A wooden table topped with fish and fries.

Beer Battered Fish and Chips

03/02/2021 | By Cowboy Kent Rollins

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Today we're talking about an old classic – fish and the chips. Grab your fishing pole and your frying apparatus and let's get to going.

Before we get started on the fish, we are going to start getting those taters ready for the chips. Get yourself a big russet potato, and slice it into long thin fries and leave the skin on. Now, throw those taters in the bowl and cover them with some water. After a little while, the water is going to get cloudy, so drain it out and add more. Keep on with this until the water stays clear. That means you got all the starch out of these fries and they are going to be extra crispy.

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Tip: Soaking potatoes in cold water removes the starch and makes the crispiest, crunchiest fries you ever saw.

Now on to that fish – any white fish will do. Traditionally, these are made with cod, but there's not a whole lot of cod in the fishing ponds here in Oklahoma. You know what we do have in the ponds here in Oklahoma? Catfish. You can also use halibut. Make sure you pat that fish dry with a paper towel, which will allow the batter to stick to it better.

Tip: Cut the fish into equal sizes so they have an equal amount of time in the fryer.

Good Old Fashioned Batter

This ain't no cowboy corn meal batter. This is the traditional batter with flour, cornstarch and beer. Don't for get to add the Red River Original Seasoning. You can put it in the batter or season the fish after, either way it will be delicious.

Tip: If you have time before the oil is hot, set the fish and dry mix into the ice box. The cold makes them behave better; things are going to be crispier and they pop up bigger.

When the oil is the right temperature, it's time to beer the batter up! I'm using Coors Light today but traditionally, a darker ale is used. Add that beer and mix until the batter is the consistency a little thicker than a good pancake batter and no clumps stick to it when you lift it out of the bowl.

Tip: After patting dry, dust the fish with a good amount of corn starch so that the batter will stick to it.

Throw the fish of equal sizes into the batter together and add to the oil one by one. By the time these fish are fried to a golden color, they're ready to eat!

Dress Up Those Chips A Little

Well, if we are going to dress up the fish in a fancy petticoat, I think we have got to dress up the taters, as well. To make these fries so crispy you can't barely stand it, we are gonna change this batter up just a little – take what's left over and add some more beer to it until the consistency is that of a runny pancake batter. We just want to roll them around a little bit and give a light coating. These fries are just gonna get a little dunking in oil before they get out on the plate.

I'll let y'all in on a little secret – I'm full of them today – this batter makes a great onion ring as well. Mmmmm!

If you didn't watch the video and are just scrolling through, just know that these fries and fish are so crispy and crunchy that they are going to make a ton of noise each time you take a bite. If you don't want the traditional vinegar, I like to squeeze lemon over and dip in tartar sauce. There's a great recipe for tartar sauce in my Smoked Catfish video so click right there and get to going because these fish and chips are gonna get cold.

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Beer Battered Fish and Chips - Cowboy Kent Rollins

Servings 4
Prep Time 15 Minutes
Total Time 35 Minutes
Author Cowboy Kent Rollins

Ingredients

  • 4 russet potatoes

  • 4 white fish filets

    cod, catfish, halibut cut evenly into pieces
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour

  • 2 tablespoons plus ⅓ cup cornstarch

  • 4 teaspoons baking powder

  • 1 ½ tablespoons Red RIver Ranch Original Seasoning

    see substitution elow
  • 1 16 ounce can light beer (divided)

  • Oil for frying oil

Instructions

  1. Rinse and slice the potatoes into thin fries. Place the cut potatoes into a bowl and cover with cool water. Rinse the fries until the water is clear.
  2. Drain and place the fries on a towel and pat dry. Set aside.
  3. Slice the fillets in half and then into bite-sized pieces to ensure an even frying time. Place the pieces on a paper towel and pat dry. If you’re not frying the fish right away, place the filets in the fridge until ready to fry.
  4. In a large bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch, baking powder and Original seasoning. Whisk in 12 ounces of beer, until smooth. Add a little more beer if needed to achieve a pancake batter consistency.
  5. In a Dutch oven or deep fryer, add about 3 to 4 inches of the fry oil and heat to 350 degrees F.
  6. Dust the filets lightly with cornstarch to help the batter stick to the fish. Dip the filets in the wet mixture and then place in the oil, a few at a time. Fry for about 3 to 4 minutes, turning as needed, or until golden brown. Place on a wire rack in a warm oven to stay warm.
  7. Mix in 2 to 4 ounces of the remaining beer into the batter mixture until it reaches a thin pancake batter consistency. Dip the potatoes in to thoroughly coat. Add the fries, a few at a time, to the oil and fry for 3 to 4 minutes, or until golden brown. Place on a wire rack to drain.
  8. Serve fish and chips warm with tartar sauce and/or ketchup.

Notes

  • Kent Rollins Original seasoning available at KentRollins.com or substitute with

    ½ tablespoon seasoned salt
    ½ tablespoon garlic powder
    ½ tablespoon black pepper

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