Crispy Beer-Battered Fish with Triple-Cooked Hand-Cut Chips
Fish Chips
Classic beer-battered fish with triple-cooked hand-cut chips and tangy tartar sauce.
Nutrition (per serving)
This is my favorite take on fish and chips — light, crackly beer batter wrapped around flaky white fish, served with hand-cut chips that are triple-cooked for an ultra-crisp exterior and pillowy inside. It’s indulgent, comforting, and oddly simple to pull off at home if you give yourself a little time and respect the technique.
I love serving this with a quick homemade tartar sauce, lemon wedges, and a sprinkle of flaky salt. Invite friends over, plan for a little splatter, and enjoy the reward: the irresistible sound of crunch and the bright lift of lemon and herbs.
Ingredients
- Cod fillets (skinless):1.5 lb
- Yukon Gold potatoes:2 lb
- All-purpose flour (for batter):1 cup
- Cornstarch:1/4 cup
- Baking powder:1 tsp
- Cold beer (lager or ale):1 cup
- Cold sparkling water (optional):1/4 cup
- Extra flour (for dusting fish):1/2 cup
- Kosher salt:2 tsp
- Black pepper:1 tsp
- Vegetable oil (for frying):6 cups
- Mayonnaise:1/2 cup
- Lemon juice:2 tbsp
- Capers, chopped:2 tbsp
- Fresh parsley, chopped:2 tbsp
- Lemon wedges:4 pieces
Instructions
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Prepare the potatoes: Peel (optional) and cut potatoes into 1/2-inch thick chips. Rinse in cold water until water runs clear, then soak in cold water for 30 minutes to remove starch.
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First cook (blanch): Put the drained potatoes into salted boiling water and simmer for 6–8 minutes until just tender but not falling apart. Drain and spread on a tray to steam-dry; cool completely in the fridge (at least 30 minutes) or for up to a few hours.
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Heat oil in a heavy pot to 325°F (use a thermometer). Fry the cooled chips in batches for 4–5 minutes until pale and slightly softened. Drain on a rack or paper towels and let rest while preparing fish.
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Make the batter: In a bowl combine 1 cup flour, cornstarch, baking powder, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Whisk in cold beer and cold sparkling water until smooth—batter should be thick enough to coat but still pourable. Keep batter chilled.
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Prep the fish: Pat fillets dry, cut into 4 even pieces, season with salt and pepper. Lightly dust each piece in the extra 1/2 cup flour and shake off excess.
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Heat oil to 375°F for frying the fish. Dip a floured fillet into the chilled batter, letting excess drip off, then carefully lower into hot oil. Fry 3–5 minutes until deep golden and crisp, turning once. Drain on a rack. Fry in batches without crowding.
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Final chip fry: After fish is done, raise oil temperature to 400°F. Return the blanched chips to the hot oil in batches and fry 2–3 minutes until deeply golden and super-crispy. Drain on a rack and immediately season with flaky salt.
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Make tartar sauce: In a small bowl mix mayonnaise, lemon juice, chopped capers, chopped parsley and a pinch of salt and pepper. Taste and adjust acidity or salt as desired.
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Serve hot: Plate beer-battered fish with a generous pile of triple-cooked chips, lemon wedges and a ramekin of tartar sauce. Enjoy immediately for best texture.
Tips & Notes
- Keep the batter and beer very cold — colder batter equals a lighter, craggier crust.
- Do not overcrowd the fryer; frying in small batches keeps oil temperature steady and ensures crispness.
- Use a probe thermometer for accurate oil temps: 325°F low fry, 375°F for fish, 400°F for final chip crisping.
- Pat both potatoes and fish thoroughly dry before frying to minimize splatter and help the batter stick.
