Why Homemade Fish And Chips Are Sometimes Better Than At A Restaurant - Tasting Table

"When it comes to pub grub, few dishes can soak up a pint quite like fish and chips. A deep-fried combination of battered white fish and fries, it's a filling meal that can satiate even the most ravenous of diners. And while you can now find this British classic in many American restaurants, sometimes the best fish and chips can be found in a home cook's kitchen - and it all comes down to the fries."

"When we asked Be Inspired Food-Wine-Travel's Roberta Muir for tips on how to make the best fish and chips, she revealed that it can be "surprisingly hard to make good chips from fresh potatoes" and that "most of the best restaurants use commercially prepared fries for a consistent result." This means forgoing the kind of fresh taste and texture inherent to anything homemade, while also sacrificing authenticity in the process."

"If you're tired of the fish and chips you're getting at a restaurant, you should definitely try out Tasting Table recipe developer Jennine Rye's recipe for classic British fish and chips, which entails double-frying the chips - first at 250 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes, before drying out and throwing them back in for three to four minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit."

Fish and chips pair battered white fish with fries to create a hearty pub meal that pairs well with a pint. Achieving ideal chips from fresh potatoes is difficult, so many top restaurants rely on commercially prepared fries for consistent texture. British chips are thicker and fluffier than typical American fries, and frozen steak fries are sometimes used as a substitute. A reliable home technique is double-frying: an initial cook at 250°F for about 10 minutes, drying, then a final fry at 375°F for three to four minutes. Seasoning and alternative roots like sweet potato or cassava offer flavor and texture variations.

Read at Tasting Table