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Super Easy Beer Battered Fish and Chips Recipe! This fried cod comes out super crispy and golden brown and flakey on the inside! The homemade french fries are perfectly golden brown and crisp! Serve this Classic Fish and Chips with tartar sauce, lemon wedges, malt vinegar or coleslaw!
Fish is one of my favorite main dishes! Try these Baja Fresh Tacos, Grilled Citrus Salmon with Pineapple Salsa or Best Baked Cod Fish Recipe.
Beer Battered Fish and Chips
Is there anything better than homemade fish and chips? Perfectly crisp homemade french fries with beer battered cod! These fish and chips are just like the classic. The fizzy beer creates an airy batter perfect for fried cod. Both the fish and the fries get cooked in one pot of oil which means less clean up!
To get perfectly crispy french fries we fry them 2 times! First at a lower temperature then again at a higher temperature. The lower temperature cooks the fries and makes them tender and the higher temperature just crisps them up.
How to Make Fish and Chips:
- Start with the french fries (1st Fry): Cut potatoes into 1 cm thick fries. Place in colander and rinse in cold water to remove some of the starch. Lay them out on a towel and pat dry. Heat 2 inches of oil on medium low to 200°F-250°F. Add in fries and let cook slowly for 12 minutes, maintaining a 200-250° temperature in the oil. The potatoes will be soft and flexible. Scoop out fries and lay them out on a cookie sheet.
- Second fry: Raise oil up to 375°F. Refry, this time in small batches 5-7 minutes each,so that the oil temperature stays around 350°-375°F. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.
- Next make the cod: Cut fresh cod into 8 even pieces. Pat any excess moisture off of fish with a paper towel. In a bowl combine 3/4 cups of flour, salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, old bay. Whisk in 6-8 oz. of cold beer. It should be slightly thiner than pancake batter. Toss fish in remaining 1/2 cup of flour, then dip into beer batter, allow excess to drip off for a few seconds, then place carefully into 350°- 375°F oil. Fry no more than 3 pieces at a time so that the oil temperature dose not drop too quickly. Fry for 7 minutes, flipping half way through. While you are frying the rest of the fish keep the already done fish in a 200 degree oven to stay warm.
- Serve: Immediately with malt vinegar and lime wedges for serving. I also like to have lots of dipping sauces for my fries. Ketchup, ranch and barbecue sauce are a must!
Tips:
- Pat the cod dry with a paper towel. This is especially important if you are working with thawed frozen fish. This will help the batter stick to the fish and keeps the batter light and crispy.
- Don’t over crowd the pan when frying the fish. This will cause the fish to stick together.
- Make sure to use a thermometer when frying the fish and the french fries to ensure the oil is the perfect temperature.
Do I Have to Use Beer?
No you can substitute sparkling water in place of the beer. Anything will carbonation creates a crisp airy batter.
What to Serve with Fish and Chips:
- BLT Pasta Salad
- Copycat KFC Coleslaw
- Creamy Pea Salad
- Chilled Cucumber Tomato Salad
- Creamy Cucumber Salad
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Fish and Chips
Ingredients
French Fries
- 1 1/2 lbs russet potatoes
- oil for frying
Beer Battered Cod
- 1 1/2 lbs fresh cod
- 6-8 oz. light beer
- 1 1/4 cup all purpose flour, divided
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp old bay
- 1/4 tsp paprika
Instructions
For the fries
- Cut potatoes into 1 cm thick fries. Place in colander and rinse in cold water to remove some of the starch. Lay them out on a towel and pat dry.
- Add 2 inches of oil to a deep pot or chicken fryer no more than ½ of the way full!
- Heat oil on medium low to 200°F-250°F. Add in fries and let cook slowly for 12 minutes, maintaining a 200-250° temperature in the oil. The potatoes will be soft and flexible.
- Scoop out fries and lay them out on a cookie sheet. Raise oil up to 375°F.
- Refry, this time in small batches 5-7 minutes each, so that the oil temperature stays around 350°-375°F. Remove them from the oil and sprinkle immediately with salt.
For the fish
- Cut fresh cod into 8 even pieces. Pat any excess moisture off of fish with a paper towel.
- In a bowl combine 3/4 cups of flour, salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, old bay. Whisk in 6-8 oz. of cold beer. It should be slightly thiner than pancake batter.
- Toss fish in remaining 1/2 cup of flour, then dip into beer batter, allow excess to drip off for a few seconds, then place carefully into 350°- 375°F oil. Fry no more than 3 pieces at a time so that the oil temperature dose not drop too quickly. Fry for 7 minutes, flipping half way through.
- Serve immediately while hot along with the fries. Serve with tartar sauce, lemon wedges and malt vinegar.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
First time making beer battered fish. Family said this is FAR BETTER than any pub fish we have ever had. So incredibly easy! Ten stars! And they asked if I could make it again tomorrow!
Excellent!!!! Total hit with everyone attending the dinner
Before trying this recipe I never knew how easy beer battered fish was! I didn’t think authentic pub style could be achieved at home – we share this recipe with everyone and they’re surprised at how delicious and easy (and authentic) it is, too!
Love all your recipes, Alyssa!
Thank you!
How can I adapt this recipe for my Air Fryer…I hate to fry anything after using it…thank you Bonita
What is Old Bay… where do you find it in the grocery…
Old bay is a sseasoning. We have it at our local grocery store in the seasoning aisle.
Very easy prep. The fish comes out very light and crispy and delicious. Can’t wait to make again.
What is the best oil for this recipe?
Vegetable oil is best or canola oil.
thank you for this recipe, had never made fish and chips before so need all of the help that I can get!