Homemade Fish and Chips (Crispy Beer Batter, Twice-Cooked Chips)

Nothing beats proper homemade fish and chips: a thick fillet of white fish in a golden beer batter that shatters when you cut into it, next to chunky chips that are fluffy inside and crisp outside. The trick is twice-cooked chips and a cold, thin batter fried hot and fast. It takes about 45 minutes, and the result tastes like the best chip shop you have ever been to — no soggy batter, no limp chips.

Serve it the classic way with malt vinegar, tartar sauce, lemon wedges, and mushy or garden peas. For more crispy, crowd-pleasing dinners, try Air Fryer Crispy Chicken Tenders and Loaded Baked Potato Soup.

Why This Recipe Works

• Cold beer batter stays crisp: Ice-cold batter hitting hot oil puffs up light and crunchy instead of greasy.
• Twice-cooked chips are the secret: A low first fry cooks the potato through; a hot second fry makes it crisp.
• Thick fillets stay juicy: Cod or haddock fillets about 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick cook through without drying out.
• Fry in the right order: Chips first, fish second, so everything lands on the plate hot and crisp together.

Ingredients

• 4 large russet potatoes (about 2 lbs / 900 g), peeled and cut into thick chips
• 4 white fish fillets (cod or haddock), about 6 oz (170 g) each
• 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
• 1 teaspoon (4 g) baking powder
• 1 teaspoon (6 g) fine salt, plus extra for serving
• 1/2 teaspoon (1 g) black pepper
• 1 cup (240 ml) ice-cold lager or sparkling water
• Vegetable oil, for deep frying (about 2 quarts / 2 liters)
• Malt vinegar, tartar sauce, and lemon wedges, to serve

(full list in card)

Photo note: the second image shows the fish and chips with garden peas and tartar sauce, the classic accompaniments suggested in the article.

How to Make Homemade Fish and Chips

Step 1: First-fry the chips

Heat the oil in a large heavy pot to 325°F (165°C). Rinse and thoroughly dry the chips, then fry them in batches for 5 to 6 minutes until soft but still pale. Lift out, drain, and set aside.

Step 2: Make the batter

While the chips rest, whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Whisk in the ice-cold lager just until combined — a few small lumps are fine. Keep the batter cold until frying.

Step 3: Batter and fry the fish

Raise the oil to 375°F (190°C). Pat the fish very dry, dust lightly with flour, then dip into the batter, letting the excess drip off. Lower gently into the oil and fry for 5 to 7 minutes, turning once, until deep golden and crisp. Drain on a rack and salt at once.

Step 4: Second-fry the chips and serve

Return the oil to 375°F (190°C) and fry the chips again for 2 to 3 minutes until golden and crisp. Drain, salt generously, and serve immediately with the fish, malt vinegar, tartar sauce, and lemon wedges.

Tips

• Dry everything: Wet potatoes and wet fish make oil splatter and batter slide off. Pat both very dry.
• Do not crowd the pot: Too much food at once drops the oil temperature and turns everything greasy. Fry in batches.
• Use a thermometer: Guessing oil temperature is how batter goes soggy. 375°F (190°C) for the crisp fry is the number to hit.
• Keep it hot: Hold finished fish in a 200°F (95°C) oven on a rack while the chips get their second fry.

Storage

Fish and chips are best eaten fresh and do not reheat well. If you must keep leftovers, refrigerate for up to 1 day and re-crisp in a 400°F (200°C) oven on a rack for 8 to 10 minutes. Never microwave fried fish — the batter goes soft.

Frequently Asked Questions

What fish is best for fish and chips?

Cod and haddock are the classics: mild, flaky, and thick enough to stay juicy inside the batter. Pollock and halibut also work well.

Can I use sparkling water instead of beer?

Yes. The alcohol cooks off, but if you prefer no beer, ice-cold sparkling water gives a very similar light, crisp batter.

Why is my batter soggy?

Usually the oil was too cool, the fish was wet, or the batter was overmixed. Keep the batter cold, the oil at 375°F (190°C), and the fish patted dry.

Can I make fish and chips in the air fryer?

You can air-fry the chips, but wet beer batter does not set well in an air fryer and tends to drip. For the fish, shallow-frying in a pan is the better homemade method.

Photo Credits

Primary photo: “Fish and chips blackpool” by Memm, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Second photo: “Fish and chips plate with peas” by Grendelkhan, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.