Beer Battered Fish & Chips Recipe

Prep potatoes and fish

Peel (optional) and cut potatoes into 1/2–3/4-inch thick chips. Place cut potatoes in a large bowl of cold water with 1 tablespoon white vinegar and soak for 20–30 minutes to remove excess starch. Pat fish fillets dry with paper towels and lightly season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and a pinch of black pepper. Set aside in the refrigerator until ready to batter.

Make tartare sauce: In a small bowl combine mayonnaise, chopped pickles, capers, shallot, parsley, lemon juice, Dijon, salt and pepper. Stir, taste, and adjust seasoning. Cover and refrigerate until serving.

Cook peas

Bring a small saucepan of water to a gentle boil. Add frozen peas and cook for 3–4 minutes until tender. Drain, reserving a tablespoon of cooking water.

Mash and season

Return peas to the pan off the heat. Add butter, mint (if using), salt, pepper and lemon juice. Mash with a potato masher or fork to desired consistency — slightly chunky or mostly smooth. If too dry, stir in up to 1 tablespoon reserved cooking water. Keep warm until serving.

First fry (blanch)

Heat oil in a deep fryer or a heavy-bottomed pot to 325°F (160°C). Drain soaked potatoes and pat completely dry with clean kitchen towels. Fry potatoes in batches for 4–5 minutes until pale golden and limp but not browned. Remove to a paper towel–lined tray and let rest while you prepare the batter and fish.

Second fry (crisp)

Increase oil temperature to 375°F (190°C) for the final fry. Just before serving, fry the blanched chips again in batches for 2–4 minutes until crisp and golden. Drain on paper towels and season with salt immediately.

Prepare beer batter

Make batter: In a bowl whisk together 1.5 cups all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup cornstarch, baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper and garlic powder if using. Add 12 fl oz very cold beer and whisk until just combined. The batter should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon but still runny; if too thick, whisk in up to 2 tablespoons cold sparkling water. Let rest for 5 minutes in the refrigerator to stay cold (do not overmix).

Heat oil and dust fish

Heat oil to 350–360°F (175–180°C) for frying fish (use the same oil after first fry; maintain temperature between batches). Place 1/2 cup extra flour in a shallow bowl and lightly dust each fish fillet to help the batter adhere.

Fry fish

Working in batches, dredge a floured fillet in the batter, allowing excess to drip off, then carefully lower into hot oil. Fry 4–6 minutes per fillet until golden-brown and the fish reaches an internal temperature of 145°F (63°C) and flakes easily. Avoid overcrowding; adjust heat to keep oil between 350–360°F. Remove to a wire rack set over a baking sheet to drain and keep warm. Repeat with remaining fillets.

Assemble

Plate chips and place battered fish on top or alongside. Spoon a generous portion of mushy peas and a small bowl of house tartare sauce on the plate. Serve with lemon wedges and malt vinegar on the side. Sprinkle flaky sea salt over fish and chips just before serving.

Serving note

Serve immediately so the batter stays crisp. Leftovers: keep components separate; reheat fish in a 400°F (200°C) oven for 8–10 minutes to crisp (best eaten fresh).