Topic: What do BIR chefs cook at home?

[Cory Ander]

B*llocks!

You just can't get sausage, egg and fish and chips like you used to in the good old days before health and safety legislation and preprocessed foods took hold!

I fondly remember fish and chips from British Fish n' Chips Shops (BFnCSs) of the 70s and they are nothing like the same now.  Even the smell as you walk through the door (and the decor) is different!

In my discussions with owners and chefs, they tell me it's impossible to replicate them at home because the volume simply ain't there.  They use huge amounts of oil (used to fry all manner of things) and you just can't scale down the batter without introducing differences.  They clearly possess many secrets, not only about ingredients but about technique (scooping burnt bits out of the oil, for example, and selling them for tuppence)

Furthemore, there are real regional differences depending on where the shop is and where the chef and owner are originally from.  For instance, in Australia, most owners/chefs are Chinese origin and their product is distinctly different from the Yorkshire lass' back home.  They also use "flake" (i.e. shark) instead of cod.

Some even dribble curry sauce over the top and add mushy peas.

I'm also sure they add some "secret ingredients" to their salt and vinegar.

I'm even led to believe that they add potato to their chips ffs!  :

I find that my smell gets desensitised, when cooking, so I advise going outside to take some fresh air before eating them.  Lo and behold, upon your return, you will get that "smell" of used oil, just like your favourite local takeaway.

Of course it's important to leave them to settle after cooking and before eating as this mimics the trip home from your local and allows the food to relax and the flavours to permeate.

I've even seen photos of some members' efforts, but that doesn't really tell us much.  They might LOOK the part (but any fool can do that) but what do they SMELL and TASTE like I wonder? 

So they all go home and cook curries instead.  It's easier, they say.

[Razor]

Just got this recipe for perfect fluffy chips, courtesy of my six year old.

Ingredients

a portion of chip skins
500g mash potato
Veg oil for frying

Method

Into a piping bag, place the mash potato

Take a chip skin, and gently squeeze at the end, as to open it slightly

place the nozzle of the piping bag into the open ended chip skin and squeeze until the chip skin is full

Then simply deep fry in the oil until chip skins are golden brown.

I usually sprinkle with salt & vinegar (recipe to follow) and eat.

I don't know if this is typical BFnCSs fayre but it's really good.  Chip skins are available at them 'British Super Markets' (BSM's).  We have a good one near us, think it's called ASDA or something like that

 ;D ;D

[Cory Ander]

Apparently, they pump the fish full of salted water nowadays too  :

And beware fish from Asian waters...though cheaper (and no doubt that's what BFnCSs use) they are ship farmed and feed on chicken pooh!  Nuff said.....  :-X

[joshallen2k]

Classic thread.

[peterandjen]

feckin hilarious:)

[Malc.]

I'm installing a system into a Fish and Chip restaurant today, they use traditional Yorkshire methods of cooking in dripping.

I know the owner very well, I could get a Kitchen Demo.

Oh and I know he definitely uses Rice Flour to coat the fish before dipping in the batter. 

[commis]

Axe

Please get some video if you can, essentially with the sound off, with it pointing the wrong way and most of all find out if the oil is cold when they put the fish in. this has got to be the missing element. Can you find where he is from because as we know fish and chips are a ancient Chinese dish, don,t acept any thing less!

Regards

[Razor]

Axe,

When you're there, check out the temp that the chef fries the fish and chips in i.e:  is the temp set at 190c (fast cook) or something like 120c (slow boat) or does he combine both methods, starts off slow boat, then takes the chips out, increases the temp, then returns for the fast cook finish?

I have heard of this combination of methods being used before, but when you ask the chef about,  they just keep repeating " no secret methods, none"  but then they walk off with a condescending grin on their face........they know

[GulfExpat]

I'm guessing this question, or a similar one, has been asked before?

:

[Razor]

Hi Axe,

Oh and I know he definitely uses Rice Flour to coat the fish before dipping in the batter. 

When you say rice flour, is that rice flour, rice powder or rice milk powder, does anyone know the difference?

Ray