Good ol' British fishn'chips.

manxman · August 02, 2005, 10:09:40 PM

Contrary to popular belief, fish and chips (or fries!) is popular but not the staple diet on this side of the pond!!

However, properly cooked it makes the most wonderful meal, this is a favourite with my two boys aged 7 and 4 and clean plates are always guaranteed. Very popular with the adults too!!

Some people recommend lard or beef dripping in order to get perfect fish and chips, however I use a good quality sunflower oil in a deep fat fryer or large saucepan... take care not to overfill.

The oil must be good quality and fresh, I would not use it more than a couple of times for this recipe.

Use a potato suitable for chipping such a King Edward, Maris Piper, Desiree or Majestic. Peel the potatoes and cut into desired thickness, for me that is around 3/4inch thickness. (thicker than "American" Fries).

Stand in cold water for a few minutes, swirling and rinsing well to remove starch then thoroughly pat dry with paper toweling.

The temperature of the oil must be at least 190C/375F. Fry the chips for 4-5 minutes then remove from fat and put to one side to drain. This will have cooled the oil to around 160C/315F, set controls on cooker /fryer to maintain this temperature.

With regards to the fish, many whitefish will suffice. Typically I use cod, haddock or pollack with the later being favourite. We catch a lot around these parts.

Prepare skinless fish fillets around 4 - 6 inches in length and up to about an inch or so thick. Double check for any remaining bones.

I have found beer batter works best, using anything from Budweiser to Guinness, Newcastle Brown Ale to Fosters lager. Prepare this batter before doing anything else.

With regards to flour again experiment..... typically plain or self raising white flour but wholemeal has been used.

The lightest and best batter in my opinion is:

To 4 oz plain white sifted flour, add around 250 - 300 ml Budweiser (or similar). Whisk thoroughly and add more flour bit by bit until the mixture takes on the consistency akin to somewhere between single and double cream. Drink the remaining beer and open another can!

Add a teaspoon of fine ground white of black pepper.(+/- to taste) Pinch of salt optional. Put this mixture in the fridge to chill for around 30 mins.

Remove batter from fridge and mix briefly. Immerse fish fillets completely in batter to ensure it is completely covered then hold vertically to drain off excess for a few seconds.

Gently place the fish fillets in the oil and cook until the batter is golden brown, typically around 5 minutes +/- a couple of minutes depending on size. Remove from oil and lay on paper toweling in a dish to drain.

Bring the oil back up to 190C/375F which will only take a minute or two. Put the chips back into the oil for a short while but watch carefully and lift out as soon as they are golden brown. They will go hard if left too long.

Put the chips in a bowl lined with paper toweling to drain for a couple of minutes.

Serve the fish and chips with fresh ground sea salt and vinegar. Coarse ground black pepper optional. Often served with bread and butter and a cup of tea but otherwise crack open another beer!

Manxman.

Habanero Smoker · August 02, 2005, 11:24:34 PM

That sounds good. I like malt vinegar on my fries. I have a question about chips; are they potatoes or are they made from the batter? I went to a fish and chip place somewheres in New England; I believe it was Maine (too long ago for me to remember - early 70's), and they served deep fried batter as the chips. I'm not complaining about it, because it was good. They drizzled the batter into the hot oil, and you got pieces the size of french fries and they were real crisp. It just got me wondering what real fish and chips are.

Kummok · August 03, 2005, 12:09:15 AM

Great recipe ManX! ThanX for sharing!!

As you might guess, with all the halibut and cod around these parts, we devour a LOT of fish n' chips[:p][:p] My own recipe is, like most of my cooking, "Costco simple". I blend Krusteaz Buttermilk pancake mix with beer (I prefer a dark Porter or amber) to pancake batter consistency.....drag the meat, (cut to about finger size for consistent cooking times), through the batter, then through a bowl of Japanese Panko, then into the fryer with peanut oil. I always cook up an extra pound or two, vac-seal it and freeze it for later...it makes a great snack cold or nuked. Since losing about 35 lbs via South Beach diet and having been a cardiac surgery patient, we've dropped the white potatos and now deep fry sweet potatos and LOVE them.....took some getting used to though....kinda like a developed taste for beer[;)]

Don't know if the brand name stuff is available on your side of the pond, but the panko should be and it is the best discovery I've found for fish and chips since discovering peanut oil[;)][:p][:p]

35 years of extinguishing smoking stuff and now I'm wondering WHY!
Kummok @ Homer, AK USA

manxman · August 03, 2005, 09:20:18 AM

Hi Folks,

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">I have a question about chips; are they potatoes or are they made from the batter? <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Chips are the same as fries over on your side of the pond, they are potatoes.

However, when doing the fish, the drips of batter mix that fall in the hot oil when putting the fish in make great eating. I have actually drizzled a bits batter mix into the hot oil separately and they are delicious! Don't do it too often though!!

Given that as a family we eat very little fried food the odd fish and chips or fry up for breakfast will not do any harm, I have an uncle who is 90 this year and he has always begun the day with a fry up. Just got to get a sense of balance on these things!

And yes, malt vinegar is the best on fish and chips. [:D][:D]

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"> with all the halibut and cod around these parts <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

A friend of mine has just returned from a cruise that took in Alaska, the size of the halibut are one of his favourite memories on what was obviously a superb holiday. What is a good size one by your standards Kummock?[:)]

Manxman.

MallardWacker · August 03, 2005, 01:38:55 PM

Man that sounds goood. However I would like to try it with lard. We were watching food-tv the other night and they mentioned something about fring with lard, I had to explain to my son that McDonalds at one time really did have great tasting fries do to the lard factor.

SmokeOn,

mski
Perryville, Arkansas
Wooo-Pig-Soooie

If a man says he knows anything at all, he knows nothing what he aught to know. But...

Foam Steak · August 03, 2005, 10:52:29 PM

How I love fish and chips...mmmmmmmm. If I had some extra cash I would go out and get some tonight.

I was out somewhere in Denver where they made them out of slightly smoked salmon. Allmost too rich for my taste. They were good but I guess I prefer Cod.

Kummok · August 04, 2005, 05:54:00 AM

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by manxman
 .......What is a good size one by your standards Kummock?[:)]
Manxman.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Oh, I'd say "good size" is about 278 lbs (126kg)....something like this......(my neighbor's catch!)

However, a GREAT size is closer to 30-50 lbs (13.6 - 22.6 kg) Waaaay better cooking and tasting [:p] and you don't have to use .410 slugs to make it stop hopping around [;)][:D]

BTW, not familiar with the term "fry up"[?] Does it just mean frying something for breakfast? Kinda cool how we do things differently in different parts of the world, but our fish and chips are a lunch/dinner meal, (That's dinner/supper for Texans[;)][:D]), though I do fry trout/salmon with eggs for breakfast sometimes[:p][:p]

35 years of extinguishing smoking stuff and now I'm wondering WHY!
Kummok @ Homer, AK USA

manxman · August 04, 2005, 09:43:30 AM

Hi Kummock,

Just a touch jealous regarding the halibut..... NO, ACTUALLY A LOT JEALOUS!!!!! And having to slug em to make them stop hopping!!!

Think the size thing applies to most fish and lobster, big is not necessary best form an eating point of view. Good fun catching em though!![:D]

Yes, the term "fry up" typically applies to a cooked breakfast done in the frying pan, for me that would typically be sausage, bacon, egg, fried bread, black pudding etc although is may also be applied to a lunch/dinner meal.

Kippers (cold smoked herring) are perhaps the fish most popular at breakfast time, even the hospital canteen where I work serve them up a couple of times a week.[:)]

Manxman.

MallardWacker · August 04, 2005, 02:27:28 PM

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">......and you don't have to use .410 slugs to make it stop hopping around<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">Some how I believe that....Good to here from you.

SmokeOn,

mski
Perryville, Arkansas
Wooo-Pig-Soooie

If a man says he knows anything at all, he knows nothing what he aught to know. But...

Chez Bubba · August 05, 2005, 12:20:40 AM

Believe it Mallard, he ain't kiddin'.

Kummok, did Bob win anything in the derby with that baby?

http://www.chezbubba.com
Ya think next time I check into a hotel & they ask "Smoking or Non?" they would mind?

Kummok · August 05, 2005, 03:32:46 AM

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Chez Bubba
 ......Kummok, did Bob win anything in the derby with that baby?.....<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

He doesn't enter....says it's for tourists! [;)][:D] He DID win halibut for breakfast/lunc/dinner for a year....Mmmmmm, halibut pancakes[;)][:p][:D]

35 years of extinguishing smoking stuff and now I'm wondering WHY!
Kummok @ Homer, AK USA

Habanero Smoker · August 05, 2005, 12:22:01 PM

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Kummok
 ....Mmmmmm, halibut pancakes[;)][:p][:D]

35 years of extinguishing smoking stuff and now I'm wondering WHY!
Kummok @ Homer, AK USA
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Over here in New York we call them fish sticks [;)]

MallardWacker · August 05, 2005, 01:36:20 PM

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">and you don't have to use .410 slugs to make it stop hopping around<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Turn on the Scarface voice; "Would you like ot meet my little friend?"

SmokeOn,

mski
Perryville, Arkansas
Wooo-Pig-Soooie

If a man says he knows anything at all, he knows nothing what he aught to know. But...