Beer-battered cod with twice-cooked chips, minted peas and tartare sauce
Crisp beer-battered cod, hand-cut twice-cooked chips, minted mushy peas and tangy tartare — seaside chip-shop comfort at home.
This is the seaside chip-shop plate you remember: craggy, crackling beer-batter and thick, fluffy chips with bright minted peas and tangy tartare. It’s a weekend treat that’s well worth the fuss — especially if you enjoy a bit of controlled chaos with hot oil.
The method is classic: soak the chips, par-fry, rest, then finish at high heat for that perfect contrast of soft centre and crisp exterior. The batter is simple but the chill and the beer make all the difference.
Ingredients
- 4 cod fillets — about 150 g each, skinless
- 1.2 kg floury potatoes
- 200 g plain flour
- 5 ml baking powder
- 330 ml beer — chilled, lager or pale ale
- 2 1/2 l vegetable oil — for deep-frying
- fine sea salt — to taste
- ground black pepper — to taste
- 300 g frozen peas
- 15 g unsalted butter
- 10 g fresh mint — leaves, finely chopped
- 1 lemon — juice for sauce and wedges to serve
- 150 g mayonnaise
- 50 g gherkins — finely chopped
- 15 g capers — drained and roughly chopped
- 10 g fresh parsley — finely chopped
- malt vinegar — to serve
Equipment
- deep-fat thermometer
- deep fryer or deep, heavy-based saucepan
- slotted spoon or spider
- baking tray
- wire rack
Instructions
Cut the potatoes into chips about 1–1.5 cm thick (leave skins on if you like). Rinse the cut chips in cold water until the water runs clear, then cover with fresh cold water and leave to soak for 30 minutes.
Drain the potatoes and dry thoroughly on kitchen paper. Meanwhile, heat the vegetable oil in a deep fryer or deep, heavy-based saucepan to 130°C (use a deep-fat thermometer).
First fry the chips in batches at 130°C for 7 minutes until softened but not coloured. Remove with a slotted spoon and spread out on a baking tray lined with kitchen paper to drain.
Put 180 g of the plain flour and the baking powder into a bowl with a good pinch of fine sea salt and a little ground black pepper. Whisk in the chilled beer until you have a smooth batter. Cover and chill the batter for 30 minutes to rest.
Pat the cod fillets dry on kitchen paper, season both sides with fine sea salt and ground black pepper, then very lightly dust each fillet in the remaining plain flour (this helps the batter stick).
Heat the oil to 190°C for the final crisping. Dip each fillet into the rested batter, letting excess drip off, then carefully lower into the oil. Fry two fillets at a time (don't overcrowd) for 5–6 minutes until golden and cooked through. Transfer to a wire rack or kitchen paper to drain.
Turn the oil back to 190°C if needed and finish the chips: fry the par-cooked chips in batches for 3–4 minutes until deep golden and crisp. Drain on kitchen paper and season immediately with fine sea salt.
While the second fry is happening, make the tartare: mix the mayonnaise with the chopped gherkins, capers, most of the chopped parsley, a squeeze of lemon juice and a little ground black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Cook the peas in a small pan of boiling water for 3–4 minutes until just tender. Drain, then return to the pan with the butter and chopped mint and lightly mash — leave slightly chunky. Season with a little fine sea salt.
Serve the beer-battered cod with the hot chips, a spoonful of minted peas, a dollop of tartare sauce, lemon wedges and a little malt vinegar at the table.
Tips
- Use floury potatoes (Maris Piper or King Edward) for a light, fluffy interior — waxy potatoes won’t crisp the same.
- Keep the batter cold and rest it 30 minutes; it traps gas and gives a light, crunchy crust.
- Always dry fish and chips thoroughly before battering/frying to avoid oil spitting and soggy results.
- Cook in small batches and keep an eye on oil temperature with a thermometer — maintaining 190°C for the final fry is essential.
- Make the tartare and peas ahead; tartare flavours improve after an hour and peas reheat quickly.
Substitutions
cod fillets → haddock fillets, same weight
Stays closebeer → sparkling water (chilled), same volume
Stays closeplain flour → gluten-free plain flour blend, same weight
Noticeably differentmayonnaise → Greek yoghurt (full-fat) for a lighter tartare, same weight
Noticeably different
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 958
- Calories
- 34 g
- Protein
- 66 g
- Carbs
- 62 g
- Fat
- 7 g
- Fibre
- 6 g
- Sugar
- 850 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
How do I tell when the fish is cooked?
The batter should be deep golden and crackly and the fish should flake easily when tested with a fork. A 150 g fillet usually needs 5–6 minutes at 190°C; thicker fillets may need an extra minute.
Can I oven-bake instead of deep-frying?
You can oven-bake chips and fish for a lighter meal, but you won't get the same craggy batter and crunch. For best oven results, par-boil chips, toss in oil and roast at 200°C fan/220°C conventional until crisp.
Why soak the potatoes?
Soaking removes surface starch, which prevents the chips from fusing and helps them crisp during frying. It’s a small extra step with a big payoff.
How do I reheat leftovers?
Re-crisp chips and fish in a hot oven at 200°C fan/220°C conventional for 8–12 minutes; avoid the microwave or they'll go soggy. Keep tartare chilled and add fresh lemon before serving.
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