Gluten free Battered Fish and Chips is not especially difficult to make. To enjoy the kind of fish and chips you crave the challenge is that you need to be comfortable with the process of deep-frying.

Deep-frying is a quick method of cooking yet I often hear people say it scares them or that the process is too difficult. A good set up is what makes deep-frying no big deal. Not having a set up is what makes people say it’s too much work.

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Get The Tools – Organize For Success

If you own a deep-fryer great, but it’s not required. I deep-fry in my flat-bottom wok. It requires less oil, has a large surface area for cooking and already has a spot in my kitchen. If you don’t have a wok (you really should have a wok) you can still deep-fry in a pot. (Warning – That may just make you want to buy a wok.)

My set up includes:

• a flat-bottom wok for frying in,
• a kitchen thermometer that clips onto the wok,
• tongs for dipping into batter and placing into oil,
• a long-handled strainer for removing food from the oil,
• a big jug of oil that is no more than half full,
• a large pyrex measuring cup to pour the cooled oil back into the jug.

My basic process is:

• pour the clean or used oil from the jug into the wok
• clip the thermometer onto the wok (it says on the thermometer deep-fry 375°F)
• cook then eat and allow the oil to cool
• set a large pyrex measuring cup in the sink then pour the cooled oil into the cup with confidence
• pour the oil back into the jug and use it a few times before discarding it.
• Write on the jug FOR DEEP-FRYING and store it in a different place than you store other oil.

Battered Fish and Chips

Since you have hot oil you might as well make the chips. The label on frozen French fries has about a dozen ingredients on it, that’s what you learn when you read labels. I know anyone can cut up a potato and fry it so when you’re making fish make the chips too. You’ll get better after you’ve done it a few times.

Tartar Sauce for Battered Fish

I would never buy tartar sauce in a bottle. It is made of things already in my fridge and since I don’t use it often that bottle would be there for a year. For something fast and easy mix a big blob of mayo, a spoonful of green relish and a squirt of lemon juice…or just squeeze fresh lemon on at the table. Done!

This tartar sauce recipe I’ve included is a step up. It has seven ingredients and if you like tartar sauce and keep those ingredients in your fridge you might want to try it. You can always mix any leftover tartar sauce with more mayo to make tuna salad for lunch.

A Gluten Free Resource

This recipe is adapted from America’s Test Kitchen – How Can It Be Gluten Free Cookbook volume 2. They do a lot of work to figure out what makes a recipe work and have published two gluten free cookbooks. They’re packed with helpful information and I highly recommend these for anyone cooking gluten free.

Let me know in the comments below if you were inspired to try deep-frying or share a tip if you have one.

More Recipes – Deep Frying

Click on the text in the picture to go to the recipe.