Crispy batter for fish
The BEST EVER fish n chip recipe! The BEST EVER Beer Battered Fish and Chips. Here, we’re going to learn all about Fish and Chips, where crispy batter for fish originated from, and how to cook perfect beer-battered fish, along with traditional chips, just like in a fish and chip shop. Anyone who’s ever visited Great Britain will have either tried Fish and Chips or at least walked past a Fish and Chip Shop.
Ask any British person if they’ve ever been to a ‘chippy’ as it is affectionately known, and their answer will, sure enough, be a resounding ‘YES’! I may receive a commission for purchases made through these links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. What is fish and chip shop batter made of? What kind of fish is used in fish and chips?
How do you get batter to stick to fish? What potatoes do chip shops use? Fish and Chip shops came about as a result of the popularity of fishing trawls, and new railways which allowed for fresh fish to be transported further inland. When did fish and chip shops first open?
The first Fish and Chip shop opened up in London in 1860, and it was a means to feed the working class with cheap, readily available fish. The fish and chips would be cooked in a big cauldron full of beef dripping, fired by hot coals. It proved to be a main staple throughout the country, so much so, that during the Second World War, Fish and Chips was exempt from food rationing! The success of this dish all rests on the batter. Every chippy has it’s own ‘secret’ recipe, so what I have done is tried to work out what makes a good, tasty, light and crispy batter, and this is what I’ve come up with. The classic recipe for batter is simply made up of flour, salt, water and salt, and pepper.
For this recipe, I’ve used beer instead of water. This gives the fish extra flavor, and the fizz in the beer makes the batter light, crispy and golden. If you do not want to use beer, you can use soda or carbonated water in the same quantities to achieve a light crispy batter. Most chip shops use cod fillets or haddock. However, you can also use plaice, and nowadays, due to the price of cod, chip shops are using halibut, flounder, tilapia, pollock, whiting or catfish. For this recipe, I have used frozen cod fillets.
You can also use fresh cod if it is available at your fishmonger’s. I buy my fish fresh and then freeze in portions for convenience. The trick of getting the batter to stick to the fish before frying is all in the flour. Make sure you dab the fish dry with some kitchen paper and then completely cover the fish in a coating of seasoned flour.
Shake off any excess and then go on to dip the fish in the batter so it is totally coated. The batter should now stick to the fish. If you don’t coat in flour first, the batter is likely to slide off the fish before it even gets to the fryer! Most shops use Ramos, Agria or Maris Piper potatoes. For this recipe, I’ve used Maris Piper as they are more available in the shops. The Maris Piper potatoes are starchy and will give you a crispy coating and be fluffy on the inside.
