Non-VegetarianNorth East English cuisine Street Food

North Shields Fish and Chips

Name: North Shields Fish and Chips
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: North East English
Ingredients: 4 fillets haddock fillets; 1.2 kg maris piper potatoes; 1 kg beef dripping; 200 g Plain flour; 1 tsp Baking powder; 250 ml cold brown ale; 1 tsp Fine sea salt; 2 tbsp Malt vinegar

Crisp haddock fillets enveloped in golden beef-dripping batter, served with chunky hand-cut chips and seasoned with salt and malt vinegar.

🇬🇧United Kingdom· North East England

Prep: 25 min
Cook: 30 min
Total: 55 min
Servings: 4
Difficulty: Medium
Calories: 850 kcal

Ingredients

0 of 8 gathered

Servings

4 fillets haddock fillets — skinless, roughly 180g each
1¼ kg maris piper potatoes — peeled and sliced into thick chips
1 kg beef dripping — traditional rendered fat for deep frying
200 g Plain flour — plus 3 tbsp extra for dusting
1 tsp Baking powder — for a light, bubbly crust
250 ml cold brown ale — chilled North East bitter or pale ale
1 tsp Fine sea salt — for batter seasoning
2 tbsp Malt vinegar — to serve

Equipment

•Deep heavy-bottomed pot or deep-fat fryer
•Cooking thermometer
•Slotted spoon or spider strainer
•Large mixing bowl
•Kitchen paper
•Whisk

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 850 kcal
fat: 40 g
carbs: 74 g
fibre: 6 g
protein: 48 g
calories: 850 kcal

Instructions

1
Soak the cut chips in cold water for 20 minutes to remove excess starch.
2
Drain the chips thoroughly and pat completely dry with a clean tea towel.
3
Melt the beef dripping in a large heavy pot over a medium hob until it reaches 130°C.
4
Fry the chips in batches for 7 to 8 minutes until soft but still pale.
5
Lift out the blanched chips with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.
6
Whisk the plain flour, baking powder, salt, and cold ale in a bowl until just smooth.
7
Raise the heat of the beef dripping until the thermometer reads 180°C.
8
Dust each haddock fillet in dry flour, then dip into the batter until well coated.
9
Lower the fish carefully into the hot fat and fry for 5 to 6 minutes until crisp and golden.
10
Remove the haddock with a slotted spoon and keep warm on a paper-lined tray.
11
Return the chips to the 180°C fat for 3 to 4 minutes until crisp, then serve immediately with the fish.

Chef's tips

Ensure the beer is ice cold before whisking into the batter to create a crisp and airy crust. Cook in small batches so the fat temperature does not drop suddenly.

Ingredient substitutions

beef dripping → vegetable oil or sunflower oil
cold brown ale → chilled sparkling water
haddock fillets → cod or coley fillets

Storage

Fish and chips are best enjoyed immediately, but cooled leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 day.

Reheating

Reheat on a wire rack over a baking tray in a fan oven at 200°C for 10 minutes until crisp.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Frying chips while still damp, which lowers the oil temperature and causes dangerous spitting.
•Over-whisking the batter, making the final coating heavy and chewy instead of light.
•Letting the beef dripping drop below 180°C, which results in oily, soggy fish.

Serving suggestions

Serve immediately with a generous dousing of malt vinegar and flaky sea salt.Accompany with hot mushy peas, tartare sauce, and a wedge of fresh lemon.Pair with thick slices of buttered white bread to build a traditional chip butty.