Fish and Chips (Beer-Battered Cod, Fasting-Style)

Other Fast With Fish Published February 12, 2026

Fish and chips is the ultimate fish-day comfort food — a thick fillet of cod in a shatteringly crisp beer batter, served alongside golden chips with malt vinegar. The traditional British recipe requires no modification for the fast: the batter is flour, beer, and seasoning. No eggs, no dairy. This is how fish and chips has been made in chip shops for generations, and it is already fasting-compliant.

The secret to the batter is ice-cold beer and a light hand with the mixing. Lumps are good. Overmixing develops gluten and makes the batter tough.

FASTING LEVEL: Fast With Fish
SERVINGS: 4
TIME: 40 minutes

INGREDIENTS

- 4 thick cod fillets (about 180g each), or haddock or pollock
- 200g plain flour (plus extra for dusting)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 300ml ice-cold beer (a pale lager works best)
- Vegetable oil, for deep frying (about 1.5 liters)
- 1 kg floury potatoes (Maris Piper or Russet), cut into thick chips
- Malt vinegar, for serving
- Salt, for serving
- Lemon wedges
- Mushy peas or a simple salad, for serving

METHOD

1. Cut the potatoes into chips about 1.5cm thick. Soak in cold water for 30 minutes, then drain and dry thoroughly.

2. Heat the oil in a deep pot or fryer to 160C/320F. Fry the chips in batches for 6-7 minutes until cooked through but not yet colored. Remove and drain on paper towels. Increase the oil temperature to 190C/375F.

3. While the chips par-fry, make the batter. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper. Pour in the ice-cold beer and whisk briefly — the batter should be slightly lumpy, the consistency of thick cream.

4. Pat the fish fillets dry and dust lightly with flour, shaking off any excess.

5. Dip each fillet into the batter, letting the excess drip off. Carefully lower into the 190C/375F oil. Fry for 6-8 minutes, turning once, until the batter is deeply golden and crisp and the fish inside is flaky.

6. While the fish fries, return the par-cooked chips to the oil at 190C/375F. Fry for 3-4 minutes until golden and crispy. Drain and salt immediately.

7. Serve the fish and chips on paper or a warm plate with malt vinegar, lemon wedges, and mushy peas if desired.

NOTES

- The double-fry method for chips is essential. The first fry cooks them through; the second fry crisps them. Skip this and you get limp chips.
- The beer must be ice-cold. The temperature contrast between the cold batter and hot oil creates steam that makes the batter puff and crisp.
- Do not crowd the fryer. Fry in batches — the oil temperature drops when you add food, and crowding makes everything soggy.
- Traditional British chip shop fish and chips has always been fasting-compliant. The batter is just flour and water (or beer). No eggs needed.