This delicious fish and chips recipe, inspired by Alton Brown, is a quick and easy way to bring a pub classic to your kitchen. With crispy golden chips and flaky beer-battered fish, it’s the perfect hot meal for any night. You can use everyday pantry staples, and it’s flexible with whatever white fish you have on hand.
Recipe Ingredients:
For the Chips
- 2 large (12-ounce) Russet potatoes, scrubbed and rinsed
- Kosher salt, whizzed in a food processor
For the Fish
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Dash Old Bay seasoning
- 1 cup brown beer, cold
- 3 quarts safflower oil
- 1 1/2 pounds firm-fleshed white fish (cod, pollock, haddock, or halibut), cut into 1-ounce strips
- Cornstarch, for dredging
- Malt vinegar, for serving
How To Make Chips and Fish?
- Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 95°C / 200°F to keep everything warm as you fry.
- Cut the potatoes: Slice the potatoes into thick chips using a mandoline or fry cutter, then place them immediately in a large bowl of cold water to prevent discoloration.
- Make the batter: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cayenne pepper, and Old Bay. Slowly pour in the cold beer, whisking until the batter is smooth. Refrigerate for 15–60 minutes.
- Heat the oil: Pour the oil into a deep Dutch oven or heavy pot and heat over high until it reaches 160°C / 320°F.
- Dry the potatoes: Drain the chips thoroughly and use a salad spinner or clean tea towel to remove as much moisture as possible.
- First fry (blanch the chips): Working in batches, fry the chips for 2–3 minutes until soft and pale. Remove with a spider or slotted spoon to a wire rack set over a paper towel-lined tray.
- Prep the fish: While the oil heats to 175°C / 350°F, dredge the fish strips in cornstarch, shaking off any excess.
- Fry the fish: Dip each piece into the chilled batter and gently lower it into the hot oil. Don’t overcrowd the pot. Turn once the batter sets, and cook until golden brown and crisp, about 2 minutes total. Transfer to a wire rack and place in the oven to stay warm.
- Second fry (crisp the chips): Increase the oil temperature to 190°C / 375°F. Refry the chips in small batches until golden and crunchy, about 2–3 minutes. Drain again on the wire rack.
- Season and serve: Sprinkle the hot fish and chips with kosher salt and a generous splash of malt vinegar. Best enjoyed fresh and hot!
Recipe Tips:
- Dry the potatoes well before frying: After soaking and draining, use a salad spinner or clean kitchen towel to remove as much water as possible. Wet potatoes won’t crisp up and can make the oil splatter.
- Keep the batter cold: A cold batter makes the fish extra crispy. Chill it in the fridge for at least 15 minutes before using.
- Use a thermometer for the oil: Getting the oil to the right temperature (320°F, 350°F, 375°F) at each stage is key. Too hot or too cold, and the food won’t cook properly.
- Double-fry the chips: The first fry cooks them through, the second makes them golden and crispy. Don’t skip the second fry!
- Let the fried food rest on a rack, not paper towels: This keeps the crust crunchy. Paper towels trap steam and can make things soggy.
How To Store & Reheat Leftovers?
- Refrigerate: Let the leftover chips and fish cool to room temperature first. Then, place them in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
- Freeze: Let the chips and fish cool completely, then freeze them separately on a baking tray until solid. Transfer to freezer bags or containers and store for up to 2 months.
- Reheat: Preheat the air fryer to 180°C / 350°F. Place the fish and chips in a single layer and heat for 4–6 minutes until crisp and warmed through.
Nutrition Facts
- Calories: 605 kcal
- Total Fat: 6g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Cholesterol: 85mg
- Sodium: 303mg
- Potassium: 2182mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 94g
- Dietary Fiber: 6g
- Sugars: 2g
- Protein: 44g
Check out More Recipes:
Alton Brown Chips and Fish
Description
This delicious fish and chips recipe, inspired by Alton Brown, is a quick and easy way to bring a pub classic to your kitchen. With crispy golden chips and flaky beer-battered fish, it’s the perfect hot meal for any night. You can use everyday pantry staples, and it’s flexible with whatever white fish you have on hand.
Ingredients
For the Chips
For the Fish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 95°C / 200°F to keep everything warm as you fry.
Cut the potatoes: Slice the potatoes into thick chips using a mandoline or fry cutter, then place them immediately in a large bowl of cold water to prevent discoloration. - Make the batter: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cayenne pepper, and Old Bay. Slowly pour in the cold beer, whisking until the batter is smooth. Refrigerate for 15–60 minutes.
- Heat the oil: Pour the oil into a deep Dutch oven or heavy pot and heat over high until it reaches 160°C / 320°F.
- Dry the potatoes: Drain the chips thoroughly and use a salad spinner or clean tea towel to remove as much moisture as possible.
- First fry (blanch the chips): Working in batches, fry the chips for 2–3 minutes until soft and pale. Remove with a spider or slotted spoon to a wire rack set over a paper towel-lined tray.
- Prep the fish: While the oil heats to 175°C / 350°F, dredge the fish strips in cornstarch, shaking off any excess.
- Fry the fish: Dip each piece into the chilled batter and gently lower it into the hot oil. Don’t overcrowd the pot. Turn once the batter sets, and cook until golden brown and crisp, about 2 minutes total. Transfer to a wire rack and place in the oven to stay warm.
- Second fry (crisp the chips): Increase the oil temperature to 190°C / 375°F. Refry the chips in small batches until golden and crunchy, about 2–3 minutes. Drain again on the wire rack.
- Season and serve: Sprinkle the hot fish and chips with kosher salt and a generous splash of malt vinegar. Best enjoyed fresh and hot!
Notes
- Dry the potatoes well before frying: After soaking and draining, use a salad spinner or clean kitchen towel to remove as much water as possible. Wet potatoes won’t crisp up and can make the oil splatter.
Keep the batter cold: A cold batter makes the fish extra crispy. Chill it in the fridge for at least 15 minutes before using.
Use a thermometer for the oil: Getting the oil to the right temperature (320°F, 350°F, 375°F) at each stage is key. Too hot or too cold, and the food won’t cook properly.
Double-fry the chips: The first fry cooks them through, the second makes them golden and crispy. Don’t skip the second fry!
Let the fried food rest on a rack, not paper towels: This keeps the crust crunchy. Paper towels trap steam and can make things soggy.
Alton Brown Chips and Fish
