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Classic Fish & Chips
Few meals are as comforting as a proper plate of fish and chips. Crisp golden batter, tender flaky haddock, chunky chips, a squeeze of lemon and plenty of salt and vinegar — it's a British classic for good reason.
Making fish and chips at home might sound like a bit of an undertaking, but with a little preparation it's surprisingly straightforward. Our fresh haddock fillets are ideal for the job, with delicate, flaky flesh that stays beautifully tender inside the crisp batter.
Classic Fish & Chips
Serves: 2
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Difficulty: Easy–Moderate
Ingredients
For the fish
- 2 fresh haddock fillets
- 75g plain flour
- 50g cornflour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 150ml cold sparkling water
- 1 tsp malt vinegar
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 litre vegetable or sunflower oil, for frying
For the chips
- 500–600g floury potatoes, such as Maris Piper
- Vegetable or sunflower oil, for frying
- Salt
To serve
- Lemon wedges
- Malt vinegar
- Tartare sauce
- Mushy peas
Method
1. Prepare the chips
Peel the potatoes and cut them into chunky chips.
Place them in a bowl of cold water and leave for around 5–10 minutes, then rinse until the water runs relatively clear. This helps remove some of the surface starch and encourages a crispier finish.
Drain the chips well and pat them dry with a clean tea towel.
2. Make the batter
Mix the plain flour, cornflour and baking powder in a large bowl.
Season with a little salt and pepper, then gradually whisk in the cold sparkling water until you have a smooth batter that's roughly the consistency of double cream.
Stir in the malt vinegar.
Don't overwork the batter — keeping it light helps create a crisp coating when it hits the hot oil. Sparkling water is commonly used in fish batter to help create a lighter, more aerated coating.
Keep the batter chilled while you prepare the rest of the meal.
3. Cook the chips
Heat the frying oil to around 180°C.
Carefully lower the chips into the hot oil and cook for around 8–10 minutes, until they are cooked through but haven't taken on too much colour.
Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.
Set aside while you cook the haddock.
4. Prepare the haddock
Pat the haddock fillets thoroughly dry with kitchen paper.
Season lightly and dust each fillet with a little plain flour. Shake off any excess.
Dip each fillet into the cold batter, making sure it's evenly coated.
5. Fry the fish
Increase the oil temperature to around 185°C.
Carefully lower the battered haddock into the oil and fry for approximately 4–6 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillets.
Turn once if necessary, until the batter is deep golden and crisp and the haddock inside is opaque and flakes easily.
Remove carefully and drain on kitchen paper.
Established fish-and-chip recipes generally use oil around 180–185°C for battered fish, with cooking time depending on the thickness of the fillet.
6. Finish the chips
Return the chips to the hot oil for a second fry for around 2–3 minutes, until golden and crisp.
Drain well and season immediately with salt.
7. Serve
Serve the golden haddock with the freshly cooked chips, mushy peas and tartare sauce.
Finish with a wedge of lemon and, if you're a traditionalist, a generous splash of malt vinegar over the chips.
What to Serve with Fish & Chips
You can't go far wrong with the classics:
- Mushy peas
- Tartare sauce
- Lemon wedges
- Malt vinegar
- Curry sauce
- Pickled onions
- Gherkins
- Homemade coleslaw
For the full takeaway-at-home experience, serve everything straight away while the batter and chips are at their crispiest.
Why Haddock Works So Well for Fish & Chips
Haddock is a classic choice for battered fish. Its delicate white flesh has plenty of flavour while remaining light and flaky, and the thick fillets work beautifully with a crisp batter.
The key is keeping the batter light and the oil hot enough to crisp the outside quickly while the fish cooks gently inside.
Fishmonger's Tip
The secret to good battered fish is keeping everything cold and the oil hot. Pat the haddock dry before flouring, keep your batter chilled and make sure the oil has reached the correct temperature before adding the fish. If the oil isn't hot enough, the batter can absorb oil rather than becoming light and crisp.
Looking for Fresh Haddock?
Our fresh haddock fillets are prepared by our experienced fishmongers and ready to cook at home. They're perfect for a proper homemade fish and chips, but are just as good pan-fried, baked or used in fish pies and chowders.