English-Style Fish and Chips

English-Style Fish and Chips have tender and juicy pieces of cod fried up in a light and crispy batter. Serve with crispy chips on the side and a dollop of salad cream on top.

Delicious Fish & Chips – Just Like the Kind Served at an English Pub

We’re huge fans of fish and chips! As of today’s recipe, we now have three different versions of this dish on A Family Feast – each with their own unique and delicious spin.

We previously shared our New England Fish Fry recipe, as well as a delicious Beer Batter Fish & Chips – and today we’re sharing a classic recipe for English-Style Fish and Chips.

We spent quite a bit of time researching how the British cook and serve this dish to make sure we got it right. This classic pub recipe is quite simple to make – and you can enjoy tender, flaky fish with a light and crispy coating, with fries (aka “chips”) that are crisp on the outside and soft on the side from the comfort of your own home.

To keep things even more authentic, we share a recipe for homemade Salad Cream to serve alongside your English-Style Fish and Chips. This creamy, tangy condiment is a perfect complement to fried fish.

• It’s very easy to make. So easy – I predict this recipe will go on your regular dinner rotation!
• The fish cooks up perfectly moist and flaky on the inside, and golden crispy on the outside.
• This is a restaurant-quality recipe – the crispy fish and potatoes taste just like the ones served at an English pub.

• Fish – Skinned cod is the fish of choice for fish and chips. Chose thick pieces from filets that are cut closest to the head of the fish – sometimes labeled “captain’s cut” at the fish market. Avoid the thinner tail end.  Haddock can also be used if cod isn’t available.
• Seasoned Flour – Made with all-purpose flour and simply seasoned with salt and white ground pepper.
• Wet Batter – A mix of more all-purpose flour, salt, white pepper, egg, and beer.
• Chips/Fries – Ideally, you’ll want to use Yukon Gold potatoes to make your chip, or any other variety of yellow potato.  
• Oil – for Frying
• Salad Cream – For serving – make our homemade salad cream recipe here or buy online here.
• Malt Vinegar – For serving as well.

• We used white ground pepper to avoid seeing flecks of black in our batter. If you don’t have white pepper on hand, finely ground black pepper can be used.
• The type of beer you use in the wet batter will change the flavor and color of the golden crust. We used a wheat beer with a hint of citrus flavor (Blue Moon) but feel free to use your favorite beer or ale. If you do not wish to use alcohol, a lemon or lime soda or seltzer will work.

1. Peel and cut the potatoes, then soak in a bowl with cold water to remove excess starch.
2. Heat oil to 265 degrees F.
3. Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F (it will be used to keep the fish warm as you fry in batches).
4. Drain and pat the potatoes dry with paper towels. Fry for 8-10 minutes to blanch. Remove from oil and set aside on a platter.
5. Prepare fish by cutting it into portions.
6. Mix seasoned flour in one bowl and wet batter in the other.
7. Raise oil heat to 365 degrees F.
8. Dip fish in seasoned flour, shake excess then dip into the wet batter. Give one more quick shake then place the fish right into the hot oil.
9. Fry two pieces of fish at a time for about 4-5 minutes, turning the fish so it browns evenly. and remove using a spider strainer when the internal temperature reaches 140 degrees F.
10. Place the cooked fish on a sheet tray lined with a rack and place in warming oven.
11. Once the oil is back to temperature, batter and cook another two pieces of fish. Once cooked, place on the warming rack in the oven with the other pieces.
12. Raise oil temperature to 375 degrees F and once hot, add blanched potatoes and cook until golden brown and crisp, about 3-5 minutes. Add to the pan with the fish to drain.
13. Serve fish and chips with salad cream and malt vinegar on the side.

• Can I make English Style Fish and Chips ahead of time?  You can blanch the potatoes ahead of time and cut the fish ahead, however, every other step should be done just before you are ready to serve.
• How do I store leftovers?  Store covered and refrigerated for up to two days if using fresh cod, or one day if using previously frozen fish.
• How do I reheat leftovers? Reheat in a medium oven to crisp up again.
• Can I freeze?  You can, but note that this dish really is best freshly-cooked.

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