Perfectly seasoned tender fish fillet, encased in a light and mellow beer batter served with crispy, real potato fries. Serve these side-by-side for a great appetizer or snacks to share with your favorite game-day buddy!

Despite the pandemic, Super Bowl is actually happening (yes, you read it right. It’s really happening!) 

Some of you might want to see all the live-action, but I’m sure most of you, including my family, just want to stay and enjoy it in the comforts of our home.

And as a proud home cook, I have my menu all ready for this mini-event. One of the many requests from my home buddies and (virtual) guests are these yummy fish n chips. 

What is Fish and Chips?

As far as I know (and what I researched on our friendly neighbor, Google) it came from England.

Meanwhile, some say that a northern businessman named John Lees had the idea of combining fish with chips in 1863.

While there are others claiming that the first actual fish n’ chips shop was opened by Joseph Mallin in the 1860s, and are even sold wrapped in newspaper to keep its price low. It is often served with malt vinegar too!

But wherever it originated, it was really a great idea and captured the tastebuds of the people.

What Fish is Used for this Recipe?

I used cod the first time I tried making this fish and fries, and it made an amazing result. Cod also are the most common, and the best choice for some people. It has a mild flavor and is extremely tender.

But then, curiosity came into my mind. I wonder if there’s much better fish to use. So, I tried surfing the internet again. The search made me discover about Dory, Haddock, and Pollock.

Dory – also called Basa or Tra. Singaporean Fish n’ Chips shops usually use this kind of fish which is much cheaper than cod.

Yes, it has white flesh, but if you were able to try eating one made from cod that has thick flaky white flesh that steams off when broken apart, you’ll be disappointed because Dory won’t give you the same experience.

Haddock – it has flavorful meat that goes well with the batter. However, its meat is not that flaky and tender, but chefs mostly prefer to use this.

Pollock – goes with the same family as cod, but pollocks are juicier and much tender.

Now, whenever cod is not available in the market, there are other options to try! Don’t be afraid to explore. 😉

Making the Fish Batter

You’ll be needing very simple ingredients to make a crispy fish batter. Better check your pantry if you have all of these:

• All-purpose flour
• Cornstarch
• Garlic powder
• Cayenne pepper
• Paprika
• Baking powder
• Salt
• White pepper
• Beer

Are these available? Get them all and you better get started!

Tips and Tricks

Turning your fish & chips into crackling-crunchy goodness needs a few tricks. Here’s some of it:

1. Always cook the chips before the fish. If you try to do it the other way, you’ll get fish-flavored chips.
2. The perfect frying temperature is between 350 and 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Invest in a good food-grade thermometer.
3. Choose an oil with a high smoking point to prevent your fish and chips from having a burnt taste.
4. If deep-frying, make sure that the oil is hot enough otherwise, it will be greasy and soggy.
5. Try to double fry fish n chips to make it crispier than ever! Fry for the first time to cook, remove from oil to rest for a while, and fry for the second time to achieve that perfect crunch!
6. Want to make your chips fluffy? Use a floury variety of potato, like Sebago, Coliban, and Golden Delight.
7. Adding beer to the batter makes it crispier. Carbon dioxide found on it makes a lot of bubbles that become crunchy when dipped in oil. Plus it adds a great flavor to it. If you don’t want to use beer, try sparkling water instead.
8. For a puffier, crispy coating, keep the batter ice-cold and see how good it will be.

 

Serving Suggestions

This scrumptious appetizer can be served alone or can be accompanied by a dipping sauce. You can try my Homemade Tartar Sauce HERE, Dill and Malt Vinegar Mayo, or just your favorite ketchup.

More Game Day Food Ideas

• Jalapeño Poppers
• Baked Crispy Chicken Wings
• Beer Battered Fish
• Ham and Cheese Sliders

 

How To Make Fish and Chips

 

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, garlic powder, cayenne, paprika, baking powder, and salt and pepper, to taste. Reserve about ¾ cup of the flour mixture (this is used to dust fish). Set aside until ready to dip the fish. Pour oil into a cast iron or skillet, enough for deep frying. Preheat oil to about 375 degrees F.

While the oil is preheating, add the beer to the bowl of the flour mixture and whisk until incorporated and the batter is smooth. Then dip each fish strip in the dry flour mixture first, shake off any excess flour, and deep into the beer batter mixture until it’s completely covered. Remove the fish and let the excess batter drip off.

Carefully lower into cast iron, fry a few pieces at a time, moving them around so they don’t stick. Fry until brown and crispy, about 3 to 4 minutes or more depending on the size. Remove from the fryer with a slotted spoon place on a cookie or wire rack to ensure crispness. Repeat with the remaining fish strips.

Pour water into a large bowl, then add ice and vinegar. Set aside. Then scrub the potatoes clean and cut them into a ¼ -½ inch thickness – thin fries are crispier and take less time to cook – make sure they are even for even cooking. A mandolin or French fry cutter works best if you have any. Place them in the bowl of water and let it soak, 2 -3 hours. Soaking the fries gets rid of the starchy content which causes the potatoes to be soggy- not ideal. After the potatoes have soaked, drain them, and spread them on paper towels dry thoroughly.

Frying Method

If frying the potatoes, thoroughly drain, dry with paper towels if possible. In a large, saucepan or cast-iron pour vegetable oil until it is at least 3 inches and place on medium until the oil is 300 degrees. Fry in small batches, 2-3 minutes or until fries are pale. Remove from oil, drain and allow to cool to room temperature. Increase the heat of the oil to 375°F. Return fries and cook until fries are slightly brown. About 2-3 minutes. As fries come out of the oil season with salt, seasonings, and or parmesan cheese and hold in the oven to keep warm.

Oven Method

Bake the potatoes at 400 F for 20-25 minutes, flipping them every 10- 15 minutes with a spatula until they’re evenly browned and crispy, according to preference. After 20 minutes you must check on them often. Toss the fries with seasonings or parmesan cheese, if desired, and serve with fish.

 

Watch How To Make It

 

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