My fish and chips uses a vodka and lager batter based on Heston Blumenthal's recipe, with rice flour for extra crunch, served with a classic cornichon and caper tartar sauce.
Category
Lunch
Servings
4
Prep time
3 hours
Cook time
40 minutes
One of the best dishes in the world - fish & chips bro! This recipe features a simple version of Heston Blumenthal's famous beer batter and his renowned method for triple-cooked chips, which has become a staple in restaurants worldwide.
Beer batter method
The beer batter method with vodka added alongside the lager. Vodka has a boiling point of 78°C, well below water’s 100°C, so it evaporates faster when it hits the hot oil. That rapid evaporation leaves a more porous, lighter crust with a noticeably better crunch. The rice flour and plain flour combination reinforces this, since rice flour has very little gluten, which keeps the coating from becoming chewy or dense.
Frying
The chips use a linked triple-cook method: boiling, then a first fry at 140°C to set the outside, then a final fry at 180°C to get them golden and crispy. For the fish, a quick dusting of seasoned flour before the batter dip gives the coating something to grip. The trick of holding each fillet halfway into the oil for a few seconds before fully submerging lets the batter set so it doesn’t fall away or stick to the pot. The tartar sauce is a simple mix of finely chopped shallots, cornichons, capers, and dill stirred through mayonnaise.
Ingredient Notes
Vodka: Vodka’s lower boiling point means it evaporates rapidly the moment the batter hits hot oil, creating a more porous crust that stays crispy longer. Use a cheap vodka here, there’s no difference in the result from using an expensive one.
Rice flour: Blending rice flour with plain flour reduces the gluten in the batter, which is what keeps the crust light and crunchy rather than thick and chewy. Rice flour also absorbs less oil than plain flour, so the finished batter isn’t greasy.
White fish: Any firm, mild white fish works here: hake, snapper, flathead, and blue grenadier are all good choices. Avoid oily fish like salmon or mackerel. The fat content behaves differently in hot oil and the stronger flavour competes with the batter.
Equipment
- Chopping board
- Chef’s knife
- Deep fryer or large heavy-based pot (for frying)
- Thermometer
- Large mixing bowl (for batter)
- Whisk
- Wire rack
- Tray (lined with paper towel)
- Small bowl (for tartar sauce)
- Tongs or slotted spoon
Ingredients
- 4 x 200g (7oz) portions of white fish suitable for frying (e.g., hake, snapper, flathead, or blue grenadier)
-
8 large potatoes suitable for chips (e.g., Sebago, Russet Burbank, King Edward, Dutch Cream, Maris Piper, or Kennebec)
-
lemon wedges
-
scrunched parchment paper (to serve, optional)
-
3 shallots
-
8 cornichons
-
3 tbsp (45ml) baby capers
-
small bunch of fresh dill
- 200g (7oz) mayonnaise
- zest of 1 lemon
- 4 litres (7 pints) oil for frying (peanut oil or tallow work well)
- 200g (7oz) plain flour, plus extra for dusting
- 200g (7oz) white rice flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tbsp (15ml) honey
- 300ml (10 fl oz) vodka
- 300ml (10 fl oz) lager or any light beer
- salt and white pepper
Fish and chips
Tartar sauce
Frying and batter
Directions
Prepare the chips
Peel the potatoes, rinse thoroughly, and cut into thick chips, about 2cm (¾ inch) square.
Put a large pot of water on to boil. Should be large enough to cook your chips in.
Place the chips in a bowl of cold water and soak for 10–15 minutes to remove excess starch.
Rinse the chips under fresh water, then add them to a large pot. Cover with cold water, add a large pinch of salt, and bring to a simmer.
Cook in the boiling water until the chips are soft and nearly falling apart.
Remove carefully and place on a wire rack over a tray. Refrigerate until completely cool.
Make tartar sauce
Finely chop the shallots, cornichons, capers and dill. Combine these in a small bowl with the mayonnaise and lemon zest.
- Mix thoroughly, cover, and refrigerate until needed.
First Fry of the Chips
Heat the oil in a deep fryer or large pot to 140°C (285°F).
- Fry the cooled chips in batches for 6–7 minutes until the outside is set but not coloured.
- Remove from the oil and drain on paper towels. Set aside to cool.
Make the Batter
In a large bowl, whisk together the plain flour, rice flour, and baking powder.
- Gradually add the lager, vodka, honey, and a pinch of salt, whisking until the batter is smooth and has the consistency of pouring cream.
- Chill in the fridge until ready to use.
Cook the Fish
Heat the oil to 180°C (350°F).
- Lightly season the fish fillets on both sides with salt.
- Prepare a tray of seasoned flour (mixing salt and white pepper). Coat each fish fillet in the flour, shaking off any excess. Dip the fish into the batter, ensuring it is well coated.
- Carefully lower the fish into the hot oil, holding it halfway in for a few seconds to help the batter set before fully submerging.
- Fry the fish for 8–10 minutes until golden brown and crispy.
- Remove to a wire rack to drain, season with salt, and keep warm in an oven set to 70°C (160°F) if cooking in batches.
Second Fry of the Chips
With the oil still at 180°C (350°F), fry the chips again in batches for 8–10 minutes until golden and crispy.
- Drain excess oil and season generously with salt.
Serve
Arrange the fish on scrunched parchment paper for a traditional look.
- Serve alongside the crispy chips, tartar sauce, and a wedge of lemon.
Recipe video
Recipe notes
Chef Tips
Keep the batter cold
The temperature contrast between a cold batter and hot oil is part of what creates the crispy crust. Mix the batter, chill it in the fridge, and don’t let it sit on the bench while you’re frying. If you’re cooking in batches, keep it in the fridge between each one.
Hold the fish halfway in before releasing
When you lower the battered fish into the oil, hold it submerged to about halfway for a few seconds before letting go. This sets the batter on the bottom half first so the fish doesn’t sink and stick to the base of the pot. Once the batter has set, it will float freely and cook evenly.
Storage
Fish and chips are best eaten immediately. The batter softens quickly once the fish cools, and it doesn’t reheat well. If you have leftovers, reheat the fish on a wire rack in a hot oven at 200°C for 8-10 minutes to restore some of the crispiness. The chips reheat better in a hot oven or air fryer.
FAQs
Can I substitute the vodka? Yes. Replace it with an equal amount of extra lager or sparkling water. The batter will be slightly less crispy since you lose the rapid evaporation effect of the vodka, but it’s still a solid batter.
Can I use a different beer? Yes, any light lager works well. Avoid dark beers or stouts as the stronger, more bitter flavour will come through in the batter. A light, neutral lager keeps the coating clean-tasting so the fish is the focus.
Can I make this gluten free? You can replace both the plain flour and the flour dusting with a gluten-free flour blend and increase the rice flour ratio. The batter texture will be slightly different but still crispy. Make sure your lager is also gluten free.
