Maggie, I've worked in many restaurants in MI from diners to fine dining. Fish and Chips being a staple in any Michiganers diet was usually on every Friday Night Menu.

With Fish and Chips the fish can be prepared any way, deep fried, sauteed, poached, baked and even grilled. And any fish will do too, cod, scrod, trout, perch, whitefish, halibut and on and on.

Personally, I like the tradition deep fried cod with french fries. But I'll take Fish and Chips any which way with any fish or any kind of potato too!! I don't care for vinegar or tartar sauce but the rest of my family loves it.

Michelle

I like deep fried catfish, or perch, but man, you have to catch and clean a LOT of perch to get enough for a fish fry. We use our deep fat turkey fryer outdoors to have fish fry's in the summer. Man, I miss that. *sigh*
I like malt vinegar on mine. Or tarter sauce.

I like 'em baked. Less fat, less mess! Always crispy! All done at once.

I second what Michelle said about any kind of fish. We have a local place that has a walk-up window and you just pick your type of fish (including shrimp or scallops), it automatically includes "chips" and coleslaw!

Deanna

I do admit to being a bit of a fish and chip snob. My grandparents owned several fish and chip shops and I like it done the traditional English way.

Don't get me wrong I love fried perch and of course chips go with it but it ain't "fish and chips" it's perch and french fries! LOL

My preference for the fish is halibut but you can use cod.

Must be deep fried in canola oil. Olive oil won't get hot enough without "burning" plus it will impart a flavour to the fish.

Sorry I can't give you and exact recipe but for the batter but it's about 2 cups of flour, a TBSP of baking powder, 1 egg and enough of a cold bubbly liquid like soda or beer to make a sorta runny but not really runny batter, a bit like pancake batter.

Dredge the fish in some seasoned flour before putting it in the batter but shake it off well.

I could not imagine without both malt vinegar and tartar sauce. The malt vinegar is mostly for the chips...another art form! LOL

For the chips, I cut bakers in chip size early in the day and then place in ice cold water for a few hours or even a day. Dry off the potatoes, and fry for a few minutes in hot oil. Remove from the oil for a few minutes, let the oil come back to temperature and then finish off the fries. Drain on paper towels but be sure to sprinkle with salt right out of the fryer.

Don't forget the mushy peas...well actually you can forget the much peas and go for the slaw! LOL

This is really good... light and crispy!

1 cup dry pancake mix
1 cup beer

Make sure your fish pieces are dry so that the batter adheres properly. Deep fry until golden. (I wouldn't use olive oil either.)

Maggie maybe this video will help.

This recipe calls for cornstarch, I have never tried that but I know that cornstarch makes for really crispy wings sooooo....also they don't flour first.

Looks good though!

PS: Most recipes will call for cod, and that's fine, but if you have the chance to use halibut it is to die for! Simply the best "fish and chip" fish you will ever have.

Here is a link that might be useful: Fish and Chip...fish

Maggie

I use "pomace" olive oil for frying, it can take more heat. I don't have a deep fryer, just use my cast iron skiller and put at least 1/2 to 1 inch of oil in it. The reason I prefer the pomace olive oil is it is not greasy even after the fish/chicken cools off. Just my humble opinion :)

Olive oil doesn't have a high enough smoking point, so it's not good for deep-frying. Canola is worth the extra cost imo because it's pretty much tasteless and won't 'interfere' with the flavor of the food.

Here's how I do it... Heat oven on low so you can keep fish warm until ready to serve. Fry the potato slices at 375 degrees until soft but not yet beginning to color. Meanwhile, sprinkle some a-p flour on a plate (just enough to dust each piece of fish on both sides, so amount depends on how many you're cooking). Season fish with s&p and then dredge in flour to lightly coat. (This step is to help the batter stick instead of floating off when it hits the hot oil.)

Mix about 1-1/2 cups of a-p flour (I use a little less) with 1 tsp. baking soda. Add some beer gradually, stirring as you go, until you've got a very thick batter. You want to be careful not to thin it too much, and figuring out how much is too much may take a little experimenting. You'll probably need a little less than a cup of beer to get the right consistency with that amount of flour. If you want to, you can add some salt to the batter, or you may prefer to sprinkle some on after the fish is fried while it's still very hot. I add a splash of malt vinegar to the batter also. Since you don't have any, a squeeze or two of fresh lemon juice will really perk it up too.

Remove potatoes when they're soft and decrease temp to about 325. Dip fish pieces in batter and fry until golden. Drain briefly on paper towels. Sprinkle with seasonings. Keep warm in oven.

Increase temperature of oil to 375 degrees again; return chips to fryer and cook until crisp and golden.

I know one celebrity chef (Tyler Florence maybe?) recommends using club soda for the liquid. I've also seen recipes that called for milk, so you've got lots of choices if you just want it to taste good and aren't concerned about it being totally authentic.

sm

sm sounds yummy and I love the idea of some malt vinegar in the batter...although Grandad would likely frown down from above on me! LOL

I'm interested in the fact you don't use and egg. Never would have occurred to me.

Agree that the secret to great chips is the double fry method.

chase -- I had no idea that the absence of an egg was unusual in a fish-and-chips batter until reading your comment piqued my curiosity. It's just what I've always done. But after checking a bunch of recipes online the last few minutes, I see that you're right. It's not only different, it's close to downright weird. lol I only found 2 other recipes (out of dozens and dozens) that didn't include one.

Well, what can I say? Color me 'different'. :)

Seriously, though, everybody always comments on how wonderfully "light" the fried batter is. Could that be the reason, since eggs do tend to stiffen stuff up?

sm

P.S. Don't you go underestimating your grandfather. I'm betting he would have been enthusiastic about *anything* that made his beloved fish and chips better! :)

sm , light is good , different is good ..next time I'll try the batter without an egg but with some malt vinegar...and hope the heavens don't open on me!

Hey Jessy...take note that steelmagnolia says "eggs tend to stiffen things up". That bit of knowledge might come in handy sometime.... darfc

Fish and Chips is a household favorite around here. Fresh lake perch or walleye or whitefish....I've bought it at the same fish market in town for 40 yrs... We double fry the chips, I make my favorite slaw and sometimes I pan fry in a little butter and sometimes I deep fry using a batter. I don't usually use an egg...

Nancy

Thanks, guys. Change of plans for tonight but will be making this very soon.

Copy and pasted. Great info:)

Like Sharon, I'm a fish and chip snob too. I grew up eating fish and chips and so did Moe. And it was always Halibut. Moe and I still go out for Halibut Fish and chips at least once a month. BUT, I am of the belief that it is impossible to prepare really good fish and chips at home, so I don't even try. I cook halibut and other fish and I might even make fries to serve with them. But "real" halibut fish and chips we go out for.

Ann

respectfully disagree

Deanna, how do you get crispy baked fish???

Chase, now that's the best way to make 'chips'!

Rita

BUT, I am of the belief that it is impossible to prepare really good fish and chips at home, so I don't even try.

A few people I know thought this too until they tried the recipe I posted above. One even said,"I think this is what they do in restaurants cuz it's the same. This is what I'm using from now on."

Another person on a different forum who tried the recipe said that she has tried many others from different sites and they were nothing compared to this one. She was gonna use this one from now on. She used it for chicken too and added a few spices.

One thing to remember when deep frying fish is to make sure that your oil is at the right temperature. It can't be too hot or your fish will be "burnt" before it's cooked!

Rita,
I just dust with flour, dip in a beaten egg (I add a little water because my fresh eggs tend to be thicker), then in a Panko/parm/bread crumb/seasoning mix.

Part of the "secret" is the broiler pan. It allows the moisture to drip away so the fish isn't sitting in it.
Then bake at about 375-400 so the egg cooks rapidly to create a crust.

They won't ever have the same flavor as deep fried, but we like it alot!! The Panko really helps the breading to stay crisp too.

Deanna

Khandi

I would like to try your recipe, do you let the beer go flat first ?

Thanks

Thanks Deanna... Off to locate a small stainless steel broiler pan... The ones I have are way too big for two pieces of fish... lol

Rita

do you let the beer go flat first ?

No, you don't let it go flat. Any regular beer you drink will work. Just make sure your fish pieces are dry so that the batter adheres properly.

My husband adores fish tacos, so that's what I make more often than fish and chips - but this batter works for either. For the chips part I like to use unpeeled red potatoes cut into wedges, coated in a little olive oil and then baked at 425F for 45 minutes, turning at 25 minutes.

Becky

* Exported from MasterCook *

Fish Tacos

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 0 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
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Batter:
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 cup beer
Sauce:
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 lime -- juiced
1 jalapeno pepper -- minced
1 teaspoon minced capers
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed
1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

1 quart oil for frying
1 pound cod fillets -- cut into
2 ounce portions -- (2 to 3)
1 package corn tortillas -- (12 ounce)
1/2 medium head cabbage
finely shredded

Directions
1 To make beer batter: In a large bowl, combine flour,
cornstarch, baking powder, and salt. Blend egg and beer, then
quickly stir into the flour mixture (don't worry about a few lumps).
2 To make white sauce: In a medium bowl, mix together
yogurt and mayonnaise. Gradually stir in fresh lime juice
until consistency is slightly runny. Season with jalapeno,
capers, oregano, cumin, dill, and cayenne.
3 Heat oil in deep-fryer to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
4 Dust fish pieces lightly with flour. Dip into beer
batter, and fry until crisp and golden brown. Drain on paper
towels. Lightly fry tortillas; not too crisp. To serve, place
fried fish in a tortilla, and top with shredded cabbage, and
white sauce.

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* Exported from MasterCook *

Tartar Sauce 1

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 0 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon sweet pickle relish
1 tablespoon minced onion (or onion powder)
2 tablespoons lemon juice (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

1. In a small bowl, mix together mayonnaise, sweet pickle relish, and minced onion. Stir in lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

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Rita,

Just use a cooling rack. Place it on a cookie sheet or if you have a small one, in a cake pan.
Works like a champ! Easy to clean, even LESS moisture on the bottom of the fish!

Deanna