nicely. Just the expansion I’d hoped for. Upon tasting (with malt vinegar and salt, of course) I found the batter to be a little on the bready side. But there was one piece that was ‘well done’ and it was crispier. While I was chowing down on about a quarter-pound of cod plus the batter and the chips, I cooked the rest of the fish. Now I’m full and don’t want to check to see if the other pieces are crispy. In any case, it looks like Alton Brown’s recipe is pretty close to what I’m looking for; especially with the extra baking powder. ---
**Author:** ![BACI](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ce73a5/32.png) [@BACI](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BACI)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 8:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fishnchips-how-do-i-make-them-like-this/480653/38 "2009-02-08T08:01:53Z")
I note that the title of this thread is how to make fish AND chips! I love handcut chips and have started trying to replicate the ones I find in the few restaurants that still take the trouble to make them. The problem I’m having is that the vegetable oil I use (usually Canola oil) fails to brown the chips adequately. They taste sort of OK, and the texture is fine, but they just ain’t brown… What oil should I be using, and what sort of blanching process is recommended? ---
**Author:** ![Carson\_O\_Genic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cdc98d/32.png) [@Carson\_O\_Genic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carson_O_Genic)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 10:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fishnchips-how-do-i-make-them-like-this/480653/39 "2009-02-08T10:34:35Z")
> [@BACI](#): > > The problem I’m having is that the vegetable oil I use (usually Canola oil) fails to brown the chips adequately. They taste sort of OK, and the texture is fine, but they just ain’t brown.. Try adding some tallow to your oil. ---
**Author:** ![criminey.jicket](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@criminey.jicket](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/criminey.jicket)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fishnchips-how-do-i-make-them-like-this/480653/40 "2009-02-08T11:45:59Z")
**BACI** , you will need to blanch your fries first in 320F oil until they are limp but still pale–about 3 minutes. Drain them and cool to room temperature, then fry them in 350F oil–about 2 or 3 mintues. They should be crispy brown on the outside and mealy on the inside. Yummm~! Canola oil is fine for deep frying. Use a cast iron or the heaviest-bottomed pot you have. Strain and reserve your oil and keep it in a cool dark place. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fishnchips-how-do-i-make-them-like-this/480653.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fishnchips-how-do-i-make-them-like-this/480653.md?page=3)