# Best fish for fish & chips?



## Chef Maloney (Oct 26, 2012)

We ate lunch at a fish & chips (don't remember the name) a few weeks ago. They had a great tasting fish. Wish I had asked what kind. It was a white fish, it was not cod but it tasted so close I could not tell the difference. They were wonderful, large, thick  and white cuts of fish meat. Anyone have any idea what kind of fish that might have been? What kind of fish do you like fried? Thanks


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## GLC (Oct 26, 2012)

Haddock and pollack are common. Lots of others. In the better shops, it depends a lot on what's available locally.


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## Whiskadoodle (Oct 26, 2012)

At most "fine dining" restaurants AKA local pubs  that serve fish and chips or fish sandwiches,  unless they specify,  it's usally pollack from Alaska.   And by "fine dining", I mean you can relax,  put your elbows on the table and eat with your fingers.   Local specialty fish is Minnesota Walleye,  which we all know is imported from Canada.  

Pollack is quite mild and tasty.  

Call the restaurant and ask / or look at their menu on line if they have a website.


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## salt and pepper (Oct 26, 2012)

I vote for Halibut.


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## GotGarlic (Oct 26, 2012)

If it cost $15 or less, it's likely it was tilapia. Most tilapia sold in the U.S. is imported from China and since their environmental practices aren't very good, they're not the best choice. I would definitely ask the restaurant.


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## Steve Kroll (Oct 26, 2012)

You can use any type of white fish, but in the UK it's traditionally made from cod or haddock.

However, when it comes right down to it, any fish that's covered in batter and deep fried, is generally more about the batter and the accoutrements than the fish.


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## PrincessFiona60 (Oct 26, 2012)

I love a good Halibut fillet as my fish and chips, it's worth the price.


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (Oct 26, 2012)

I was going to mention both Haddock, and Pollack.  Other good choices include red snapper, whitefish or walleye (Great Lakes fish), Jumbo Perch, small mouth bass, and Boston Blue Fish.  If you want more flavor, but still fairly mild, fresh pink salmon is amazing, as are speckled trout fillets, or swordfish.  Yellow fin tuna, if it's fresh is also good.  Catfish, if caught in clean water, is mild and has the proper texture as well.  Herring will work.

These fish will work, but will need to have the fatty parts removed:
Chinook Salmon, Lake Trout, Pike (can be very bony if not prepared right), sockey salmon, coho salmon, steelhead/rainbow trout, most tuna.

I've had battered pink salmon that had no fishy flavor, and was an absolute delight.  I've also had salmon where the fatty meat from under the dorsal fin, and belly meat was left on.  It was not good eating.  Fish fat is very strong flavored, and isn't tasty to most people.  Think cond-liver-oil flavor.  Remove the fat, and sometimes the skin, and that same fish can be wonderful.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North


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## CharlieD (Oct 26, 2012)

salt and pepper said:


> I vote for Halibut.


If it was Halibut it would be very expensive meal.


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## Chef Maloney (Oct 26, 2012)

CharlieD said:


> If it was Halibut it would be very expensive meal.


Thank you everyone for your responses. It was not a very expensive meal, about $15 per person which I consider 'not cheap' for lunch but the food was great and the portions were fair sized. From the responses here I am thinking the fish was probably haddock or possibly halibut. Next time we go I will ask what kind of fish it is but the restaurant is 60 miles away so it will be awhile.


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## Sir_Loin_of_Beef (Oct 26, 2012)

Most places around here use Pacific red snapper, which is actually rock cod, and will upgrade you to halibut for an additional cost.


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## Lardeffect (Oct 28, 2012)

While cod is traditional, and you were probably served pollack (which is cod-related),  I would recommend you try an ocean perch (rose fish). It is just great for deep frying in batter.


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## Snip 13 (Oct 28, 2012)

We usually get hake or cod and sometimes butter fish here. If they don't specify it's usually hake.


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## Kylie1969 (Oct 29, 2012)

Butterfish is the main one here and hake


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## Snip 13 (Oct 29, 2012)

Kylie1969 said:


> Butterfish is the main one here and hake


 
I've heard Australia is very similar to SA as far as food and weather is concerned. The more I read your posts, the more I notice how true it is!
A lot of my friends have moved there, they say it's just like home!


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## Kylie1969 (Oct 29, 2012)

I agree Snip..when reading your posts I have noticed a lot of similarities in food...that is great


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## Lardeffect (Oct 29, 2012)

Isn't butterfish too greasy after deep-frying? Sounds like deep-frying bacon


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## CharlieD (Oct 29, 2012)

Snip 13 said:


> We usually get hake ...


 
Hm, I wonder if it has different name here in the states, last time i saw that fish back in my soviet days. Need to google it, see what it is called here. Thanks for reminder.
As far as original question. I would use the mildest fish possible and by using seasoning you like would get the taste you like.


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## CharlieD (Oct 29, 2012)

Hm, just google it. Did not really find anything. Dear American friends, ar eyou familiar witht hat fish? Is it available in stores where you are?


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## Snip 13 (Oct 29, 2012)

CharlieD said:


> Hm, I wonder if it has different name here in the states, last time i saw that fish back in my soviet days. Need to google it, see what it is called here. Thanks for reminder.
> As far as original question. I would use the mildest fish possible and by using seasoning you like would get the taste you like.


 
Hake


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## CharlieD (Oct 29, 2012)

Thanks, yeah, I guess I wasn't clear, as always. i do know about the fish, was very popular in Russia. But I never seen it here, so I was looking for more local information.


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## Snip 13 (Oct 29, 2012)

CharlieD said:


> Thanks, yeah, I guess I wasn't clear, as always. i do know about the fish, was very popular in Russia. But I never seen it here, so I was looking for more local information.


 
It's a pleasure anyway. Hake is also from the same species as cod. Think that would be as close as you'll get locally. 

I know a lot about fish, got bored and studied a few books on sea life.


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## taxlady (Oct 29, 2012)

Lardeffect said:


> Isn't butterfish too greasy after deep-frying? Sounds like deep-frying bacon


Deep frying bacon is a great way to get it nice and crispy. It's not like it's going to pick up any grease...


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## Kylie1969 (Oct 30, 2012)

Lardeffect said:


> Isn't butterfish too greasy after deep-frying? Sounds like deep-frying bacon



No, I dont find it greasy at all 

It is a lovely tasting fish


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## Snip 13 (Oct 30, 2012)

Kylie1969 said:


> No, I dont find it greasy at all
> 
> It is a lovely tasting fish


 
+1 
It's a moist fish, not greasy to me either. Love the buttery taste, it's much better than other white fish


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## Lardeffect (Oct 30, 2012)

Okay  I just know the smoked variety, and it is quite fatty, but as I see it is good for deep-frying


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## Kylie1969 (Nov 5, 2012)

Snip 13 said:


> +1
> It's a moist fish, not greasy to me either. Love the buttery taste, it's much better than other white fish



Yes, I too love the buttery taste...it is a lovely fish and the most popular over here for sure


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## Snip 13 (Nov 5, 2012)

Yum! I'm actually in the mood for some butterfish. Think I'll get some tomorrow


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## tinlizzie (Nov 5, 2012)

Down here a lot of the restaurants use Gulf of Mexico grouper. It's a nice, mild white fish and most places offer it deep fried in sandwiches.


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## vitauta (Nov 5, 2012)

i associate cod with pub style fish.  cod has a nice mild flavor, and a semi-firm texture, that holds up well to battering.  although i favor halibut over most other fish, for fish and chips cod is an easy choice for me....


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## Kylie1969 (Nov 5, 2012)

V, I love cod and wish we got more of it here 

We do get a couple of varieties, but not the one Steve had back in the UK


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## Chef Maloney (Nov 7, 2012)

When I was growing up we used to pull Corvina out of the sea, sometimes 5 of us in the boat could pull in as many as 30 in 30 minutes. (no limits). Good day when fish were biting of course. Great tasting salt water white meat fish. My 7 year old brother caught a 35 Lb. Corvina and made the local paper.  We would have huge fish frys on the beach.  I never see Corvina in markets anywhere.


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## Kylie1969 (Nov 12, 2012)

Your fish frys on the beach sound lovely Chef 

Sounds like a nice fish too


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## Kayelle (Nov 12, 2012)

Sir_Loin_of_Beef said:


> Most places around here use Pacific red snapper, which is actually rock cod, and will upgrade you to halibut for an additional cost.



+1

CF, since you are in Acton, my guess also would be that it was Rock Cod (Red Snapper) and a wonderful choice for fish and chips.  I actually prefer it to Halibut for this dish, although I adore grilled Halibut.  We have a wonderful harbor restaurant here in Ventura called "Andrea's" and they have the best fish and chips made with Rock Cod I've ever eaten anywhere, including the United Kingdom.


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