Chip Shop Chips Just Like The Chippy

Chip Shop Chips are a British institution & deep frying homemade chips just like your favourite chippy is very easy, just add salt & vinegar.

Creating perfect chippy chips is really very quick, all of the time is in preparation but cooking them takes just 10 minutes!

Perfect Homemade Chippy Chips

Spending 13 years living in the Hungarian countryside gave me plenty of time to yearn for, and find a way to replicate my favourite takeaway recipes at home.

Fakeaway dishes on my run deep and wide with everything from chicken chow mein to chicken balti and egg foo yung to buttermilk southern fried chicken burgers getting a look in.

But let’s face it… as a Brit the granddaddy of all takeaways is the local chippy!

So of course I have a recipe that aims at emulating those glorious “blonde” chip shop style chips.

They are remarkably easy to cook at home so long as you have a fryer. They cook in under 10 minutes and all of the work to make them chippy chips is in the preparation.

All you need to do is add loads of salt and vinegar and prepare yourself to feel really smug.

Especially if you treat yourself to a bit of food-safe newspaper print to get the memories (no matter if they are false memories) flowing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the type of potato really matter?

Yes, it is the most important part of this recipe, if you do not get floury potatoes your chips will not turn out right.

I use King Edwards or Maris Pipers, if you are in the US look for something like a Russet!

Why do you soak the potatoes?

Chip shop chips are always fairly pale in colour and the way to achieve this is to wash off the surface starch.

Failure to do this will lead to much darker chips.

What fat should I use?

Many moons ago chip shops would have used hard fat, lard or more likely beef dripping.

Honestly, dripping makes a huge difference but it is not particularly practical. I usually use sunflower oil or vegetable oil.

Do I have to use a deep-fat fryer?

Oil temperature is critical in this recipe and as a result, the best way to achieve a consistent temperature is by using a deep-fat fryer.

You could use a chip pan or a large saucepan with a basket. But it is far more difficult to get a pan large enough to safely fry in and to manage the oil temperature.

Can I cook them in advance?

These chips can be frozen after the first cooking phase. Transfer them from the pan and soak up any excess oil on some kitchen paper.

Then place them in a single layer on a cooling rack and allow them to cool completely.

Place them in the freezer and freeze on the cooling rack before transferring to a bag.

You can cook them straight from frozen for 4-5 minutes at 190°C or 375°F. But you must be careful because they will spit and splutter because of the additional moisture.

Serving Suggestions

The only thing that chip shop chips “have” to be served with is salt and vinegar, failure to do so is an imprisonable offence!

After that, you can make your choice. My usual order would be Saveloy and chips with chippy curry sauce and mushy peas.

My wife would always go for battered sausage or jumbo sausage and mock my choice. This suits me fine because I could steal a bit of hers and she’d go nowhere near mine.

I will note that I have not mentioned fish… let’s face it the Brits are known for fish and chips.

Growing up fish and chips would have been an incredible indulgence and were generally well out of the budget for a rare chippy tea.

I do indulge now that I’m a grown-up though, and of course, I have a recipe for chip shop battered fish.

You can also use them to make salt and pepper chips.

Since returning to the UK I have discovered that folk up here in the “North” like their chips with gravy, which is just plain odd!

Equipment Used

I only mention brands of equipment if I think that they make a material difference to a recipe. But if you have any questions feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.

• Deep fat fryer.
• Chopping board.
• Kitchen knife.
• Vegetable peeler.
• Large bowl to soak the potatoes.
• Tea towel and or kitchen paper to dry the potatoes.