Ingredients:

  • 1 ½ cups All-Purpose (Plain) Flour, sifted (180g)
  • ½ cup Corn Starch (Cornflour) (60g)
  • 1 teaspoon Baking Powder (5g)
  • 1 teaspoon Fine Sea Salt (5g), plus more for seasoning
  • ½ teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper (2g)
  • 12 oz Cold Pale Lager or Ale (355 ml), ice-cold and fizzy
  • 4 Haddock or Cod Fillets (approx. 6 oz / 170g each), skinless and patted dry
  • ¼ cup All-Purpose (Plain) Flour (30g), for dusting
  • 3 large Russet or Maris Piper Potatoes (approx. 750g), cut into 1/2-inch thick chips
  • 6–8 cups High Smoke Point Oil (e.g., Canola, Peanut, or Rapeseed) (1.5–2 litres), for frying

Instructions:

  1. Prep Potatoes: Peel the potatoes and cut them into chunky, uniform chips (approx. 1/2 inch thick). Rinse them under cold water until the water runs clear to remove excess starch. Dry the potatoes thoroughly using a tea towel.
  2. Make the Batter: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, corn starch, baking powder, salt, and pepper. Pour in the ice-cold beer all at once. Whisk lightly until just combined (do not overmix; a few lumps are fine). Cover the batter and refrigerate immediately for at least 30 minutes.
  3. Heat Oil (Low Temp): Add the frying oil to your pot or deep fryer and heat to 275°F (135°C).
  4. First Fry Chips: Cook the chips in small batches until they are pale, soft, and slightly par-cooked, about 5–7 minutes per batch. They should not be brown. Remove the chips and place them on a clean, paper towel-lined tray to cool.
  5. Increase Oil Temp: Slowly increase the oil temperature to 375°F (190°C). Set a wire cooling rack over a baking sheet near the frying station.
  6. Prep Fish: Pat the fish fillets dry again. Place the dusting flour on a plate and lightly dredge each fillet, shaking off the excess.
  7. Batter the Fish: Remove the cold batter from the fridge. Working one or two fillets at a time, dip the fish completely into the beer batter, allowing the excess batter to drip off quickly.
  8. Fry the Fish: Carefully lower the battered fish into the hot oil. Fry for 4–6 minutes, turning once halfway through, until the batter is deeply golden brown and crisp, and the fish flakes easily. Drain the fish immediately on the wire cooling rack and season lightly with salt.
  9. Final Fry Chips (High Temp): Once all the fish is cooked, increase the oil temperature slightly to 385°F (195°C). Fry the par-cooked chips again in batches for 2–3 minutes until they are gorgeously golden brown and crunchy. Drain and season heavily with salt.
  10. Serve: Plate the crispy fish alongside the chips immediately, ideally with malt vinegar and tartare sauce.