Best Fish & Chips

By

For our fish and chips, we batter strips of cod in a beer batter before frying them to crispy perfection alongside thick-cut fries. All you need is a squeeze of lemon, dash of malt vinegar and plenty of tartar sauce, and you're set. Meanwhile, here's some advice right from the experts.
Size matters. These aren't your average fish sticks. Strips of white fish, such as cod or haddock, are traditionally used for the dish. We went with cod and cut them into five-by-one-inch strips, which we found to be the perfect size to ensure a crisp coating and a juicy, cooked interior. This fish should provide just the right amount of flavor to be distinct from the batter and the sauce.

Feel free to experiment with other fish: "Traditionally cod or haddock, but I love frying halibut and salmon." Rush says. "I love the meatiness of halibut and the clean flavor, but I also love the fattiness of the salmon."

Batter up. "My tip for first-timers would always be make sure you spend time making your batter the best," Jason Atherton, chef of the Clocktower in NYC, says. The batter itself is pretty simple: flour, salt, baking powder and beer. But the beer is key, as the bubbles make it light and airy.

And not just any beer will do. "To use a light beer I feel is a bit pointless; you may as well use sparkling water," Rush says. All of the chefs insist on a dark beer. We make ours with a brown ale, which also helps give a beautiful golden color to the fried fish.

Chip slip. The fries that accompany the fish are just as essential. "First, the type of potato matters; you don't want one that is terribly starchy or terribly waxy." Schramm advises. We use russet potatoes, and after hand-cutting thick fries, we rinse them with cool water to remove any excess starch before frying.
If you can master the thermometer, you can become a master fryer. The trick for perfect fries is rinsing off the starch and blanching them first at a low heat to cook them, followed by high heat to crisp them. The same high heat is needed for the fish. This allows the batter to set when it hits the oil and not stick to the bottom of the pan. Dropping the fish into the oil slowly will also help ensure frying success.

View complete recipe

  • 6

Ingredients

  • For the Tartar Sauce:
  • 3/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons minced parsley
  • 2 tablespoons minced cornichons
  • 2 tablespoons minced capers
  • 1 tablespoon malt vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
  • For the Fish & Chips:
  • Vegetable oil, for frying
  • 4 medium (3 pounds) russet potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch batons and rinsed
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
  • 1 1/2 cups dark beer
  • 2 pounds cod fillets, cut into 5-by-1-inch strips
  • Tartar sauce, for serving
  • Lemon wedges, for serving
  • Malt vinegar, for serving

Preparation

Step 1

1. Make the tartar sauce: In a small bowl, stir all the tartar sauce ingredients until smooth, then set aside.

2. Make the fish and chips: Preheat the oven to 250º. In a 6-quart Dutch oven, heat 2 inches of vegetable oil to 275º and line 3 baking sheets with paper towels. Working in 2 batches, blanch the potatoes in the oil until tender, but still pale in color, 6 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the potatoes to one of the prepared baking sheets to drain. Let cool completely in a single layer, allowing the fries to formed a tacky skin.

3. Increase the oil temperature to 375º. Working in 2 batches, fry the blanched potatoes until golden brown and crisp, 3 to 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the potatoes to the second prepared baking sheet to drain. Keep warm in the oven until ready to serve.

4. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt until incorporated. Whisk in the beer until a smooth batter forms. Season the fish with salt, then, working in batches, dip the fish pieces into the batter and slowly drop into the fryer. Fry until golden brown and cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes, then transfer to the third prepared baking sheet to drain. Season immediately with salt.

5. Divide the fish and chips between plates and serve with tartar sauce, lemon wedges and malt vinegar.

View complete recipe