This incredible beer-battered fish and chips recipe is from Mat Arnfeld in his throwdown fish and chips with Bobby Flay. It is seriously good! The batter stays crispy for hours.
Prepare the batter (at least one hour before you plan to cook):
Put 1 1/2 cups of the flour and a pinch of salt in a medium bowl. Whisk in the ale until smooth. For a lighter batter, use a handheld immersion blender to combine. The batter should have the consistency of heavy cream; if it is too thin, whisk in a little more flour. Cover and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes to 1 hour max
First frying for the chips:
Fill a deep-fryer or heavy-bottomed pot halfway with about 3 inches of oil, and heat to 320 F. Add your potatoes carefully, so as not to excite the oil, and cook for about 4-5 minutes; they shouldn't color. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined baking sheet and let cool
Second frying for the chips:
Raise the oil temperature to 375 F. Put your potatoes in the oil and fry until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain on paper towel-lined baking sheet and sprinkle with salt. Keep them warm on a rack in the oven
Frying the fish:
Raise the oil temperature to 350 F
Put the remaining 1/2 cup flour in a baking dish. Season the fish generously with salt on both sides; then dredge in the flour to make sure it coats the fish well, shaking off any excess. This is an important step as the flour helps to absorb excess moisture from the fish
Give the batter a stir and dip the fish in the batter, shaking off any excess. Fry the fish, flipping once and adjusting the heat as necessary, until golden brown and cooked through, about, 3-4 minutes
Keep them warm:
Use the "keep warm" function in your oven or heat oven to 200 F. Keep the chips and fried fish on a rack to keep them warm and crispy