Reef Fish and Chips
Crisp beer-battered Queensland reef fish served alongside thick hand-cut chips, tartare sauce, and fresh lemon wedges.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 45 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 680 kcal
Equipment
- •Deep frypan or heavy Dutch oven
- •Oil thermometer
- •Wire rack with baking tray
- •Slotted spoon or spider skimmer
- •Mixing bowls
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 680 kcal
- fat
- 31 g
- carbs
- 62 g
- fibre
- 5 g
- protein
- 38 g
- calories
- 680 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Rinse the cut chips in cold water, then pat completely dry with a clean tea towel.
- 2
Heat the oil in a heavy-based pot or deep frypan to 140 C.
- 3
Par-fry the chips in batches for 5 minutes until tender but pale, then drain on a wire rack.
- 4
Whisk 150 g plain flour, cornflour, baking powder, and a pinch of salt in a bowl.
- 5
Pour the cold lager into the flour mixture and whisk briefly until just combined, leaving tiny lumps.
- 6
Increase the oil temperature to 185 C.
- 7
Dust the fish fillets in the remaining 30 g of plain flour, shaking off any excess.
- 8
Dip the dusted fish into the batter to coat evenly, letting the excess drip away.
- 9
Lower the battered fillets into the hot oil and fry for 4 to 5 minutes until golden and crisp.
- 10
Transfer the fried fish to a wire rack to drain.
- 11
Return the par-cooked chips to the 185 C oil and fry for 3 minutes until deep golden and crisp.
- 12
Drain the chips, season immediately with chicken salt or sea salt, and serve hot with fish and lemon wedges.
Chef's tips
Ensure the beer is ice-cold before mixing to create a shatteringly crisp crust. Do not overcrowd the frying vessel, as temperature drops cause the batter to absorb excess oil.
Ingredient substitutions
- coral trout or sweetlip → barramundi, snapper, or flathead fillets
- cold Australian lager → chilled sparkling mineral water
Storage
Fried fish and chips are best enjoyed immediately, but leftovers can be kept in a covered container in the fridge for up to one day.
Reheating
Reheat on an oiled wire rack set over a baking tray in a 200 C oven for 8 to 10 minutes until crisp.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Over-whisking the batter, which develops gluten and makes the crust heavy and chewy
- •Frying chips only once, leading to soggy rather than crisp potatoes
- •Placing fried fish on paper towels instead of a wire rack, which steams the underside
Serving suggestions
Cooked Reef Fish and Chips?
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