Teach me how to make the perfect English chippy style fish and chips batter please.?

Question

I was in Canterbury last year and they've got the best fush and chups. I tried several recipes on the internet but they don't work. Please do not copy recipes from the internet please if you have not tried it. Home recipes are most welcomed.

Answer 1

Hi m8, simply use self raising flour, salt and a few dashes of vinegar. For best results, use beef dripping and keep batter & fish in fridgeuntill last moment, Heat fat until a few drops of batter sizzle then coat the fish and into the pan. Try not to cook too much at one time, give the fish plenty of space to move around the pan. You can have your chips prepared by having them best part cooked and after the fish is removed drop the chips back into the hot fat to crispen up. my personal tip is to season with salt and vinegar from the pickled onion jar. Fresh white bread and a huge pot of tea. No wonder it is one of our fav english meals.....good frying m8

Chef

Answer 2

You don't really need exact quantities, this depends on how much fish you are cooking so just use your judgement - its about texture not quantities in the case of batter. Use plain flour, don't add any egg as this makes the batter heavier than required for fish and whisk in some beer to make a good coating consistency (like a double cream). Allow the batter to stand for 30 minutes at least (this allows the gluten in the flour to swell). Dip the fish fillet into flour, shake off excess then coat the fish in the batter, again allow the excess to drip off. Hold the fish by the thinnest end in your fingers and slowly lower the fillet into hot oil (about 180 degrees) letting the thickest part of the fish have a few seconds longer in the oil and making sure that the batter has time to lightly set (so it doesn't stick to the wire basket or sides of the fryer).



Chips should be ideally a floury texture variety such as Maris Piper, fry them first at 160 degrees to cook till just tender but not browned. Lift out of the oil and heat the oil to 190 degrees, lower the chips into the hot oil to finish cooking and brown.

Answer 3

Chips should be fried twice i.e. fry untill soft but not yet golden, then remove allow to cool and return to the oil (very hot) and fry till golden - add salt and vinegar. For the fish, add enough self-raising flour to beer to make a gloopy batter. Self-raising because the yeast in the beer makes the flour batter lighter when cooked. Flour the fish, dip in the batter and into very hot oil until golden serve with lemon. Remember there are 5 more beers left from the 6 pack to get rid of!

Answer 4

Best Fish Batter



1 cup plain flour

1 pinch salt

2 teaspoons butter, melted

1 cup soda water or beer





Using a fork, mix the melted butter through the flour and salt.

Add the soda water or beer and mix. Don't worry about the lumps of butter. They disappear while frying and make the crispy batter bubbly.



Coat fish with flour and then dip into the batter before frying.

Answer 5

I've never tried the fish and chips you are talking about but if you want a light crispy batter use about 1/4 cup of corn starch with 1 cup of flour, mix together, dust the fish with the flour/corn starch mixture then dip in milk and egg mixture then back in the flour then fry. I love the light crispy taste of the fish. I fry potato wedges in hot oil with a lid on the pan then just when they start browning I take the lid off and finish frying. They are crisp on the outside and tender on the inside. Delicious

Answer 6

A very simple way to do batter is per fish fillet mix together 2 tablespoons flour with 1/4 teaspoon baking powder and a pinch of salt. Mix in enough water to make a paste. dip fish in and fry in a little oil preferably olive oil. There is no need to use lashings of oil, a little will do the trick and it is healthier for you. Good luck!

Answer 7

I can't give you exact quantities. It's done by feel. Get a large mixing bowl, bung in a good dollopLof plain flour, pinch of salt, an egg, a glug of millk and mix to a thick paste. Then add beer to dilute to the desired gloopiness. leave to stand for about 30 minutes and gently stir again before coating your fish - which should be lightly dusted with flour first.

Answer 8

I always make my batter using eggs plain flour pinch of salt and bottled fizzy water. make sure your oil is very hot before you cook your chips and fish. My Friend who as a great chippy gave me those tips. don't cook your chips so far then cool them and cook again it only makes them full of fat . hot oil is the secret to test that is hot enough drop a bit of bread in and if it goes brown on the count of 5 it is hot enough

Answer 9

About 5% vinegar in the batter seems to work well also very hot oil produces crispness. Just above 'sizzling' point makes pudden.

RoyS

Answer 10

The secret to great batter is Brodie's flour. That is what is used in England and Scotland. It can be bought in Canada, USA.

Answer 11

Always use beef dripping.