Beer-Battered Fish and Chips

This recipe makes crispy fish and tasty homemade fries.

Beer-Battered Fish and Chips

Ingredients
4 large russet potatoes
6-7 cups vegetable oil for frying
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sweet relish
1 tablespoon dill, chopped
2 teaspoon lemon juice
1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons flour, divided use
1/2 cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning fries
12 ounce can beer, chilled
8 cod fillets
Lemon wedges, for serving
Malt vinegar, for serving

Directions 
Peel the potatoes and cut into 1/4 inch fries. Transfer to a bowl of water to rinse off the starch.  Drain the water and continue rinsing the potatoes until the water runs clear. Cover the potatoes with fresh water and chill in the fridge for 6 to 8 hours or overnight.

Line a baking sheet with several layers of paper towel. Add 6 to 7 cups of vegetable oil to a deep, wide pot. Heat the oil to 325. Thoroughly dry the potatoes before frying.

Carefully add a third of the fries to the hot oil. Stir occasionally to separate the fries. Fry for 4 to 5 minutes until the potatoes are soft and cooked through but don't have any color. Lift the fries out with a slotted spoon and transfer to the paper towel lined baking sheet to drain. Spread the fries out in a single layer. Repeat two until all the fries are cooked.

Transfer the baking sheet to the refrigerator and chill completely before frying a second time. The potatoes can be blanched ahead of time and refrigerated for several hours before the second fry.

To make the tartar sauce, combine the mayonnaise, relish, lemon juice and dill in a small bowl. Whisk together and season with a pinch of salt. Chill before serving.

Combine 1 cup and 2 tablespoons flour with the cornstarch and 1 teaspoon salt in a mixing bowl. Whisk together. Gradually whisk the beer into the flour mixture until there are no large lumps. Keep the batter cold in the fridge until ready to fry.

Preheat the oven to 300. Line two baking sheets with racks or paper towels.

Heat the oil up to 350. Add a third of the fries to the hot oil, stirring occasionally to prevent the fries from sticking. Fry for 4 to 5 minutes until the fries are golden brown and crispy. Lift the fries out with a slotted spoon and transfer to one of the rack-lined baking sheets. Immediately sprinkle with salt. Repeat until all the fries are cooked. Transfer the baking sheet to the oven to keep warm while frying the fish.

Pat the cod fillets dry with paper towel. Add the remaining 1/2 cup flour to a small bowl. Roll the cod pieces in the flour to coat and shake off the excess.

Heat the oil to back to 350. Set the batter bowl near the pot of oil. Submerge a cod fillets in the batter then lift up and briefly let some of the excess batter drip off. Carefully and slowly place into the hot oil, laying it down away from you to avoid splashing. Repeat with three more cod fillets. 

Fry the cod for 6 to 8 minutes, turning the pieces occasionally, until the batter is a deep golden brown and the fish is cooked through. Lift out of the oil using a slotted spoon and place on the rack-lined baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining cod fillets.

Serve the beer-battered fish and chips with the homemade tartar sauce along with lemon wedges and malt vinegar.