Ultimate Homemade Fish and Chips with Miso Tartare Sauce
Published on April 17th, 2026
Intermediate
If you are craving classic British pub food but feel daunted by the thought of deep-frying at home, you are in the right place.
Today, we are sharing our ultimate homemade fish-and-chips recipe. We've optimised this classic to make it incredibly home-cook-friendly. By using a shallow-fry method for the fish and a smart roasting technique for the chips, you get all the golden, crispy satisfaction with half the mess. Plus, we are sharing our secret to the most addictive homemade tartare sauce you'll ever taste.
Why This Recipe Works
Shallow-Frying Saves the Day: Deep-frying can be daunting and messy. We use a wide frying pan with less oil to shallow-fry thin haddock fillets. You still get a spectacularly crisp batter without the stress.
Crispy Baked Chips: Instead of double-frying, we parboil Maris Piper potatoes and then roast them in a hot oven. The result? Fluffy insides and wonderfully crispy exteriors.
The Secret Ingredient: Our homemade tartare sauce features a surprising umami bomb—miso paste! It adds a depth of richness that perfectly balances the tangy capers and gherkins.
Ingredients
- 240g plain flour
- 1 tsp fine sea salt (plus extra flakes for finishing)
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 300ml cold water
- 4 thin haddock fillets (cod or pollock work too!)
- Vegetable oil (for shallow frying)
For the Perfect Baked Chips
- 800g Maris Piper potatoes, scrubbed and unpeeled
- 4 tbsp vegetable oil
- Sea salt
For the Umami Tartare Sauce:
- 8 tbsp mayonnaise
- 1 large gherkin, finely chopped
- ½ shallot, finely chopped (about 1 tbsp)
- 1 tbsp nonpareil capers, chopped
- ¼ tsp miso paste (the secret touch!)
- 1 tbsp fresh tarragon, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh chives, finely chopped
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the plain flour, fine sea salt, baking powder, and 300 ml of cold water. Once combined, cover the bowl and leave the batter to rest in the fridge for 30 minutes. Resting allows the gluten to relax and the starches to hydrate, producing a thick batter that yields a shattering crunch.
- While the batter chills, prepare your sauce. In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, chopped gherkin, shallot, capers, miso paste, tarragon, and chives. Stir well, taste for seasoning, then pop it in the fridge until you're ready to serve.
- Preheat your oven to 200°C (Gas Mark 6). Cut your scrubbed Maris Piper potatoes into thick, 1.5 cm-wide chips. Boil them in a pan of salted water for 10 minutes. Drain well and let them steam-dry in the colander for a few minutes. Spread the parboiled chips over two large baking trays, drizzle with 4 tbsp of oil, and season generously with salt. Roast for 45 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden and crispy all over. LemonSalt tip: Briefly drain on kitchen paper before serving to keep them extra crisp!
- Pour your remaining vegetable oil into a large, wide frying pan and heat over high heat. You want the oil to reach 180°C. (No thermometer? Drop a small cube of bread into the oil; if it turns golden in 10 seconds, you are good to go. If the oil smokes, remove it from the heat immediately.)
- Working with one fillet at a time, season the fish with salt, dredge it thoroughly in your chilled batter, and carefully lower it into the hot oil. Cook for 3 minutes until golden brown, then use tongs to gently flip it and cook for a further 3 minutes. The fish should be opaque and flake easily (internal temperature of 55°C).
- Transfer the cooked fish to a kitchen-paper-lined tray and sprinkle immediately with flaky sea salt. Repeat with the remaining fillets.
- Serve hot with a generous pile of crispy chips, a dollop of our signature miso tartare sauce, and a splash of malt vinegar. Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best fish to use for fish and chips? Traditionally, white, flaky fish is used. We highly recommend haddock because its slightly thinner profile makes it perfect for shallow-frying. However, cod or pollock are fantastic, sustainable alternatives.
Why do I need to rest the batter? Resting the batter in the fridge is crucial! It keeps the batter cold (which prevents it from absorbing too much oil) and hydrates the flour, ensuring your fish coating puffs up beautifully and stays extra crispy.
Why add miso paste to tartar sauce? Miso paste is packed with umami. Adding just a quarter teaspoon to your tartare sauce enhances the savoury richness of the mayonnaise without overpowering the fresh herbs and tangy pickles. It’s a game-changer!
Can I make the tartare sauce ahead of time? Absolutely. In fact, making the tartare sauce a day in advance allows the flavours of the tarragon, chives, and shallots to meld together beautifully in the fridge.
What are the best potatoes for homemade chips? Maris Piper potatoes are the absolute best choice for British-style chips. They have a fluffy interior that breaks down slightly when boiled, creating rough edges that crisp up perfectly in the oven.
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