There’s nothing like a big plate of freshly cooked fish and chips on a warm summer’s evening. The British favorite is a classic in many different areas, and while it’s quite straightforward to make, it can also go terribly wrong. No one wants mushy fries or chips, nor do they want a soggy piece of fish. You want everything to be perfectly golden, and to achieve that, you need the cooking oil to be the right temperature. According to experts, the perfect range is between 350 to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
Tasting Table previously spoke to Roberta Muir of Be Inspired Food-Wine-Travel to get some expert tips for the absolute best fish and chips, and she said there’s a delicate balance that needs to be reached in terms of frying. “Oil must be hot enough to seal the batter as soon as it hits the pan, otherwise the batter will absorb too much oil and be soggy,” she explained. “But you don’t want smoking hot oil, or the batter will burn before the fish cooks.” If you want to test the heat of your oil, the safest bet is to use a thermometer.
Testing your oil
Otherwise, you can place a small fry or piece of bread inside to see how quickly it cooks. Muir says, “Rule of thumb is it should take a cube of bread about 15 to 20 seconds to turn dark golden brown when the oil is at the correct temperature.” You can also stick a wooden spoon inside the oil and see if bubbles appear. You don’t want them to spit (that means it’s too hot), but you do want to see a lot of tiny bubbles popping up fast.
As for how long it takes the fish to cook, typically, you’re talking up to six minutes, depending on the thickness. The fries are a bit trickier. Some experts like to cook fries at a lower temperature, such as 325 degrees Fahrenheit, for three to four minutes first and then crank it up for the fish and second fry cook, which should take a similar amount of time. You can par-cook the fries and finish them after the fish to ensure everything stays at the right temperature before serving, and you can soak potatoes for the crispiest fries, too.
The most important thing to remember is to make sure the fish reaches an internal temperature of at least 145 degrees Fahrenheit so that it’s safe to eat. You might want to make sure you’re using an oil with a high smoke point, too, because even a perfect plate of British fish and chips can’t fix a ringing fire alarm.
